Or Schweser?
I will probably use Schweser. You can can a discount on BT if you already bought Schweser.
I think i’ll get schweser & BT…still a bit on the fence.
Anybody going to get the 2009 FRM Core Readings Course Pack?
I used Schweser and I also own a set of the 2008 official reading materials (though didn’t have time to read it in depth). I took Schweser’s on-line program as well (lectures). I found that strategy worked well for me. I would probably not have managed on Schweser material alone since I had some gaps that needed to be filled in from the original literature, but by and large I managed on the study notes and practice exams. The lectures were a bit superfluous but I found it worthwhile since I didn’t at the time have the necessary discipline to sit down week after week on my own with this material. Sometimes in the past I have read posts that it’s approximately the same material as in Level I, but that is (was) true only to some extent. It was helpful to have some knowledge about Quant, regression and various instruments, but when it came to operational risks for instance, or legal risks, it’s new material (compared to Level I). The original study material consisted of two thick (very thick indeed) binders with quite a lot of material, sometimes very theoretical bordering on the difficult and boring. Some of the CFA material - at least for Level I - seems to have been taken out of a school text book. This was not entirely the case with the FRM material; it was more challenging to read (the Schweser notes were however not more challenging than the CFA Level I ditto). The exam itself was quite gruelling in spite of being shorter (2 x 2.5 hrs as I recall). I felt terrible when I first saw those questions. After the exam itself I was convinced I had not passed so it was a nice surprise to, in January, learn that in fact I had passed and, as of April, may now use the designation. The pass rate was approximately that of the CFA Level I, around 40% or thereabouts (I don’t recall the exact numbers). MehdiOchre, FRM
My friend who used schweser and last year’s handbook managed to pass the exam so i will be taking a similar route. He advised me to really nail down on the schweser notes and use the handbook as a reference.
An add-on to my previous comment. will using schweser or bio as the only study material be enough to pass the exam. I dont think i have enough time to do too much extensive readings. I would rather master schweser, its Q banks and a couple of practice exams than to read a ton of stuff and mastering only half of it. Please advise; i look forward to your comments.
MehdiOchre Thanks ! I found you post very useful At this point of time I am pretty confused as to which material to study . I found the core readings very disjoined and very theoritical so I am planning to study Hull ,Gujarati ,Tuckman since these texts are in serial and these cover most (30%) of the total readings , I dont want to get stuck with this tough !!! by mid june I want to start with schweser and Jorion Handbook finish it by sep end and keep last 45-50 days for re-reading schweser and practice exams . I am enjoying the readings of Hull , like you said CFA L1 will help with fixed income and quant so I think I can manage with those , what do you suggest for operational risk ? Besides , like you have mentioned about the gaps that needed to be filled by original literature , what is the quantum …will not reading the entire core readings affect much ?
Does anyone know if the CAIA Level II: Current and Integrated Topics is part of the Schweser materials or if I will have to get that directly from CAIA?
oops… ignore last comment (obviously wrong forum haha)… anyways, i’m planning on just using schweser and not BT for FRM this nov. i hope that’s enough… Since my company isn’t going to reimburse me for FRM, I don’t want to pay for the FRM Handbook nor do I want to pay for the BT materials… maybe I can trick them in thinking that those materials are for CAIA… or for the CFA… (which those two are reimbursed) … hrm… *ethics* kicking in…