<p>I am planning to take CFA level 1 in december.. is it helpful? especially for engineering students? Wouuld it be the kind of thing on your resume that tells your employee "even though i am an engineer I am not a finance moron, hire me" or is it just a useless waste of money?</p>
<p>and some help?</p>
<p>Just a guess on my part since I got my CFA so many years ago. This is the wrong forum to ask your question. There must be some discussion board where CFA candidates exchange comments about the exam. Another option may be a discussion forum for students getting their MBAs. College Confidential is not going to help much.</p>
<p>It’ll definitely help you, as it’ll give you more finance/investment knowledge base and studying for a cfa takes a lot of time and commitments. A lot of engineering majors going into finance need to demonstrate that passion/focus on finance, so by taking this, you’re showing that you’re not just fooling around, you are serious about it. It’s a big deal, do it.</p>
<p>A close acquaintance has a PhD in econ. And beyond that, he really knows finance. Taught both econ and finance at a major national university. Got into institutional money management years ago - now one of the best in the world at it. </p>
<p>I remember him telling me years ago how chagrined he was that his COO boss insisted that he get a CFA to demonstrate a commitment and passion to finance. His first instinct was that “Why should I take it, I could pass it in my sleep and it is just a three year grind?” He was reminded that if it was easy (and it was for him - but bear in mind it is very difficult for most), then that was all the more reason to take it. Impressed by the logic, he took it, passed easily, and now absolutely insists that his young Ivy League charges take it. </p>
<p>It is, like top MBA schools, a filtering device which identifies individuals as having at least solid financial acumen. And there are certain jobs that require it. I would highly recommend pursuing the qualification. </p>
<p>Bear in mind that the financial institutions you know likely will not exist in the form we now know them. So in the end a CFA may have a higher calling than getting a job and making money. The young generation in finance is going to have to rewrite the rules and markets as we know them - and it is not a stretch to say that our brightest in finance do have a responsibility to change the world. Not preachy - but the facts - and I would relate just this to any Ross or Umich undergrad at this most crucial time in our history.</p>