This may seem like a strange question, but what type of “weight” do you feel is applied to a student’s age at the time of graduation? Specifically for new grads (of course).
Having gone through the on-campus recruitment process, I can tell you that they don’t know if you’re an 18-year-old graduating senior or if you’re 30 (they don’t ask, and it’s tough to tell by looking). In fact, it’s illegal to make hiring decisions based on age. So don’t ask, don’t tell. It has zero weight in the process unless you bring it up.
yep, no need to talk about it
Whew =). Related to this, however, how does a break from college (with good reasons) look? Not a “yeah I got bored with school and wanted to just relax” kind of break, but more like a “my dad is dying and I chose to help him out and work full-time” type of break?
that’s about as good a reason as any. as long as you explain your break from school and note that you were doing something productive in your time (rather than postponing school because you wanted to watch reruns of beavis and butthead episodes), then you are fine. btw, i hope that the story about your dad isn’t true, but if it is, then that would be about as good a reason as any to take a break from school
Well, yes, it is true, so I agree with you, it was a good reason - I just hope employers agree. I feel like an old man graduating (I took about 3 years off from school), but I’m working my a** off to try to make up for it. I just hate feeling like all the hard work might not pay off in the end, at least as much as I think it will. Haha not sure if that sentence made any sense, but I think you know what I meant =).
I believe Gouman is a 25 year old recent grad and things seemed to work out for him.
Ahh…Gouman seems to have landed a pretty nice gig, too. Models? Movies? California weather? Sign me up! Ok, so I suppose I shouldn’t be too worried. Thanks everyone!
I don’t think you should be concerned. kkent is correct, I graduated at the ripe old age of 25. I just turned 26 a few weeks ago. I was a little concerned about my age, but not much. I knew I applied myself correctly (via internships, networking, and decent grades). It was just a matter of getting face time with the right people, I was confident I could win them over and get a job. It worked, my new firm is awesome. One guy who interviewed me did ask me why it took me so long to finish school. I just told the truth. First off, I started at 21 because I was not sure until then that I was ready to commit to school (I basically only commited to partying and banging hotties until I was 21). Second, once I was committed to getting a degree I ended up running out of money and had to drop out for a year and just work to save up to finish up (thank god for student loans). The guy ended up giving me kudos for showing perseverance and mentioned they needed that kind of attitude for the job (which was a portfolio assistant position). I didn’t end up accepting the job because I took this gig at the movie studio. Bottom line: If you know your sh!t , have solid people skills and networking ability, you’ll be fine regardless of age, in the vast majority of cases IMO.
I doubt the time off would affect the application process at all. My friend at university had to take a couple of years off due to a similar situation to yours and managed to secure a grad position at ICAP. All in all, the extra years will have created value in different ways - I’m sure that you are alot more mature/determined than a number of recent grads that we take on due to the problems that you have had to overcome.
I’m actually at the point where I’m considering not bothering with a degree at all (i’m 26). I figure once (if) I complete all 3 levels of the CFA and obtain my charter, what good will a degree do once I’ve got it and have work experience in my field? Probably won’t mean much. I’ve inquired about this in the recent past and was told by someone who is involved in the industry quite a bit (as well as a university professor here) pretty much what I just stated, and also used the phrase a very expensive ‘piece of paper’. Basically, it wasn’t really worth it, so I decided to enroll for the CFA right away instead of chasing a degree. I had some fairly extenuating circumstances as well (I left my university’s mechanical engineering program in year 2) and am finally putting things back together. Luckily, I had enough university experience and relevant work experience to get accepted into the CFA program which I’m very pleased about, because now I can live knowing I didn’t ‘waste’ those years in uni.
SomewhatDamaged Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m actually at the point where I’m considering > not bothering with a degree at all (i’m 26). I > figure once (if) I complete all 3 levels of the > CFA and obtain my charter, what good will a degree > do once I’ve got it and have work experience in my > field? Probably won’t mean much. I’ve inquired > about this in the recent past and was told by > someone who is involved in the industry quite a > bit (as well as a university professor here) > pretty much what I just stated, and also used the > phrase a very expensive ‘piece of paper’. > > Basically, it wasn’t really worth it, so I decided > to enroll for the CFA right away instead of > chasing a degree. I had some fairly extenuating > circumstances as well (I left my university’s > mechanical engineering program in year 2) and am > finally putting things back together. > > Luckily, I had enough university experience and > relevant work experience to get accepted into the > CFA program which I’m very pleased about, because > now I can live knowing I didn’t ‘waste’ those > years in uni. dude, you need a degree to challange the CFA
SeanC Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > SomewhatDamaged Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I’m actually at the point where I’m considering > > not bothering with a degree at all (i’m 26). I > > figure once (if) I complete all 3 levels of the > > CFA and obtain my charter, what good will a > degree > > do once I’ve got it and have work experience in > my > > field? Probably won’t mean much. I’ve inquired > > about this in the recent past and was told by > > someone who is involved in the industry quite a > > bit (as well as a university professor here) > > pretty much what I just stated, and also used > the > > phrase a very expensive ‘piece of paper’. > > > > Basically, it wasn’t really worth it, so I > decided > > to enroll for the CFA right away instead of > > chasing a degree. I had some fairly extenuating > > circumstances as well (I left my university’s > > mechanical engineering program in year 2) and > am > > finally putting things back together. > > > > Luckily, I had enough university experience and > > relevant work experience to get accepted into > the > > CFA program which I’m very pleased about, > because > > now I can live knowing I didn’t ‘waste’ those > > years in uni. > dude, you need a degree to challange the CFA Not really. I got in with a combination of university (ie: mechanical engineering for a couple of years, and recently completed courses which make up the first year of a business/commerce program) and have completed the required licensing courses to trade securities in canada (ie: canadian securities course, conduct and practices handbook) which is somewhat similar to the CFA level 1 exam. I’ve seen people study 300-500 hours for the CSC, while I put in only 130 and came away with a fairly respectable mark in a course that has quite a high failure rate for its first exam (there’s 2 exams to be completed) and I passed fairly easily on my first attempt for both. Now if that was a snarky comment intended to question my intelligence, I assure you, I’m probably smarter than A LOT of people with a degree. Anyways, I’m not too worried about level 1 since I have tackled much of the material in the course I recently completed, but am a little more worried about levels 2 and 3. That being said, I can’t see myself spending more than 200 hours studying level 1. I’m guessing I’ll spend somewhere between 150-200 hours. If I study like a ‘normal’ person, it’ll be a foregone conclusion. I’m looking forward to it. 
SeanC, I also thought that you needed a bachelor’s to become a charter holder, but apparently that’s not true. Four years of relative experience will do, but it’s hard to obtain a position that meets the four years of relative experience requirement without a degree. “Have a U.S. bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree, be in the final year of your bachelor’s degree program, or have four years of qualified, professional work experience or a combination of work and college experience that totals at least four years” http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprog/getstarted/requirements/index.html
How is passing the CSC on your first try proof of your superior intelligence relative to A LOT of people with a degree? >SomewhatDamaged Wrote: > > Not really. I got in with a combination of > university (ie: mechanical engineering for a > couple of years, and recently completed courses > which make up the first year of a > business/commerce program) and have completed the > required licensing courses to trade securities in > canada (ie: canadian securities course, conduct > and practices handbook) which is somewhat similar > to the CFA level 1 exam. I’ve seen people study > 300-500 hours for the CSC, while I put in only 130 > and came away with a fairly respectable mark in a > course that has quite a high failure rate for its > first exam (there’s 2 exams to be completed) and I > passed fairly easily on my first attempt for > both. > > Now if that was a snarky comment intended to > question my intelligence, I assure you, I’m > probably smarter than A LOT of people with a > degree. > > Anyways, I’m not too worried about level 1 since I > have tackled much of the material in the course I > recently completed, but am a little more worried > about levels 2 and 3. > > That being said, I can’t see myself spending more > than 200 hours studying level 1. I’m guessing I’ll > spend somewhere between 150-200 hours. > > If I study like a ‘normal’ person, it’ll be a > foregone conclusion. > > I’m looking forward to it.
CFA or no, a lot of companies won’t even talk to you if you don’t have an undegrad degree. You may be brilliant, however you will have a difficult time getting through the door, an undergrad degree shows you can commit to something. It may not be right but thats the way it is. What do you plan on doing with your CFA without a degree?
pretty arrogant for someone who dropped out of undergrad (and probably not a top tier one, either) and has not even started studying for the CFA level 1 yet is armed with claims of superior work ethic and intelligence…
That’s originally what I thought as well and it may be true in some cases, but I’ve seen many positions that don’t require an undergrad. All I really need is a job to get my foot in the door, which *may* be a little harder to get without an undergrad and that’s to be expected. Here’s the response I was given by the university professor and industry expert. "On the undergrad degree side, all that an undergrad degree gives you is a “piece of paper” (a very expensive one). This gives any potential person hiring you some degree of comfort. After you have more senior ones (like the CFA) or many years work experience, nobody asks how you got to where you are. I had a client who I worked with side by side for over a year on a very tough project. It was only at the end of this period where she noted that she never completed her undergrad degree (which was a decade or two ago). After a while nobody asks, and nobody cares. " Right now, I’m looking for a position with a firm either as an IA assistant or sales assistant and work my way from there. I was faced with the decision of A) pursuing my degree part time, B) Enrolling for the CFA, C) Enrolling for the CFA while trying to complete other designations/certifications as well. The degree at this point just doesn’t seem as important to me. Maybe if I was still in my early 20’s, but unfortunately that’s not the case. I guess I’ll be aiming to be one of those ‘exceptions’ to the ‘you’re a nobody without a degree’. Geddy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > CFA or no, a lot of companies won’t even talk to > you if you don’t have an undegrad degree. You may > be brilliant, however you will have a difficult > time getting through the door, an undergrad degree > shows you can commit to something. It may not be > right but thats the way it is. What do you plan on > doing with your CFA without a degree?
Dropped out of undergrad for extremely good reasons. Arrogant? Not really. I’m simply replying to the sentiments that I’m not capable because I had the misfortune of not being able to complete a degree. Am I confident in myself? Definitely. It may come off as arrogance in certain instances, perhaps such as this one. sternwolf Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > pretty arrogant for someone who dropped out of > undergrad (and probably not a top tier one, > either) and has not even started studying for the > CFA level 1 yet is armed with claims of superior > work ethic and intelligence…
And obviously those themselves (ie: charterholders) that created the enrolment requirements felt that somebody in my position is capable of attempting the CFA exams, who are you to tell me otherwise?