CFA - does it help?

Question

I am a CFA level II candidate (international applicant), passed level I in June. I will mention that in my app anyway, but is that of ANY help when it comes to an UltraElite(of course, with strong GMAT score)?

RSamsi · Answer

I will answer that question in an hour, when I get my Chicago results. I do think they help but its not the only thing. It shows that you are technically competent but thats about it.

vinviper · Answer

I think it shows your dedication and that you have what it takes to handle an MBA. But it wont totally consume a decision

TNTGMAT · Answer

Im hoping it helps. I think it may help more if u never did finance before and passed (i.e u were a history major or engineering major) than if you were doing finance for years and then took the CFA.

zonk · Answer

130-t74281 103-t68059

IHateTheGMAT · Answer

Well done Zoinnk that's what I was about to do

Pathfinder · Answer

Ha ha ha, you guys are great! Where the heck you've found this dinosaur?! :rotate

Anyway, thanks, I've read all your posts in the original threads but it is always good to have all posts with the same subject within same thread. OK, now I should give some contribution regarding my experience with CFA and admission process. I had extreme luck that my interviewer for Wharton was CFA charterholder, so some 6 months of pain and misery had paid in that 45 minutes

Also, my Cambridge interviewer had similar background, he wasn't CFA but he was very familiar with what it takes (all the pain and misery I've alredy mentioned

). I think that, like that of every other standardised exam, the strength of CFA is in its recognition. Of course, admission officers are excused, it seems that they don't know nothing about it. That means that CFA is not going to be of significant help on your resume, but it could help you in the later stage of the admission process, during b-school classes or even later with recruiting. To conclude, it is much more valuable if you are an international candidate from some unknown university or you had lower quant grades (I am an idiot who has both - unknown college and poor math grades :beat

).

Pathfinder · Answer

Hey!!! I've just noticed that the previous one was my No.100 post. Woohoo!!! :bouncer

Audio · Answer

About the CFA, it helps a little if the adcom knows what it is. If the adcom is a student with a financial background. If he's a non-student chances are he won't know what it is or he he heard of it but doesn't realize how hard it is.

My estimate - based on nothing at all - is that it will "help" you with 20 - 30% of adcom.

My estimate - based on nothing at all - is that it will "help" you with 20 - 30% of adcom.

CFA - does it help?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards