We've previously covered again and again that practice exams are the best things for you if you're serious about passing your CFA exams. 

But as we've mentioned in point #6 in Things We Love to Hate about the CFA, there is a truly unique sense of panic and depression when you've graded your first practice exam, probably with a sense of hopeful optimism.

Ever feel that the CFA curriculum is a bit incomprehensible at times?

Every topic makes sense when you're going through it, but for me, it's difficult to recall at short notice what each topic is about. 

10 main topics, each fairly different yet connected. How does one sum each topic up in a succinct way?

To help you along, we present to you the 10 CFA topics summarized using a two-cow analogy (ahem). Feel free to share and pass it on, or put it up on your wall while studying. Enjoy!

If you don't have a finance-related background, are you disadvantaged when it comes to the CFA exams?

In the December 2012 exams, we set out to find some clues to shed some light on just that. In our Analyze Results tool, we now include a question where candidates can input their work and education background, indicating whether their backgrounds were finance-related or not.

Given enough of a sample size, we could then compare the various background profiles with pass rates, and see how pass rates varied across candidates that had different backgrounds in work and education.

The results were quite surprising.

We are supposed to feel rested, recharged and ready to face the new year with energy and enthusiasm. Do you really feel that way? Or are you overwhelmed by your long list of challenges and to-do's?

This year, my new year resolution is simply to sleep better. Why? Because sleep is crucial to our mood, state-of-mind and productivity. Sleep gives you the source of energy and enthusiasm that you need for the new year, it's the driver for all your resolutions - the mother of them all. 

CFA pass rates have declined since inception in 1963, although it's been plateauing in the past few years. But after each CFA exam, there will be a general rumbling of dissent on yet another low pass rate. Why on earth are the exam pass rates so low? 

An extremely popular theory among candidates is that this is financially motivated. Low pass rates mean that candidates have to take the exam again, resulting in more revenue for the CFA Institute. 

Let's explore this theory and see if it holds water.

Did you pass?

After a long wait - the question that has been bugging you has now been answered.

Just a few minutes past 9am ET, the results are finally here, and individual results emails are flying in, being opened and read as this is being typed.

Here's a quick Q&A to round-up today's CFA Level I results.

6 years ago, I signed up for my CFA Level I as a sprightly, wide-eyed innocent.

I wish at the time I had someone who'd gone through everything to point out the potholes of the journey I'm on. For example, warning me about the difficulty of Level II would have saved me a lot of trouble!

Here are 20 things I didn't know before I went through the CFA exams. Some are funny and inconsequential, some are serious and important to know.

The ancient Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts.

The Romans began each year by making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named.

In the Medieval era, knights took the "peacock vow" at the end of the Christmas season each year to re-affirm their commitment to chivalry.

And today, we have our New Year's Resolutions. But how great are we at keeping them?

A 2007 study by Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail, despite the fact that 52% of the study's participants were confident of success at the beginning.

As we've covered the MBA subject briefly in a recent post and many readers wrote in for more, a natural follow up would be the classic question: CFA or MBA?

A very, very popular question among potential candidates compares the CFA charter to an MBA - which would be better? Like most comparisons, the answer is - it depends.
Firstly, it’s a very tricky thing to compare a CFA charter and an MBA - they’re fundamentally different creatures addressing different disciplines. However, at the same time there is a real need to evaluate these two qualifications side-by-side these days, as many up-and-comers looking to reinforce their CVs look to these two qualifications and are not clear about what each can offer to them and their careers. 

In trying to address this scenario, I will therefore critique both qualifications based on the benefits gained from a career perspective, and the costs involved. Always remember - the better qualification depends on your individual case. Read these points carefully and consider your own case before deciding which to pick (if at all).

#1. CFA: great for finance