Signing up and studying for the CFA exam may seem daunting. Before registering for the exam, I did a lot of research to understand what the CFA is all about and to decide whether it was the right choice for me.
300 Hours provided answers to a lot of my questions and I’ve been an avid reader since I signed up for the newsletter, almost three years ago. Today, I want to use my experience to help you get started and point you to the posts I found the most useful while preparing for the exam.
If you’re still pondering whether to enroll in the CFA program, an MBA, or one of the many other professional qualifications, the following articles will help you decide
- CFA vs MBA: 8 Points to Help You Decide
- Is an MBA Worth It?
- Which Financial Qualification Should You Pick? CFA vs. CAIA, FRM and IMC
- Claritas vs CFA: Comparing the Two Qualifications
Assuming you’ve decided to take the plunge, it’s still good to know what you’re getting yourself into:
When to start studying?
As of now, you still have plenty of time to sign up for the Level I exam in December and even more time to sign up for the June 2016 session. To visually aid you, here’s how much studying you have to do weekly when referenced with when you started studying:
But you wouldn’t want to start studying too late, or too early for that matter.
What do I need to prepare well for the CFA Exams?
You’ll need choose your study materials…
…and one of two approved calculators…
…as well as a study plan.
You’ll also have the perfect plan, best intentions, and will follow proven study techniques.
What should I do as the exam draws near?
Ultimately life may get in the way and you’ll run out of time, so you’ll want to focus on the areas with the highest Return on Investment.
No matter what you do, do not neglect the practice exams as the number of practice exams taken separates the sheep from the goats:
Exam day! Any advice?
Before you know it, it will be exam day and logistics are the last thing you’ll want to worry about. Thankfully, Mike has thought of everything:
If you found this list helpful, make sure to sign up for the 300 Hours newsletter and check out the other articles. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Author: Zee Tan
300Hours founder
