complimentary certificate to CFA

ohai Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The distance learning course costs $18,000 in the > US and $10,000 in the “UK and the rest of the > world”. Uh, wtf? That’s why it will never catch on in the US.

photoguy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > 10,000 GBP, not 10,000 USD. Wait, I’m retarded - I didn’t see that for some reason. Looks like it’s closer to $15,400 vs. $18,000.

For all the people bagging on various designations, keep in mind that the CFA was ridiculously easy with a 90% pass rate for a looooooong time. There is value in earning a designation if you feel it overlaps your career path. Simply earning one for the resume wont get you squat without the proper experience. The best you can hope for is that it moves you closer to the top of the pile for interview invitations.

Pretty damn expensive either way. Doing an MFE at Baruch (a fairly well-respected program) is significantly cheaper, and then you get an actual degree! I’ve posted mixed things about MFEs elsewhere, but they have to compare favorably to a CQF. Some might point to differences in the level of time commitment, but IMO if the CQF doesn’t command the same level of time commitment as an MFE, I really don’t see how it could go deeply enough into the material to be truly useful.

^ Degree to designation ; I really don’t see much difference these days Example -> Masters in Finance vs. CFA CQF content is changing to a multiple of the content in most MFE programs since they just keep adding content (the extra content is 3x the size of the core 6-8 month program). I view the lifelong learning as the key advantage of the CQF vs a university which gives you the boot after the final exam. Now, you can make an argument for the network/career service differential at a traditional institution; but content, maybe not.

I’ve always been kinda interested in the CQF, but it always was a bit expensive for me. What I’d really like to do is buy it in the UK and sell it in the US.

Well while the CERA/ASA/FSA would show that you have demonstrated decent quantitative skills, you shouldn’t really bother with these actuarial credentials you unless you want to be an actuary. I would suggest complementing the CFA with an MFE from a decent one year program. I don’t think the FRM is as valuable as the MFE from a portfolio management perspective.

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Well, not sure about certificate programs, but I’m getting an EMSF. Although it’s a bit redudant with the CFA curriculum, I doubt it’ll hurt. And, since I’m in the states, both a graduate degree and progress towards CFA designation will open more doors (hopefully).