Is Passing Level I that big of an achievement?

A

archived_user

New member
Joined
Jun 18, 2026
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
I dont know about everyone else, but I feel like everyone I know who took CFA Level I passed it. Do you think passing Level I is that big of an accomplishment? I know Level II is supposed to be much harder and really is considered an accomplishment.
Thoughts?
I cant believe CFA studying is going to start up again and its going to be even harder!
 
Appx 25% of people who sign up for L-1 pass it. (Note that 1/4 to 1/3 of those who register don’t even sit for it.)
CFAI publishes stats each year.
 
Yes it is an achievement. Unfortunately, it’s not nearly as big as we would like. When I told people at work that I passed Level 1, they said “hey good job!” and then it is never mentioned again.
It also really depends on your audience. If they are unfamiliar with the designation and don’t know somebody who has gone through the process then it will surely go unappreciated.
Sure it may give you a slight edge over others when appling for a job, but not by much.
Basically we get little to no recognition until the three letters appear after our name.
 
My senior yr of college…the night before I graduated we had one last shin dig. Got out the beer pong table (beirut-whatever). Anyways…we were playing 2 vs. 2. My opponent had four cups left and they had just sunk our last cup. My partner and I each got the chance to rebuttle- do or die. My partner missed. So there I was…ball in hand with four cups to hit. I dipped the ball in some water and rub off the moisture with my shirt..send a quick whisp of air across it with my beer stench breath and sent that ball across the table to sink 4 cups in a row and force overtime. Clenched the victory in OT and declared victory. I havent played since then and I dont think I ever will again. I walked away a winner and I dont want to ruin that.
The moreal of this story? Its not that big of an achievement. Sack up and start reading. We are just worms without initials behind our names.
 
It all depends on the company you keep. If you work with a bunch of people that failed the level one and never retried, it’s a big deal. If you work someplace where most employees are charterholders it’s not a big deal. To HR managers who don’t fully grasp the CFA program passing any level is insignificant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top