Passed Level III

A month prior to receiving the results, I didn’t think about my score and just enjoyed the NYC summer. A week prior to receiving the results, I ignored the thought about my score and tried to enjoy the NYC summer. An hour before receiving the results, I began sweating at my office desk as the anxiety and fear strangled me. What if I failed? How could I go through this all again? 9:00AM no email. 9:10AM no email. Finally 9:17AM email from the CFA institute. Holy mother of god. Opened it up… and… Passed! Booyah!! Did well on the essay section and crushed the multiple choice section. Momentous relief washes over me. Finally - it’s over.

At the end of summer, I moved apartments in New York (hadn’t moved in three years) which anyone that knows is incredibly difficult and taxing. So the entire summer I was consumed with enjoying life and finding a new place to live. I’ll have some time in the coming days/weeks to answer your questions and deal with this silly litigation that’s been going on.

I'm Back!!

With the CFA exam finally behind me, I take the slow and arduous road to re-acclimate myself back into society. Staying out past 11PM? Drinking a plethora of beers? Being social? After being in a strict study regiment for so long, resulting in self imposed anxiety and sacrifice, becoming a normal member of society is more difficult than one might expect. I feel a sort of emptiness – was it worth it? Obviously, the answer to that question depends largely on the exam results. None the less, the question fills me with a hollowness as it’s difficult to compare the uncertain benefits to the tangible costs. Ultimately though, I’m happy I participated in the CFA program, regardless of the results. I’ve always been one to push myself and try new things. The CFA program has challenged me on both a professional and personal level. If you’re not progressing, you’re regressing. Now let’s just hope I passed…

Level III Results

Last night I tossed and turned in bed. What would my result be – pass or fail? I got nervous just imagining logging onto the CFA institute website and clicking “view exam results”. I slept an uncomfortable 3 hours. I woke up earlier than usual and tried not to think about the results while getting ready. On my way to work I tried to focus on the NPR podcast I listen to every morning, but my thoughts were elsewhere. I couldn’t be sure if the perspiration coming from my pores were caused by the NYC humidity or my nervousness. Results are posted at 9AM and I’m sitting at my desk at 7:45AM listening to the contradictory cacophony of CNBC. Finally 9:00AM. My stomach is churning while I try to access the CFA website. I keep on getting an internet explorer error – the server is jammed. I keep on refreshing, at 9:10AM I see my results… Fail. A deep setting disappointment overcomes me. I look more closely at my results. The CFA doesn’t give a single score but a score range for each section. So for each section you score either a >70%; 70%-51% or <=50%. For the various sections I scored either >70% or <=50% putting me on the cusp. I look at my results gain… Fail.

Life will go on but let me tell you it’s disappointing. I’ll try to enjoy the fall before I saddle up again to take level III. For everyone else who took a level of the CFA exam, I hope you fared better than I.