What has your journey been in the CFA program?

CFA Level III
#1

Just curious what everyone’s journeys have been like.

It’s been a long long long road for me:

  • June 2010 - Failed Level 1 (Band 7)
  • December 2010 - Failed Level 1 (Band 9)
  • December 2011 - Failed Level 1 (Band 10)
  • December 2013 - Passed Level 1
  • June 2014 - Failed Level 2 (Band 5)
  • June 2015 - Passed Level 2
  • June 2016 - Failed Level 3 (Band 6)
  • June 2017 - Passed Level 3

For the record, the first 3 times I did Level 1, it was mainly because I wanted to register to have it on my resume that I was a candidate (stupid me). I still wrote the exams, but didn’t try all that hard.

So it’s been a long 7 years for me. I guess what I’m trying to say it, for people who failed this time, DON’T GIVE UP!!!

What about you guys?

#2

coincidently…mine is similar to you

failed level 1 Jun 2009 (100 hours)

failed level 1 Dec 2009(100 hours)

Passed level 1 June 2012 (300 hours)

Failed level 2 June 2013 (<100 hours did not sit)

Failed level 2 June 2014 (~300 hours)

Passed level 2 June 2015 (250 hours)

Failed level 3 June 2016 (~300 hours)

Passed level 3 June 2017 (~250 hours)

between all the 3rd party study materials… week-off to study nearly every year prior to exam…it was turned out to be very expensive

#3

Yeah, very expensive indeed. Good thing my company helped cover some of the expenses though for the later exams.

#4

markol could you advise what you changed from band 6. I’m also a band 6 - looking for some insight.

#5

I definitely did a lot more practice exams/problems this year (from 2010-2016). Highly recommend doing as many as you can. I dedicated about 2 months prior to just doing questions/practice problems/exams. Last year I think I only left about 3 weeks to do problems.

Also it does seem a LITTLE easier the second time around as you should already be familiar with most of the concepts.

Oh also probably helped that I didn’t take vacation in mid-April this year for 2 weeks like I did last year.

#6

Join Summer 2015.

End Summer 2017.

#7

as a retaker if you wait to start again in Feb/March… it’s almost like starting over

stay fresh now with 1-2 topic test per day

#8

I wouldn’t succeed without little support of this forum. My advice to newbies - be as much active here as you can. Ask, respond, discuss,even argue if is needful, give advices, take advices.

#9

My CFA program journey actually began in the summer of 2008. I started studying for the 08 Level I exam in August, but then within a month Lehmann was going bankrupt and all hell broke loose. I was working 14 hour days and I didn’t even sit for the exam. After the dust settled my second child was born and I decided to put the program on hold and focus on work, life and family for awhile longer. Fast forward to 2014 …

I started studying for December Level I in September 2014. Level II took me two attempts, as I wasn’t able to get strong enough in the material over the 4 months after the December pass. August 2017 Level III pass.

So about 3 years for me. Worth it.

#10

my journey goes back to 2007

2007 June Level1 Passed

2008 Level2 - failed

Spent time between GMAT and Level 2

2009- I wanted to appear ,registred, but my first kid in Mid feb , did go and appear though-fail

Took GMAT and got selected for Berkeley-

2010- was Berkeley

2011-Lvel2 pass

2012- history repeats - I did register, but this time I was suffering from morning sickness due to second kid

Got the money refunded to 2013 exam, but my younger one was born in Nov

2013- Did not attempt

After that I gave up on level 3 raising 2 kids with a job

but something motivated me to register again for 2016

after 5 years gap -registered

2016- Failed(did everything possible including sending the kids off to my mother’s place during last month to study-but failed with band 5)

2017- Finally passed( moved countries, took a break from job (lsat 45 daysand has mother come over to help me with kids and house hold)

pheew- if its 1 line i need to describe I coudl tell this

My elder daughter asked -what is this exam as I was screaming and crying and this is what I told her(rather everyone)

This is the moment which mean more than when I has you- not that I dont love you but you came within a year and easy but this took a 10 year journey.

I dont remember when the first 6 months of the year either went in study or at least spent thinking of this exam,

#11

^^intense… impressed that mom’s can do it

#12

oh wow, yeah! longer journey than mine haha but so glad we’re done with it now :slight_smile:

I don’t think words could’ve described my excitement and happiness this morning. I can finally book vacations during the first half of the year!

#13

Dude wow…

I am one and done on every exam. If I failed LvL1 or LvL 2 I would have quit. No way the wait for a full year would have been worth it.

#14

Started journey Dec 2015 - passed level 1, June 2016 - passed level 2, and June 2017 - passed level 3.

Lots of studying on the commute to and from work. Lots of anxiety waiting for the results. Well worth it. While I’m glad I was able to pass the first time, but if I had failed, I would’ve continued. not a quitter and I admire all of the people who kept trying until the end.

#15

Dec 2014 Passed L1

June 2015 Failed L2 (band 7)

June 2016 Passed L2

June 2017 Passed L3

Pretty wild looking back on it now- lots of 3am wakeup calls, late nights in coffee shops, flashcards on the train/bus/can (actually a free “make your own flashcards” app that was awesome, PM me if you want to know which one.) Hard to believe it’s actually over!

#16

Passed level 1 Jun 2011 …passed level 3 June 2017 …in between alot of struggles and lots of failed attempt…today I am glad I stuck to it :).

#17

I had the exact same time line and events, but failed Level 2, band 5 in 2015.

#18

Journey Started in India.

Jun 2003 - Passed Level 1

Jun 2004 - Failed Level 2

Jun 2005 - Passed Level 2 - Back in those days L2 AM was also constructed responses/ Essays!

Aug 2005 - Jun 2006 : Grad student at Univ of Chicago - Financial Mathematics

Jun 2006 - Failed Level 3 (Went in underprepared - underestimated the course workload at UChicago and was right after my uni exams)

Relocation to a another country

Jun 2009 - Registered for Level 3 - Did not sit, as was terribly stretched at work with setting up a new hedge fund

Jun 2012 - Registered for Level 3 - Did not sit again

Moved back to hometown.

Jun 2016 - Failed L3 - Band 8 (AM 8/1/1 and PM 0/2/8) : Was challenged by an Analyst that was working for me. The curriculum was completely different from the previous ones that I had looked at and took me by surprise. I prepared for 8-9 days with no time for mocks.

Jun 2017 - Passed L3. Around 250 hrs of prep (including AM mocks and review)

I usually start my preparation in May. L1 & L2 were 1 & 2 weeks of work for me, as I had just completed my MBA back then. In hindsight, should have completed in 2012, but was generally demotivated then to read.

#19

Dec 15 - Pass L1

June 16 - Pass L2

June 17 - Pass L3

and im officially exhausted

#20

Dude, I had the exact everything as yours, including the band 5 in 2015