500 hours is a bit over, unless you have no background in Finance. What's your background?

Just one advice if you plan to take it in Dec. Register early, get your books, and get started.

hi guys, some questions as im interested in this CFA. im 35 year old and only have SPM cert, my early working experience is in IT sales, bank, direct sales and the last 6 years im running my own cybercafe business. so im wondering is it possible for me to sit for this course? ive also invested alot in sharemarket / property the past few years and thinking of going to investment line as i have interests in this.

my advice will be get hold a few of the CFA textbook. go through it before. see whether u can do it before you decided to enroll.

I only have a Law background... and also did A-levels econs. I have been stock investing and also reading alot on equities lar.. >.<

My biggest worry is the maths and accounting bit of it all.. any advice on that?

I just registered. 16th March is the deadline before it goes up by nearly $100!

So guys, if you're reading this, sign up now!

Advice is start reading once you get the materials. You might want to consider prep providers like Schweser, Elan, Stalla if you think the CFAI textbooks are too much for you (though I think you have ample time till the Dec exam). Math & Accounting are part & parcel of the syllabus, so there's no escape from it. Accounting will be a 20% of Level 1.

Cheers

tohff7 : thanks for the advice, yes ive d/l the cfa books n goin thru it nw. also another question is, does those exam provide like Kasturi provide classes to attend? and what will the timetable like? morning classes or nite classes? hw long per class?

You should visit Kasturi's website (http://www.kasturi.edu.my/programmes/prof_exams_cfa.html) or give them a call if you're interested in attending classes. Noesis Ex Ed is also another institute offering classes (http://www.noesis.com.my/?page_id=25).

hi...can anyone clarify my dilemma...thats no different between CFA Level1 Schweser 2011 version reference set for june 2011 exam and dec exam right? there always the same book for both exam right?

I graduated with a commerce degree major in accounting and finance and worked 2 years in Corporate Finance field, but I still spent 1,000 hours for each level and go for tuition classes for level II and III but I was only able to pass marginally:sweat:

Anyway, it still rely on how resourceful and how smart you are, so the conclusion is it depends on individual's capability.

It's never too late to start learn something new.

The basic entrance requierments are stated below

"Have a bachelor's (or equivalent) degree

or be in the final year of your bachelor's degree program at the time of registration

or have four years of qualified, professional work experience

or have a combination of work and college experience that totals at least four years (Note: Summer, part-time, and internship positions do not qualify)

If you initially enroll/register as a final year undergraduate student with a degree in progress, you may not register for the Level II exam until you have earned your degree, or obtained work experience that meets the program’s entrance requirements. At the time your degree is awarded, you may update your account education information to certify that your degree has been received."

http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprogram/pro...ages/index.aspx

So for your case, you either need to prove your experience in "IT sales, bank, direct sales and the last 6 years im running my own cybercafe business" are professinal work with your SPM education, or you need to attend to get a college cert with 4 year working experience (irregard if the 4 year working experience is financial or professional related).

Good luck to you then. Mathemathic is quite important for quantitative and valuation subjects, whereby accounting is important to master financial report analysis sessions of which are 'dealbreakers' for Level I and II.

The CFA Institute does not hold any course or tuition class for candidates, as the exam is programmed as self-study. I have attended CFA tuition class for Level II and III in Kasturi college at Petaling Street in KL.

The tuition classes in Kasturi normally arrange during every weekend from monring 10am to 5pm. Sometimes, the tutor cant make it on certain weekend morning, then it could be re-arranged in normal working day after working hour from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

=) Will be sitting exam on Dec2011, level 1. Self study.

Hi,
I am planning to take CFA level1 next year, most probably.


Just a simple question to ask,

for you guys that did CFA level1,

I find the sylabus coverage published on their website not quite clear. Just wanna clear some doubt:

Does CFA level1 in anyway cover Option pricing? Portfolio management? and/or Foreign Currency Securities?


Thanks.

Options -> Put-Call Parity
Portfolio Management -> Yes
Foreign Currency Securities -> such as? Currency Swaps?

Good luck then, you have another 250 days to go.

Option Pricing => Level 2 (Valuation of Derivatives)

Portfolio Management => Level 3 (Asset Allocation and Portfolio Management)

Foreign Currency Securities => Level 2 (Econ - topics in relation interest rate, inflation and monetary & fiscal policy) and Level 2 (Financial Statement Analysis - foregin currency translation treatment) and Level 3 (Option Strategies related Currency Swap)

Thanks.
I did those topics before. just wondering whats the depth they cover in CFA. since, lvl1 dont really touch much bout these, guess shouldnt have any problem....

If you did those topics, then you don't have to sit for the CFA program lah, it's repeating .

but a professional certification is necesassary to rpove one's competence if the degree is not from prestigious uni right?