CFA® Strategy

Hi Guys, I'm brand new to this forum. I'm currently an engineer but I'm headed off to B-School this coming fall. My goal is to transition into Asset Management from engineering. I would like to pursue my CFA® Level 1 right now since I hear it is a convenient overlap with the first year B-school curriculum. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I figure I can put in a lot of study time before school starts next fall and then take the test in December. Also, is the only approach to just go to the CFA® website, register and then start studying once I receive the CBOK? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, in advance.

14 Comments
 

register and get schweser.

you dont have much time, lets say you registered for both right now, you get them march 1st, so you now have 3 months to study the whole thing. Since you say you're in engineering I will assume that you have little finance education/experience. Having said that 3 months is gonna be cutting it close, but worth a shot I guess, especially if you have 1.5k to drown.

 

if you only sent this email a day earlier...prices went up $250 today. but if money aint a thing, go for it!

 

oops. Yea then I guess you're okay. I would use this time to search and apply for scholarships for the exam. Wish I knew about that in advance..

 

Thanks a lot for the input guys. I really appreciate it. Haha, BSD is def. the greatest term ever. I'll be asking for help again when I have my final list of B-schools ready to go. Thanks, again!

 
Best Response

I have the charter and was an engineering major for ugrad, here's my 2 cents.

If you're going to a top business school, I recommend you just pass level 1 on December then use it to leverage into a relevant internship. After that, focus on networking during your 2nd year and forget about prepping for level 2. YOU DO NOT WANT TO WASTE 300+ HRS IN BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDYING FOR AN EXAM WHEN YOU COULD BE NETWORKING!!! CFA program materials are expensive and chances are you'll be buying Schweser notes and lecture classes to help you prep. Why not let your future employer foot the bill?

Having a top MBA shows that you're competent in business. Passing level 1 means you're serious about going into finance.

And no, CFA + MBA does not equal BSD. They do, however, put you in the track that if you work hard and deliver results you can become a BSD.

 
Buyside Noob And no, CFA + MBA does not equal BSD. They do, however, put you in the track that if you work hard and deliver results you can become a BSD.

BSD is relative. Ultimately, money is the expectation of that relative and therefore a suitable declaration.

Nobody makes me bleed my own blood and gets away with it...

"Cut the burger into thirds, place it on the fries, roll one up homey..." - Epic Meal Time
 

You took the words right out of my mouth. I'm in total agreement. I just want to get Level 1 under my belt and leverage it for internships and FT jobs. It will show how serious I am about asset management. I will not even think about Level 2 until I'm done with school. Plus, I don't have much to do with myself after work nowadays (GMAT is over, apps are done) so I can really crack the books for the CFA from now up till the fall and then taper back the studying once school starts. Then hopefully pass L1 in December. Thanks!

 

Just food for thought because I'm taking level 1 this June. I graduated in may and started a masters in finance program in the fall. i intern 4 days a week at a boutique investment bank and just got a SA offer for BB Investment Management program this summer. I'm really getting into the studying now, but if you have any previous finance schooling/knowledge it makes studying MUCH easier...

 

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