Same as Alchemist, adavydov, mtm
Passed CFA L1 Dec 06, L2 Jun 07, L3 Jun 08 and FRM Nov 09 (First attempt)
It seems like FRM exam is an easy pass but only because the material is somewhat similar to CFA and those who said so have spent 3 years studying for CFA. Without the CFA background and taking the FRM exam would be a tremendous challenge. It works the other way too, those who get FRM first will find CFA to be easier than a regular candidate would.
Guys, By saying that you have passed “FRM full”, do you mean that you have passed two FRM exams (L1 and L2) in the same year. Is it technically possible to do so in the year 2010? Or, in 2009 the FRM was the one-year program?
Russian_from_Toronto Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Guys, > > By saying that you have passed “FRM full”, do you > mean that you have passed two FRM exams (L1 and > L2) in the same year. Is it technically possible > to do so in the year 2010? > > Or, in 2009 the FRM was the one-year program? In 2009 for the last time you could still take just one 5-hour test to pass the whole thing. However, I did read somewhere here that in the new 2 exam format you can still take both exams in one day if you so desire. You’d have to take the 4 hour Level I exam in the morning and the 4 hour Level II exam in the afternoon.
Klarsolo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Russian_from_Toronto Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Guys, > > > > By saying that you have passed “FRM full”, do > you > > mean that you have passed two FRM exams (L1 and > > L2) in the same year. Is it technically > possible > > to do so in the year 2010? > > > > Or, in 2009 the FRM was the one-year program? > > > In 2009 for the last time you could still take > just one 5-hour test to pass the whole thing. > > However, I did read somewhere here that in the new > 2 exam format you can still take both exams in one > day if you so desire. You’d have to take the 4 > hour Level I exam in the morning and the 4 hour > Level II exam in the afternoon. PLUS, you have to be crazy to do that (signed statement by your employer needed).
Guys, Please help me to get an idea how many hours I am “expected” to spend per each FRM level. For example, the CFA Institute says that candidates are “expected” to spend 200-250 hours per each level. How many hours are “expected” to spend for each level by the GARP institute?
Factor hedge Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Retaking CFA L1 in June 2010 , cleared FRM Full on > the first go Mate, how did that happen? I mean, CFA L1 was easy compared to FRM Full, which for me would be a nightmare, if had to take it right now
CFA level I is a highly competitive exam and with heavy accounting focus. People without good accounting background will get stuck in level II even they make through level I. CFA level I has many topics and broad and FRM has limit topics but deeper, in my opinion. I think your assessment is right that FRM could be a challenge for regular business student but a snap for math/Engineering major. Still a bit surprise that people still compare CFA and FRM side by side. Again, personal education and experience background do contribute to the “feeling” of difficulties for each exam.
I took L1 of CFA and passed with flying colors. Then I failed L2 TWICE in a row! Then I passed L2 last year. I’m scheduled for L3 this June. I took the full FRM exam last November for the first time and passed it.
@ngeorgiev I agree with phishwong , besides I feel CFA L1 questions to be quite lame and they require to be mugged especially in economics and ethics also for L1 I had to travel out of my country to write the exam which was an ordeal considering I had to work till friday evening (exam was on sunday). even though I dont have a quant background , I enjoy the quantitative part especially pricing of derivative instruments . I also spent 250-300 hrs for FRM which I didnt do for CFA L1 . Finally FRM has many concepts interrelated for example merton’s model / BSM model its used for pricing equity options , a slightly modified one is used for probability of default if you tweak it a bit more you can also use it for valuing exotic swaptions(not there in FRM) so the key is to know the concepts deeply unlike CFA L1 . IMO one who can understand the concepts deeply finds FRM easier . having said that passing FRM Full was really a hard task for me but I learnt a lot from this forum from ppl like phishwong, monki and adavydov7 and all others who actively contribute to this forum to strengthen my quant further I will be taking PRM …so its PRM in April , CFA L1 in June and GMAT in July
Been a couple of years: CFA L1 June '03 FRM Nov '03 CFA L2 June '04 CFA L3 June '05
CFA1: June 2007 CFA2: June 2008 CFA3: June 2009 FRM1: November 2009 Just the last part of the FRM left! Then I’m done with these stupid tests 
Personally found the FRM much harder than any of the CFA levels. Not a math guy so went into the exam having no chance on matrix questions, sure enough there were a couple but not enough to fail.
Judgign by the posts here FRM is not that hard compare to CFA
I passed CFA Level III in June 2010. I passed FRM exam in 2008(got result in Jan 2009).
gabersoup, Trust me, the content of the syllabus of the FRM is hard compared to the CFA. It is a specialist course compared to the generalist CFA and therefore drills deeper into the content. Anyone who has done any sort of undergraduate finance/economics degree will find a lot of the stuff in the CFA OK - passing the exam however maybe a bit tricky. The key with CFA is they trip you up to ensure a limited number pass each year.