[Crash_test_dummy]

Originally Posted by shalabhkumar

Should i start with Study Session 1 or i can start with any session. I think it doest make a differance until i take up all eco or finance session togther, Can you please through some light on it
Shalabh

hi. well i havnt cleared the level 1, but i dont feel there`s any harm in starting any study session you like. it`s better to start with something you are familiar with rather than going in a serial order. i`ve been doing the LOS chapters kinda randomly...now whether this is (was!) advisable or not...my results will tell

[mba05]

Originally Posted by pinkunarayanCFA

HI I AM ENROLLED IN CFA PROGRAM AND CURENTLY IN THE THIRD AND LAST LEVELYOU CAN ASK YOUR QUERRIES IF YOU LIKE

Hi pink..
Congratulations!

I think a lot of folks would be interested in:
(1) The program focuses on asset valuation and portfolio mgmt. If one is not specifically targeting these areas (or has not decided yet), what kind of benefit can one derive from this program.

(2) What is your background?
For candidates with little or no background in finance, how useful is the CFA in breaking in breaking into finance.

(3)Can you suggest a study plan with materials that you found useful?
How much time did you spend on clearing the two levels?


If you have any other insights, CFA applicants would be appreciative..

Thanks

[Crash_test_dummy]

Originally Posted by pinkunarayanCFA

HI I AM ENROLLED IN CFA PROGRAM AND CURENTLY IN THE THIRD AND LAST LEVELYOU CAN ASK YOUR QUERRIES IF YOU LIKE

hi...thanks for offering to help us out with our querries, that`s a very nice gesture!

My querries are basically the same as those of mba05:

1. Will a cfa level 1 help me get finance jobs? or is level 1 considered too small to qualify for a full-fledged decent-paying job with good companies? What has been your observation about the career progression of people with just level 1?

2. What`s the level of awareness and recognition of the aimr cfa in the industry? where does it stand compared to mba and ca? Can you mention the pros and cons of a CFA as compared to a CA and an MBA?

3. is a cfa valuable as a standalone degree or is it necessary (in india or abroad) to combine it with an mba? basically...how far can a guy get in his career with a cfa alone?

4. and finally, some suggestions on timelines, prep schedules, where to study what from, textbooks Vs. prep material, the number of hours/weeks/months you spent on level 1?

Thanks in advance!

[sonal_gupta]

i'd like to add 2 more questions

1) for someone who has never done commerce/finance before (i'm an economics graduate) is a CFA do-able?

2)what kind of a job do u think one should do along with the CFA course? i'm a frsh graduate with no workex

[Crash_test_dummy]

Originally Posted by sonal_gupta

1) for someone who has never done commerce/finance before (i'm an economics graduate) is a CFA do-able?

as far as i know..there isn`t any undergrad course that focusses specifically on finance. so most undergrad background in finance comes from either commerce or eco or bba/bms....and you ARE an eco graduate. there`s a big chunk of cfa level 1 dealing with eco and accounts and that should be pretty easy for you. so i dont think education background is a real concern in your case at all...in fact, being an eco grad u have an advantage! Leave that worry to us engineers who have nothing to do with commerce/eco/finance!

[nakul05]

<snipped>
No pirated materials allowed.

[BaBu]

thanks BABU.. u've been a major help... i'll check up abt genpact and some of the other BPO outfits in Kolkata... do u think a CFA should be followed up with a MBA? is it an adequate degree?

CFA is a progressive modern finance degree giving you leading edge to be global finance professionals. Following MBA after that is not a necessary requirement. Decision depends upon lot of factors.

One obvious difference between the CFA program and an MBA program is the breadth of the curriculum. A good analogy is that the curriculum of the CFA program is a foot wide and a mile deep while the curriculum of MBA programs are a mile wide and a foot deep

Read: http://www.analystforum.com/121304.shtml

Be sure why you want CFA and in which areas of finance you are targetting after its completion. In india , KPO is hottest at the moment.These are the areas where you can use your skills after completing CFA:

Capital Structure management

Resource Mobilisation

Fund Utilization

Budgeting

Treasury Operations

Cash Management

Project Management

Overseas fund Mobilisation

Foreign Exchange management

Risk management

Forex dealing

Forex consultancy

Fund management

Portfolio management

Mutual funds

Equity research

Investment consultancy

Corporate banking

Retail banking

project appraisal

financial products designing

financial products marketing

investment banking

venture capital

insurance

credit rating

stock broking

financial advisory services

All the best . I graduated in 2003 and its being a roaller coaster ride as you come out of that safe college shell and face practical issues of managing career, survival and growth.

[Crash_test_dummy]

Originally Posted by nakul05

hi guys,
This is no advertisement and I am not related to this book store in anyway. Iam just attaching the email that I received from a yahoo group. They promise to send some much needed material. So verify urself b4 u order anything from them

seems seriously creepy. most xerox-ing happens on a one-to-one basis among freidns and trusted sources..but to rely on a vendor for getting illegal xerox copies is a lil shady! anyways, beware!

here are some links that i found might be useful:

http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprogr...xamination.pdf
http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprogr...estingTips.pdf
http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprogr...xamination.pdf
http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprogr...ourse_tips.pdf

[passionzz]

Hi all,
I finished with my international CFA Level 3 in June 2005 am looking to get rid of my L1 & L2 material (L3 material already gone). I have ALL the original textbooks ordered from CFA Inst. and also all the candidate readings which CFA Inst. prints out. PM me in case anyone is interested.

All the best, all.

[prasunc]

hi .. me too looking for taking the 1st level exam in dec '06.
still some time left for me