Thoughts for the day...

I was just sitting here in a Philly coffee shop (Saxby’s - local chain, keep an eye on them if they ever go public), and two independent thoughts struck me. Firstly, it is SO COLD here, by the time I reach my car each morning I’ve lost all will to live and can’t even remember why I left my house in the first place. Secondly, I just realized that the reason I am sitting at this table studying right now, is because 1.5 years ago, I signed up for a certification I’d never heard of (but assumed would take about 40 hours of studying) on a whim because NYC banking sounded “cool” and monster.com said the CFA would provide a segway (despite the fact that I could not differentiate a BS from an IS, much less calculate NPV at that point in time). Ugh, where’s the rewind button on this junk (Too be honest, I’m thankful, but can’t help but shake my head at this series of events).

Yeah, I would beat younger mwvt9 to a pulp if I had the chance. What an idiot he was (is).

Same goes for me and young Captain Windjammer. I’m confident that he’s squandered as much opportunity as anyone else on this board, and more opportunity than the vast majority of people ever have.

Every time I read ethics a little piece of me dies.

Almost like watching the Flyers play some nights hey.

Captain Windjammer Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Same goes for me and young Captain Windjammer. > I’m confident that he’s squandered as much > opportunity as anyone else on this board, and more > opportunity than the vast majority of people ever > have. Windjammer as in this place in SC?? http://www.the-windjammer.com/

Big Babbu Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Almost like watching the Flyers play some nights > hey. dude.

I talked to a ton of people before signing up for L1 but I don’t know if I’d done it if I knew then what I know now. WHAT A SHITLOAD OF TIME I’VE SPENT ON THIS PROGRAM!!! Anyway… back to SS6

you know. i wouldn’t change a thing. i think i’m better off because i went through it. and when the mkt recovers and firms start hiring again, and we will recover from this at some point, i think i will be glad i toughed this thing out and have the three letters. wow. i sound like i’ve been seriously pounding the cfai kool-aid. wtf. ofcourse my perspective would probably be a lot different if i were 23 and all my friends were partying every weekend. so i understand that too.

It will all be over soon…

Black Swan, I do believe pursuing the CFA designation is right for you. You know what you are looking for and work hard to get there. It’s not only knowledge that you want to gain. You enjoy interacting with people who challenge you and help you grow. You have been very intentional getting to know people from AF and have an excellent network of very driven and smart people. All of us think about opportunity costs of pursuing CFA but you’ve done as good of a job at gaining from this process and sharing with others as one can.

Every year my boss asks me to bring her material from the CFA which I think will add value to our group. She completed the exam like in the 80s. Every year, I present several things to her from the material and not once has anything been used. NYC banking once sounded cool to me, however, now there are only commercial banks. Many which have no desire to enter the business that many NYC banks used to do.

philip.platt Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Captain Windjammer Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Same goes for me and young Captain Windjammer. > > I’m confident that he’s squandered as much > > opportunity as anyone else on this board, and > more > > opportunity than the vast majority of people > ever > > have. > > > Windjammer as in this place in SC?? > > http://www.the-windjammer.com/ bump - - still curious . . . the windjammer is pretty sick - and I saw you like to party

In 36 days it will all be over. (hopefully)

Ya, let’s get serious. I’m running on e, no chance I’ve got any gas left if I have to do this next year. 36 days. Easy. Right?

My perception of the value-add from the CFA charter has def. changed. I used to think this would be my opportunity to get the F*** out of commercial banking, now it looks like B school is the likely next step. I’m 27, will turn 28 a couple days after the exam. I’m just getting beat down man. Once CFA is over I have to crack the GMAT’s hard and try to get a 700+ in order to get into a good school, no time to waste. Ugh, it really is a rat race.

Stop staring at me shwan.

PhillyBanker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My perception of the value-add from the CFA > charter has def. changed. I used to think this > would be my opportunity to get the F*** out of > commercial banking, now it looks like B school is > the likely next step. I’m 27, will turn 28 a > couple days after the exam. I’m just getting beat > down man. Once CFA is over I have to crack the > GMAT’s hard and try to get a 700+ in order to get > into a good school, no time to waste. > > Ugh, it really is a rat race. Sign me in, I will be doing that too. But I am thinking about Phd. Dude, just said you 28yrs old. The only time you need to be scare is when you pass 29 and going for 30. I used to lie about that a lot. I would tell ppl that I am 29 while I was way 31. I figure that I cannot do that anymore.

Sponge_Bob_CFA Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Stop staring at me shwan. This is getting funnier sponge. Keep up the good work.

PhillyBanker Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My perception of the value-add from the CFA > charter has def. changed. I used to think this > would be my opportunity to get the F*** out of > commercial banking, now it looks like B school is > the likely next step. I’m 27, will turn 28 a > couple days after the exam. I’m just getting beat > down man. Once CFA is over I have to crack the > GMAT’s hard and try to get a 700+ in order to get > into a good school, no time to waste. > > Ugh, it really is a rat race. Propbably why I have not been as motivated to study for L3 as other two levels…the perception of CFA has changed in my eyes and I am thinking I will complete my CMA after…not sure about B school…too pricey for my pocket book at this time…