CALI123 - I just failed Level III of the CFA exam (currently under review- you can request a re-grading, although I’m not sure how much hope I should hold out).



CFA is brutal, but can be done if you’ve got the discipline. I say you go for the CFA. Level I is basic post graduate work. Level II is intense. Be good at math. Very good at math. eman07 may or may not disagree. Level III - know IPS’s.



I know very little about the CMT. My guess is that it’s pretty challenging. But I personally think the CFA is the most difficult designation to earn.

[quote=Moraen]CALI123 - I just failed Level III of the CFA exam (currently under review- you can request a re-grading, although I’m not sure how much hope I should hold out).



CFA is brutal, but can be done if you’ve got the discipline. I say you go for the CFA. Level I is basic post graduate work. Level II is intense. Be good at math. Very good at math. eman07 may or may not disagree. Level III - know IPS’s.



I know very little about the CMT. My guess is that it’s pretty challenging. But I personally think the CFA is the most difficult designation to earn.[/quote]
I agree with most everything said here.  I’m a CFA Charterholder, just recently passing the 3rd exam.  Know that there’s no way around it, if you want the CFA charter you’ll need to study 250+ hours for each exam.  There’s just not a way to get around that.  I probably studied about 200-250 for the first, 325 for the 2nd, and 250 for the third.

I don’t think the CMT is in the same class, to be completely honest.  I think the CFA will give you more knowledge and is more recognizable as well.

Thanks guys. I passed level I and II about 8 years ago (then I had kids) and never finished. I was told I needed to start from square one again. (hence the ego remark)

Level III looked brutal.  I think I knocked my wife up just so I wouldn’t have to take it!

Congrats to passing it. That was a brutal test.

Since a discussion has already been started about designations, is anyone familiar with/have/know one who has, the CAIA?

If so, what do you know about it?

Thanks in advance!

If you are focusing on alt investment, then you may want a CFA instead. Most of those clients are pretty sophisticated and will know exactly what the CFA is.