Topics in order of Like to Hate

S

steph96

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1. Derivatives
2. FSA
3. Fixed Income
4. Alternative investments
5. Quant
6. Equity
7. Corp Fin
8. Ethics
9. Portfolio Management
10. Econ

My order has changed throughout this process. I always liked Econ in college, but I HATED studying it. I started out hating Quant, but it turned out to be one of my strongest topics.
 
1) Alternative investments
2) Quant
3) Ethics
4) Portfolio Management
5) Derivatives
Rest are tied.
 
1.) FSA
2.) Equities/Fixed Income
3.) Econ and Quant tied
4.) Derivatives
5.) Corporate Finance
6.) Alternative investments


100000.) Portfolio management. The most theoretical and academic material that doesn't really have applicability in my eyes (yes, I enjoy Nassim Taleb's books).
 
TheAliMan Wrote:
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> 100000.) Portfolio management. The most
> theoretical and academic material that doesn't
> really have applicability in my eyes (yes, I enjoy
> Nassim Taleb's books).

i guess we are kind of opposite. i thought PM was the most interesting out of all. too bad it was like only 8% of the exam.

i hate FSA with passion. it takes me so long to grasp these concepts, it doesn't come to me very fast. i spent so long trying to figure out questions like: if current ratio is same but quick ratio decrease, it must be because of.. and i am still not sure if i got it right.
 
FSA was kinda easy. Portfolio Management was a waste of time and so was Quantitative methods. Who gives a rat's butt about variance and std dev
 
The entire portfolio mgmt section should have been:

"Beginning of chapter:

Make an investment policy statement and diversify your holdings.

End of chapter"


No point in trying to convolute this idea with silly nonsense like efficient portfolios among other things ;)

If portfolio management is your cup of tea, you're killing it in level 3 because it's all portfolio management from what I hear.


Agree to disagree!
 
TheAliMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> If portfolio management is your cup of tea, you're
> killing it in level 3 because it's all portfolio
> management from what I hear.



Ugh...really? That's unfortunate to hear.
 
TheAliMan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> If portfolio management is your cup of tea, you're
> killing it in level 3 because it's all portfolio
> management from what I hear.
>

well i just thought it was slightly more interesting than some other L1 topics, and easier to retain than say, cash flow statement / deferred liabilities!! regressions/time series is more of my cup of tea so hopefully if i pass level 1, and when i start studying for L2, i will at least be on more familiar ground.. *fingers crossed*
 
steph96 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I always liked Econ in college, but I HATED studying
> it. I started out hating Quant, but it turned out
> to be one of my strongest topics.

just out of curiosity..
why did you hate studying CFA econ although you liked econ in college?
are they different? i must say i did not like macro bit myself..
 
approaching_c Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> steph96 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> I always liked Econ in college, but I HATED
> studying
> > it. I started out hating Quant, but it turned
> out
> > to be one of my strongest topics.
>
> just out of curiosity..
> why did you hate studying CFA econ although you
> liked econ in college?
> are they different? i must say i did not like
> macro bit myself..


I still like Micro, but macro gave me some trouble. I didn't mind reading it at all, and it all makes sense to me, but for some reason going back and trying to memorize the effects of of everything was brutal. I think I'm better at it in small doses like college classes required.
 
Like: FSA
Hate: Fixed Income and derivatives

everything else, impartial

I work in equities.
 
I have a lot of trouble with FSA. Did well in it in college but the CFA stuff seemed to trip me up, all that adjusting and comparing... Probably because I only used the CFAI stuff. Good thing FSA in the exam was actually okay. =X
 
I was ok with most of it... Ethics were a beating... And I can't stand cash flow statements or anything associated
 
Like: Econ, Quant, Ethics, PM, Corp. Fin. and some Equity/FI

Dislike: Derivatives

Want to set my brain on fire: FSA
 
1. FSA
.
.
.
10. Ethics (I couldnt pass 70% for my practice and mock tests, however, I didn't find ethics that hard on real tests)
 
1. PM
2. Valuation
3. Capital budgeting
.
.
.
998. Ethics
999. FSA
 
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