All You need to know about CFA level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Exam

What is CFA?

The CFA level I, II and III are a series of examinations administered by the CFA Institute. There are 3 exams that are to be taken sequentially to become a Chartered Financial Analyst.  The program develops your skill set in investment decision making and equips you with other transferable skills such as logical reasoning, analytical and quantitative skills.

Clearing all three exams are considered to be a hallmark of professional excellence in the investment industry.  It is a highly respected and sought after by investment banking companies and will put you in the big leagues of the financial industry. Our CFA Coaching curriculum has been prepared by Charter Holders in the finance industry and is founded on concept based learning which will help you crack the exam easily. Our teachers will break down financial concepts for you in the simplest terms so that you can grasp key concepts and learn to apply them in different situations (which is an ability that the CFA tests)

What benefits do you get out of CFA program?

Our CFA training institute has seen great results from students who have comhttps://hi-educare.com/courses/best-cfa-training-institute-in-india/pleted the CFA program. Many have gone onto thriving careers in business and finance. There are many benefits that you can get from the CFA program, some of them are;

·         Make your CV stand out: Having a CFA gives you that edge over other candidates, making your CV stand out from the rest.

·         More economical than an MBA: A CFA program is a faster route to accelerating your career in finance than enrolling in a two year MBA program.

·         Negotiate a great salary package and job title: A CFA can get you that promotion or salary hike that you have been aiming for

·         Credibility: Because the program offers an intense and exhaustive knowledge of all core financial concepts, you will immediately gain the respect of Industry professionals.

·         Network with industry professionals: Enrolling in a CFA program offers you networking opportunities which could help you advance your career. Our CFA training Institute has professionals practicing in different areas of finance that can help you establish professional connections for career development.

·         Career change: The CFA program is a great way for career changers from other fields to gain entry into the financial world. The CFA program is a great way to prove your knowledge of core financial concepts to employers.

·         Broaden your skill set: If you are not from the finance industry, the CFA offers a way to broaden your skill set in your current field. There are many transferable skills that a CFA program can help you demonstrate on your CV, including quantitative skills, analytical skills, and mathematical skills.

To find out more about CFA admissions in Bangalore read further.

What career options do the CFA program prepare you for?

In order to become a Charter Member, you need to clear all the exams and get work experience either before, during or after completion of the CFA exams. The CFA Exam opens you up to different career opportunities as a;

·         Portfolio Manager

·         Risk Manager

·         Chief Executive

·         Research analyst

·         Financial Advisor

·         Consultant

·         Accountant/Auditor

·         Investment Banking Analyst

·         Corporate Financial Analyst

·         Financial Strategist

The exams are conducted in the month of June of every year at test centers around the world. The Level 1 exam is offered in the month of December as well.  You can enroll yourself in a CFA Training Institute to help you chalk out a study plan and develop a strategy to crack CFA in the first attempt.

Eligibility to appear for the program

·         Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree

·         Candidates in the final year of graduation expecting to receive their bachelor’s degree

·         Candidates having no degree can still qualify if they have at least four years of acceptable full-time work experience in any field.

Examination fees

There is one time enrollment fee for people registering for the first time. The examination fees depend on the time of registration. There are three types of fees charged based on the time of registration. You can contact advisors at our CFA Coaching center for help regarding registration and fee payment.

·         Early Bird Registration fee (8 months before the exam) – Payment of USD 650

·         Standard Registration fee (4 months before the exam date) – Payment of UDS 950

·         Late Registration Fee (3 months before the exam date) – Payment of USD 1380

CFA Level 1 is the first exam in the set of three exams.

Level I: Covers investment analysis and valuation, portfolio management and basic concepts of securities, law, ethical and professional conduct.  This level forms the foundation for the subsequent levels in the program, so make sure you prepare with the best CFA training Institute to ensure that you earn your CFA in the first attempt.

·         Aim: To test your knowledge and understanding of basic concepts

·         Structure: Level 1 consists of 240 multiple choice questions broke down into two sessions (morning and afternoon) which are 3 hours each. The Morning and Afternoon session are each 3 hours long and consists of 120 multiple choice questions.

·         Timing: You should spend around 90 seconds per question ideally.

·         Results: The results of the exam are available within 60 days

Level II: Tests your knowledge of asset valuation including core concepts of investment analysis and valuation, ethics and professional conduct covered in Level 1

·         Aim: To test your ability to apply key concepts and your ability to think analytically using the knowledge you have.

·         Structure: The level II exam consists of 21 item set questions. Item sets are called as mini cases. Each item set consists of a case statement along with 4 -6 multiple choice questions. There are 120 item questions overall. The morning question has 10 item set questions and the afternoon session has 11 item set questions.  The Level II exam is scored on a total of 360 points. There is no negative marking for wrong answers. Our CFA training institute will help you develop a strategy to answer questions in as methodical a way as possible.

·         Timing: Your timing per question will depend entirely on the complexity of the item set.

·         Results: The results of the exam are available within 60 days

Level III: covers concepts of portfolio management in a comprehensive way. At this stage, you should be well versed with all the concepts covered in the previous 2 levels to be able to crack this level.

·         Aim: This level tests your ability to synthesize, interpret and evaluate financial data

·         Structure: The structure is quite different. It consists of item set questions and constructed response essay type questions (8-12 questions). The morning session consists of constructed-response type questions with a maximum of 180 points. The afternoon session consists of 11 item set questions or 8 vignettes with 6 items each and 3 vignettes with 4 items each, for a total of 11 vignettes

·         Timing: Depends on the complexity of the item set or constructed response question.

·         Results: the results are available within 90 days of the exam.

Our CFA Coaching options are tailored to suit your needs.

·         Live Online training: You might be a working professional who has no time to attend classes, don’t worry we have live online training sessions for you, where you can get the benefits of classroom teaching at your convenience. You will be able to interact with teachers and get your queries answered in real time.

·         CFA Classroom Training in Bangalore: If you’re a resident of Bangalore. We offer classroom training sessions for people who thrive in a classroom setting with their peers.

·         Self Study Packages: We offer self-study packages that offer a structured approach to covering all the concepts that are required to clear the exam. There are periodic reviews to test your learning of key concepts to reinforce them for longer retention.

Some tips for preparing for CFA Examination from experts in our CFA Training Institute:

·         Be strategic about the topics you study. Analyze the weightage given to different topics. Ethics is a topic which is tested on all 3 levels and can give you that extra push if you are on the brink of a minimum passing score.

·         Don’t put all your attention on reading material, focus on practice problems. It is alright if you get them wrong, the important part is that you will be learning the examination pattern, the concepts behind the questions and answering questions in the best way possible.

·         If you have any spare time at work, use it to solve problems or review study material. This is a great way to ensure that you retain all the information that you have learned and squeeze in precious study time into your busy schedule. This tip is something that you should definitely incorporate into your CFA Exam Preparation.

·         Minimize distractions while studying to get the best results. Focus on studying for a full 50 minutes and then give yourself a break for 10 minutes. This will expand your ability to concentrate on study material without distractions for a long period of time.

Our structured classroom training sessions conducted by Charter holders will give you the right strategy, the technical knowledge, and the stamina to successfully complete the CFA program for a bright future.