CFA Confidential: What It Really Takes to Become a Chartered Financial Analyst

Standards of Practice Handbook, Eleventh Edition Introduction To Financial Statement Analysis. Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders, Editorial Reviews Review "Entertaining and instructive MBA is worth the price of admission An entertaining and informative read". His investment commentary has been widely read by many of Wall Street's most influential investors. He currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family.

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Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention cfa confidential cfa program great book cfa exams work hard must read gregory campion cfa designation highly recommend read this book recommend this book cfa charter level three exam pursue the cfa pursuing the cfa considering the cfa book to read take the cfa thinking process.

Showing of 33 reviews. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Campion, CFA - the Motivator. Gregory Campion, CFA is not a gifted writer, but he is a gifted motivator. I read all of the prior reviews on this book prior to purchasing the bottom line is that Mr.

Campion's book is definitely worth purchasing and my summation is that the 5 star ratings are a bit too glowing, and the substandard reviews are far too critical. Essentially, there are two books on the market now that are written by recent CFA charterholders, which makes their "take" on the CFA process more relevant to pre- and existing CFA candidates. Nearly twice the length of Mr.

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Campion's book though still an easy read , she offers a multitude of very specific recommendations not contained in the CFA Confidential, written from the perspective of someone who actually passed each level on her first attempt. Campion offers in this worthwhile book is also of value: He has the not unusual distinction of having failed the exams as often as he passed them. His emotional perspective on the ups and downs of the process are very captivating - I sighed out loud when reading the section of the book where he describes the email he received from the CFA institute notifying him of his failure.

Following this disappointment, he appropriately titles one of the final chapters "Back in the Ring" to describe his third attempt to pass Level 3. I found myself personally relating to Mr. Campion on several levels - as I will also be embarking on this journey with an intense family dynamic i. He comes across as an everyday professional seeking some additional respect in the workplace, likeable, and someone you could enjoy a cold birch beer with on your front porch or back deck on a summer afternoon.

What he lacks in writing prose, he makes up for in engaging the reader to believe that normal people can achieve a CFA charter if they work hard enough. While perhaps not intended by the two CFA charterholder authors, Mr. Bryant are an excellent complement to one another. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Have you passed one or more exams but are stuck on Level Two or Three? Are you the spouse or significant other of someone in the program? Those are the true lessons of his experience. More than anything, the real gem in this book is the discussion of what to do, and how to keep yourself motivated, if you fail an exam.

So is everyone else taking each exam, but the pass rates are low. This program is like no other in finance in terms of difficulty, with the exception of actuarial exams. The majority of test-takers at each level do not pass the first time they take the exam. For many candidates, resilience after an initial failure is what gets them over the finish line.

You have to stay in the game. It's an ultra-marathon, not a sprint. The author discusses the immense volume of material candidates need to master, the frustrations of devoting the better part of each year to studying, the challenges of staying motivated when you fail an exam and the need to juggle work, family, friendships and exam preparation. While Campion does make some excellent suggestions regarding how to study, he correctly explains that each candidate will have a different study style. There are some good prep providers. There is no magic bullet for preparing for the exams.

You have to understand the content and be to apply what you have learned and explain it in the context of the exam format.

For those candidates who are aghast at the piles of books on your desk, I am sorry to say that there are no shortcuts! You have go to go through them. However, you can study efficiently, and Campion presents ways to do that successfully that worked for him. Needless to say it is considerable, but worth it.

Will CFA become the new MBA? | Financial Times

I am sitting for the Level Three exam for the second time in June and found Campion's book to be just the encouragement I needed to stay motivated. I don't necessarily agree with Campion that Schweser material makes the best foundation material, although I do use them. I think you have to read the curriculum at least once and do all the end of chapter problems. This can get a bit tricky in the quantitative parts so the prep provider chapters for those topics can be a real lifesaver. I do agree strongly with Campion that you have to take as many practice tests as possible. I liked this book and found it informative, realistic and useful.

I don't know the author -- I found out about the book from a forum on LinkedIn. Thanks to Greg for writing it, and for sharing his experience. While there are no specific educational requirements to obtain the CIC credential, candidates must have passed the CFA exam and currently hold a CFA charter, which means they must have satisfied the educational requirements to become a CFA. See the CFA section below for those requirements. See the CFA section below for exam requirements.

Contact the IAA at with questions. However, designees must fulfill all of the continuing education requirements to keep their CFA credential see CFA section below. Candidates must also submit a form to the IAA each year verifying that they still work for an IAA firm in an eligible occupational position and that they have not had disciplinary proceedings against them for professional conduct.

Financial Planning Professional Designations

There are more than , CFAs around the world. All CFAs must be well versed in the Candidate Body of Knowledge CBOK , which includes ethical and professional standards, as well as information on quantitative methods, economic principles, financial reporting and analysis, corporate finance, equity investments, fixed income, derivatives, portfolio management, wealth planning and alternative investments. Experience To become a CFA charter holder, candidates must have four years of qualifying investment work experience. This must reflect at least one of the following areas:.

The latest curriculum materials may be purchased here. Registration must be completed online for all three exams. Test center locations are disclosed upon registration. Once candidates have completed the educational, experience and examination requirements, they must pledge to adhere to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Practice.

Designees must activate their CFA membership online. Candidates must complete three years of full-time experience in business within the five years preceding their application for the ChFC award. Students may choose from self-study classes, live online webinars, and Horizons individual and group study programs. Course credits are only good for five years, after which time they expire. This means that the educational component must be completed in a five-year period.

The American College, P. Box , Bryn Mawr, PA Examinations must be taken after the completion of each class in the ChFC curriculum. Candidates must apply for their examination no more than two weeks before the exam quarter begins. After completing each exam, they will be notified immediately on screen if they have passed. Exams may be retaken at least two business days to one year later for a fee. After completing educational, experiential and examination requirements, candidates must take the Professional Pledge of the American College Board of Trustees.

They will be awarded the ChFC charter once all requirements have been fulfilled. All American College courses count for CE credit.

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The numbers of credit that each course counts for varies depending upon the state in which designees are licensed. Designees may request CE Certification for completed courses by filing this form. While any candidate may apply to take the CRFA exam, in order to be successful, candidates should meet the following requirements. Candidates who choose to receive education through CRFA may register for the self-study program , available in a comprehensive or segment format.

The CRFA exam is a question, four-hour, closed book test of specific to knowledge and approach to situations involving retirement planning. Examinees must receive a score of 70 or above in order to pass the exam. For examinees that attended a class sponsored by the SCRFA, the exam fee may be included in the tuition.

The exam application may be faxed to or emailed to lynda crfa. Once exam applications are approved, candidates may schedule their exam online via the ISO Quality Testing network. Exam locations and times will be disclosed upon registration. Courses should be directly related to classes and subjects in the initial CRFA training class.

Classes from these approved providers count for CE credit. Designees must also read and sign the Code of Ethics each year. CRFA is also registered in some states as an approved continuing education provider for licensed insurance professionals.