FRM 2008
- Thread starter bostonkev
- Start date
v.raghavan
New member
- Jun 18, 2026
- 0
- 0
For all Nov 2008 FRM takers….hello
I hv started skimming / surveying FRM 2008 using FRM handbook. Its not recommended since some of the readings are obsolete and some of them are missing in the 4th ed - BTW 4th ed is there for a couple of years now and 2008 exam has a revised list of Readings/LOS (AIMS).
For ppl who are collecting info. go to http://www.garp.com/frmexam/studyguide.aspx and you can download FRM StudyGuide. This doesn’t contain any AIMS but just the readings that you should concentrate.
Looks like CFA IIers will be good with.
1) Quant (10%) - most of ‘em
2) Market Risk & Mgmt (30%) - Good w/ Derivatives pricing and valuing, some of FI concepts, duration and other sensitivity measures
Totally New : VaR; Stress Testing, Cashflow risk, Firmwide Risk mgmt and a few
3) Credit Risk (25%) : Most of them are NEW, we just hv basic understand of it like credit derivatives and other terminologies
4) Operational, integrated risk & legal (25%) : Mostly new ; Killer Reading is BASEL II - Heavy weight on the exam and its like the FSA of FRM
5) Risk & Inv Mgmt (10%) : Not totally new, but need to go indepth in what we know from PM and Alternative inv. - Things like Hedge fund, CAPM, Portfolio Risks are something which we are already familiar with. -
But we surely hv to change our view. From what I understood, we should go first pass with understanding the fundamental concept / mechanics of , and then try to analyse from the RISK involved in and how it changes and transfers between.
But overall anyone who has a decent LII curriculum understanding should crack this in <200 hrs, however for me its 400 (200 productive and 100 day dreaming, 100 browsing AF
)
I hv started skimming / surveying FRM 2008 using FRM handbook. Its not recommended since some of the readings are obsolete and some of them are missing in the 4th ed - BTW 4th ed is there for a couple of years now and 2008 exam has a revised list of Readings/LOS (AIMS).
For ppl who are collecting info. go to http://www.garp.com/frmexam/studyguide.aspx and you can download FRM StudyGuide. This doesn’t contain any AIMS but just the readings that you should concentrate.
Looks like CFA IIers will be good with.
1) Quant (10%) - most of ‘em
2) Market Risk & Mgmt (30%) - Good w/ Derivatives pricing and valuing, some of FI concepts, duration and other sensitivity measures
Totally New : VaR; Stress Testing, Cashflow risk, Firmwide Risk mgmt and a few
3) Credit Risk (25%) : Most of them are NEW, we just hv basic understand of it like credit derivatives and other terminologies
4) Operational, integrated risk & legal (25%) : Mostly new ; Killer Reading is BASEL II - Heavy weight on the exam and its like the FSA of FRM
5) Risk & Inv Mgmt (10%) : Not totally new, but need to go indepth in what we know from PM and Alternative inv. - Things like Hedge fund, CAPM, Portfolio Risks are something which we are already familiar with. -
But we surely hv to change our view. From what I understood, we should go first pass with understanding the fundamental concept / mechanics of , and then try to analyse from the RISK involved in and how it changes and transfers between.
But overall anyone who has a decent LII curriculum understanding should crack this in <200 hrs, however for me its 400 (200 productive and 100 day dreaming, 100 browsing AF
)- Thread starter
- #23
I’m looking forward to Schweser FRM, here is the product schedule from their website.
http://www.schweser.com/frm.php
Late June 2008:
* Schweser Study Notes
* Practice Exam Book
* Essential Exam Strategies™
* Schweser’s QuickSheet™
* SchweserPro™ QBank Online Version
* SchweserPro™ QBank Download Version
Fall 2008:
* Weekly Online Program (real-time, interactive webcast)
* Final Review Pack
————————————————————-
I hope Schweser improves and make FRM as easy as it is making CAIA L1.
From last year’s FRM 2007 posts, it seems like Schweser wasn’t too good.
As for CAIA L1, I read about half of the original textbooks (Lhabitant, Anson, and Linneman) before the final stretches/review leading up to CFA L1…very hard to efficiently organize everything (vocab and learning outcomes). Schweser really makes it effortless, I’m done with book 1 (of 2) already and hopefully will finish up the bulk of the preparation before the end of the month…and then get more serious into FRM once Schweser comes out in late June.
http://www.schweser.com/frm.php
Late June 2008:
* Schweser Study Notes
* Practice Exam Book
* Essential Exam Strategies™
* Schweser’s QuickSheet™
* SchweserPro™ QBank Online Version
* SchweserPro™ QBank Download Version
Fall 2008:
* Weekly Online Program (real-time, interactive webcast)
* Final Review Pack
————————————————————-
I hope Schweser improves and make FRM as easy as it is making CAIA L1.
From last year’s FRM 2007 posts, it seems like Schweser wasn’t too good.
As for CAIA L1, I read about half of the original textbooks (Lhabitant, Anson, and Linneman) before the final stretches/review leading up to CFA L1…very hard to efficiently organize everything (vocab and learning outcomes). Schweser really makes it effortless, I’m done with book 1 (of 2) already and hopefully will finish up the bulk of the preparation before the end of the month…and then get more serious into FRM once Schweser comes out in late June.
- Thread starter
- #24
Hi nodes,
I’m in graduate school so it’s not technically “working.” However, I’m publishing papers (planning ~2-3 per year for the next two years) and am writing up a 250+ page thesis, so my plate is full in addition to studying for these designations as well.
It sounds tough, but I bet it’s a LOT easier than having a family to care for, going through pregnancy, or a run-of-the-mill full-time finance job while “just” (quite the understatement, lol!) studying for CFA levels…so I feel lucky to be where I am and feel extremely motivated.
I’m doing CMT as well for supplemental knowledge, but I don’t think that’ll be too much work marginally bad. My opinion of difficulty and work intensity is:
CFA > FRM > CAIA > PRM > CMT
[I’m mentally prepared/expecting to fail CFA Level 2 and/or Level 3 once, lol.]
I’m in graduate school so it’s not technically “working.” However, I’m publishing papers (planning ~2-3 per year for the next two years) and am writing up a 250+ page thesis, so my plate is full in addition to studying for these designations as well.
It sounds tough, but I bet it’s a LOT easier than having a family to care for, going through pregnancy, or a run-of-the-mill full-time finance job while “just” (quite the understatement, lol!) studying for CFA levels…so I feel lucky to be where I am and feel extremely motivated.
I’m doing CMT as well for supplemental knowledge, but I don’t think that’ll be too much work marginally bad. My opinion of difficulty and work intensity is:
CFA > FRM > CAIA > PRM > CMT
[I’m mentally prepared/expecting to fail CFA Level 2 and/or Level 3 once, lol.]
v.raghavan
New member
- Jun 18, 2026
- 0
- 0
Anyone having assigned reading pdf format - GARP Readign or schweser old material, please send me at [email protected]
Thanks a lot!
Thanks a lot!
I am now watching the free Schweser FRM kick off webcast. Man… I was thinking this exam wasn’t going to be that tough but they are showing similar pass rates to the CFA (40% or so last year) and the questions are much tougher. They’re talking about copulas! It’s a 7 hour exam in 2 parts. At least you can bring your lunch into the exam in a plastic ziplock bag. I am going to rest up this week post-CFA and graduation but have to start next week.
Some advice they give: don’t skip a topic hoping to make up the points in another area, and don’t skip an area just because you already know it.
The Schweser video is also saying you will be emailed results by Jan 20, 2009 (!) so that’s two months after the exam, letting you know whether you passed or failed. Finally, here is some advice I will try to take: after the exam you will be thinking over the questions that you missed, agonizing over them, but you should just forget this, the exam is over and there’s nothing you can do about it. And there are FOUR allowed calculators, the two that are allowed on the CFA plus two additional ones (HP-12 Platinum)
Some advice they give: don’t skip a topic hoping to make up the points in another area, and don’t skip an area just because you already know it.
The Schweser video is also saying you will be emailed results by Jan 20, 2009 (!) so that’s two months after the exam, letting you know whether you passed or failed. Finally, here is some advice I will try to take: after the exam you will be thinking over the questions that you missed, agonizing over them, but you should just forget this, the exam is over and there’s nothing you can do about it. And there are FOUR allowed calculators, the two that are allowed on the CFA plus two additional ones (HP-12 Platinum)
- Thread starter
- #28
> Finally, here is some
> advice I will try to take: after the exam you will
> be thinking over the questions that you missed,
> agonizing over them, but you should just forget
> this, the exam is over and there’s nothing you can
> do about it.
That’s some unnecessary advice, especially since everyone on the CFA L1, L2, L3 boards are
definitely “not” worried at all.
> advice I will try to take: after the exam you will
> be thinking over the questions that you missed,
> agonizing over them, but you should just forget
> this, the exam is over and there’s nothing you can
> do about it.
That’s some unnecessary advice, especially since everyone on the CFA L1, L2, L3 boards are
definitely “not” worried at all.
v.raghavan
New member
- Jun 18, 2026
- 0
- 0
lwccfa Wrote:
——————————————————-
> Hi Rydex, I am a CFA charterholder, and it only
> took me 6 weeks to pass FRM. The exam was very
> practical and I found it useful even my job is in
> economic analysis.
So can you lay your study plan for the benefit of AFers…
Also let us know the tools (Study guide, video etc.etc) you used, and the providers you sought after.
Did you buy the assigned GARP Reading or primarily used the providers materials?
Thanks iwccfa,
——————————————————-
> Hi Rydex, I am a CFA charterholder, and it only
> took me 6 weeks to pass FRM. The exam was very
> practical and I found it useful even my job is in
> economic analysis.
So can you lay your study plan for the benefit of AFers…
Also let us know the tools (Study guide, video etc.etc) you used, and the providers you sought after.
Did you buy the assigned GARP Reading or primarily used the providers materials?
Thanks iwccfa,
v.raghavan Wrote:
——————————————————-
> lwccfa Wrote:
> ————————————————–
> —–
> > Hi Rydex, I am a CFA charterholder, and it only
> > took me 6 weeks to pass FRM. The exam was very
> > practical and I found it useful even my job is
> in
> > economic analysis.
>
>
> So can you lay your study plan for the benefit of
> AFers…
>
> Also let us know the tools (Study guide, video
> etc.etc) you used, and the providers you sought
> after.
>
> Did you buy the assigned GARP Reading or primarily
> used the providers materials?
>
> Thanks iwccfa,
Hi there, v.raghavan
Well, I wrote FRM after I became a CFA charterholder last year.
Therefore, I did not spend too much effort on quantitative methods, fixed income, derivatives and investment and risk management.
I used Schweser study guides to study the LOS/AIMs and also did questions in the offical handbook and Schweser’s Qbank. Nothing else.
If you are familiar with quantitative methods and securities analysis, you should concentrate on the other topics such as credit risk management, operational risk management and basel II. You should have at least 10 days to study for each of the above-mentioned topics.
Last year’s exam was extremely practical, and every candidate that I have spoken to found it hard and tricky (one of my best friends who is a risk manager actually failed). I do suspect the case of the rouge trader of UBS and the huge loss of CDOs in the subprime crisis might be good questions.
Good luck with your study. All the best
——————————————————-
> lwccfa Wrote:
> ————————————————–
> —–
> > Hi Rydex, I am a CFA charterholder, and it only
> > took me 6 weeks to pass FRM. The exam was very
> > practical and I found it useful even my job is
> in
> > economic analysis.
>
>
> So can you lay your study plan for the benefit of
> AFers…
>
> Also let us know the tools (Study guide, video
> etc.etc) you used, and the providers you sought
> after.
>
> Did you buy the assigned GARP Reading or primarily
> used the providers materials?
>
> Thanks iwccfa,
Hi there, v.raghavan
Well, I wrote FRM after I became a CFA charterholder last year.
Therefore, I did not spend too much effort on quantitative methods, fixed income, derivatives and investment and risk management.
I used Schweser study guides to study the LOS/AIMs and also did questions in the offical handbook and Schweser’s Qbank. Nothing else.
If you are familiar with quantitative methods and securities analysis, you should concentrate on the other topics such as credit risk management, operational risk management and basel II. You should have at least 10 days to study for each of the above-mentioned topics.
Last year’s exam was extremely practical, and every candidate that I have spoken to found it hard and tricky (one of my best friends who is a risk manager actually failed). I do suspect the case of the rouge trader of UBS and the huge loss of CDOs in the subprime crisis might be good questions.
Good luck with your study. All the best