You need a serious attitude adjustment, Etienne…
Etienne, there is nothing wrong with being a “preacher/teacher” in your 20’s or whatever age if you have something to share that can be valuable…One thing is very clear to me: You seem to talk like you know a lot of “s**t” and as if only your experiences have told you the right thing, discounting other people’s experiences to the max, but you show no wisdom(which is what counts, not experience)…Wsdom is what you gain from the experiences you’ve had…Unfortunately even if you wanted, there is no book avaiable on that, but I am sure you could borrow a book on humilty from ogs20…Maybe it will open up your mind at the very least… and who for gods sake told you that people in this forum were chasing your Junior PM job? Dont assume things about everyone else and think that there is no one better than you…If I were to ever place you in a category, you would be among the social retards…Enough said…
Honestly, from someone that condoned a derogatory comment directed at me and concerning dyslexia, this is all a bit rich. I didn’t say EVERYONE was chasing my job; I was replying to some other idiot. Anyway, I am through with this thread and - I fear - this site. What insight there is here is too diluted to be worth the time. I usually qualify my statements by using phrases like “could” and “might be perceived”; I normally elaborate that something is just “my opinion.” Despite this, my comments draw ill-thought out replies, which (and this is my failing) I then feel compelled to respond to. Not anymore.
this thread is going nowhere.
What’s wrong? You seem a little emotional…heh…can’t take the heat? A false sense of intellectual supremacy and adherence to brand name elitism is pretty ugly. Especially when the said individual is merely in their 20s. Look fella, you’re 25 and have 2-3 years work experience tops after your Elite Master’s in International relations. I doubt that you have a very high level of responsibility. I think most of your comments about learning certifications are misleading and transparent…and more than anything else points out your personal defects. You clearly don’t know much about the CPA, FRM/PRM, or CAIA. You put so much emphasis on top undergrad GPA, it’s laughable. Most of those college courses had nothing to do with finance. And people are different…some slack off in college or some slack off in high school but ramp it up later on in life… If there is anything a MCL ivy league undergrad GPA points out for sure…- it’s the fact that the said individual did not have much fun or time to explore and learn about him or herself. I went to a top 10 business school and majored in CPA accounting and finance…and I can tell you that it’s not all that. In fact, the CFA l and (in terms of scope) the CAIA was overall harder, required more brainpower, and more involved than anything I did at Stern. Remember, at top business schools it’s still all about getting the notes, bringing a one-sided formula sheet… and getting the retarded practice exam…
sternwolf Wrote: > Remember, at top business schools it’s still all > about getting the notes, bringing a one-sided > formula sheet… and getting the retarded > practice exam… Same thing in engineering school…without those practice/past exams and photocopied notes, there’s no way to pass those tests…
CFAMaven Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > sternwolf Wrote: > > Remember, at top business schools it’s still > all > > about getting the notes, bringing a one-sided > > formula sheet… and getting the retarded > > practice exam… > > > Same thing in engineering school…without those > practice/past exams and photocopied notes, there’s > no way to pass those tests… Yea, not to mention the rampant cheating at business schools. No “CFA or CPA/CAIA style” gestapo proctors, that’s for sure…
hey sternwolf, I’d like to chat with you about your MBA experience can I write to you?
I’d just assume open a textbook and read up on this stuff BUT (as others have mentioned) having to take a test really forces me to study harder and master the material and it serves as a check that I do indeed know it and have not just skimmed it. To pass the CFA, CPA, etc. you have to really work hard at understanding the material, which is hard to do if you’re just studying on your own with no external pressures. There is also a great deal of value in having “proof” that you do indeed understand the material and can apply it. Believe me, going into a job interview and saying you’ve read a few of Fabozzi’s fixed income texts doesn’t really hold much sway compared to the CFA, CPA, FRM, PRM, CAIA after one’s name. If you can learn something, get your work to pay for it, and earn a valuable credential, then why not pursue it? A lot of people knock these designations, but rarely will people who have them knock them. I’ve met a lot of CFA/MBA combo’s and I’ve never heard someone say, “the CFA is easy and a waste of time”. I have heard many people say, however, “The CFA was harder than my (top 20) MBA program and taught me more”. So people can knock designations, but just realize it sounds more like sour grapes than anything else. One caveat: I do think that good work experience is better than theoretical book knowledge. But ceteris parabis, if you can get good work exp and gain the theoretical underpinnings through different certification programs then more power to you.
Etienne Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Honestly, from someone that condoned a derogatory > comment directed at me and concerning dyslexia, > this is all a bit rich. I didn’t say EVERYONE was > chasing my job; I was replying to some other > idiot. Anyway, I am through with this thread and > - I fear - this site. What insight there is here > is too diluted to be worth the time. > > I usually qualify my statements by using phrases > like “could” and “might be perceived”; I normally > elaborate that something is just “my opinion.” > Despite this, my comments draw ill-thought out > replies, which (and this is my failing) I then > feel compelled to respond to. Not anymore. aw shucks, the poor guy got disheartened just as he was starting to soften up and actually learn something from others. such powerful, thoroughly misplaced confidence in his assumptions about what others do for a living and what they aspire for.
… Are we still talking about this?
Etienne Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > This started because I said that if you don’t have > a top undergrad, you are probably not smart enough > to absorb all the information. I then inferred > that if you don’t have the intellect, you are > probably better served through a) focus and b) > learning about the real world (i.e. vocational > over academic education). > > You seem to be late to this particular party, so > the following may not apply, but from the > passionate response, I would presume that the > undergrad/intellect link (which I did qualify, > incidently, as tenuous) hit a nerve with some > people. Etienne, you’re right in that I don’t have a “top” undergrad degree, but I have an IQ 3 standard deviations away from the mean so if I “don’t have the intellect” then hell 99% of the world’s population are just bleepin’ morons. Perhaps the reason why I (or for that matter, most people) do not have degrees from top institutions are financial rather than intellectual? But you haven’t really thought of that, have you? Regardless, one’s education/designation only tells (a small) part of the story. I know plenty of people with great “paper qualifications” who would be questionable hires for any bank. Just off the top of my head – a CFA charterholder who took FOUR tries at level 3, a triple PhD (math/econ/philosophy) with no social skills (not to mention he smells,) a HG bond PM with CFA/PhD who is never wrong (yet consistently returns LIBOR minus), Ivy league finance grads who don’t know the inputs to simple (B-S) options pricing, etc … I actually agree with you on some counts – when I interview, I don’t particularly care for designations; I am more interested in the MOTIVATION behind one’s the “cert collection.” However, on the flip side, I would also like to hear the same from the “anti-cert collectors.” But honestly, an “I’m holier/better/smarter than thou” attitude/answer is not a good response at all. I also agree with you on another point – “My frustration boils over when the preacher-teacher sounds like he is in his 20s and doesn’t know s**t.” Perhaps practice what you preach and learn more about the real world first? 
well, we’ll all miss you I’m sure. Now you idiot, get the phuck outta here. Etienne Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Anyway, I am through with this thread and > - I fear - this site. What insight there is here > is too diluted to be worth the time. >
Funny how a guy with a french user-name and some condescending comments can get everyone so worked up. Playing to stereotypes much are we?
rxgrove Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Guys, > i have enrolled in all three this yeah. > CAIA in September, > FRM in Nov, > CFA level1 in Dec. > Any suggestions how should i start preparing. > I work full time also. > I would appreciate any suggestions. > I have very little idea about how to start. > Pls help. lol
DirtyZ Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’d just assume open a textbook and read up on > this stuff BUT (as others have mentioned) having > to take a test really forces me to study harder > and master the material and it serves as a check > that I do indeed know it and have not just skimmed > it. To pass the CFA, CPA, etc. you have to really > work hard at understanding the material, which is > hard to do if you’re just studying on your own > with no external pressures. There is also a great > deal of value in having “proof” that you do indeed > understand the material and can apply it. Believe > me, going into a job interview and saying you’ve > read a few of Fabozzi’s fixed income texts doesn’t > really hold much sway compared to the CFA, CPA, > FRM, PRM, CAIA after one’s name. If you can learn > something, get your work to pay for it, and earn a > valuable credential, then why not pursue it? > > A lot of people knock these designations, but > rarely will people who have them knock them. I’ve > met a lot of CFA/MBA combo’s and I’ve never heard > someone say, “the CFA is easy and a waste of > time”. I have heard many people say, however, > “The CFA was harder than my (top 20) MBA program > and taught me more”. So people can knock > designations, but just realize it sounds more like > sour grapes than anything else. One caveat: I do > think that good work experience is better than > theoretical book knowledge. But ceteris parabis, > if you can get good work exp and gain the > theoretical underpinnings through different > certification programs then more power to you. ironically, my cousin graduated from Tufts 9 years ago and he’s a Associate Director at CS, making about 600k. told me Tufts was the hardest thing he ever had to do.
ogs20 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Etienne Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > > This started because I said that if you don’t > have > > a top undergrad, you are probably not smart > enough > > to absorb all the information. I then inferred > > that if you don’t have the intellect, you are > > probably better served through a) focus and b) > > learning about the real world (i.e. vocational > > over academic education). > > > > You seem to be late to this particular party, > so > > the following may not apply, but from the > > passionate response, I would presume that the > > undergrad/intellect link (which I did qualify, > > incidently, as tenuous) hit a nerve with some > > people. > > Etienne, you’re right in that I don’t have a “top” > undergrad degree, but I have an IQ 3 standard > deviations away from the mean so if I “don’t have > the intellect” then hell 99% of the world’s > population are just bleepin’ morons. Perhaps the > reason why I (or for that matter, most people) do > not have degrees from top institutions are > financial rather than intellectual? But you > haven’t really thought of that, have you? > > Regardless, one’s education/designation only tells > (a small) part of the story. I know plenty of > people with great “paper qualifications” who would > be questionable hires for any bank. Just off the > top of my head – a CFA charterholder who took > FOUR tries at level 3, a triple PhD > (math/econ/philosophy) with no social skills (not > to mention he smells,) a HG bond PM with CFA/PhD > who is never wrong (yet consistently returns LIBOR > minus), Ivy league finance grads who don’t know > the inputs to simple (B-S) options pricing, etc > … > > I actually agree with you on some counts – when I > interview, I don’t particularly care for > designations; I am more interested in the > MOTIVATION behind one’s the “cert collection.” > However, on the flip side, I would also like to > hear the same from the “anti-cert collectors.” But > honestly, an “I’m holier/better/smarter than thou” > attitude/answer is not a good response at all. > > I also agree with you on another point – “My > frustration boils over when the preacher-teacher > sounds like he is in his 20s and doesn’t know > s**t.” Perhaps practice what you preach and learn > more about the real world first? If you have an IQ 3 standard deviations from the mean, you either have a top GPA (which is what I meant when I said “top undergrad” and has nothing to do with wealth) or you are somehow deficient (probably lazy).
Good to have you back.
Bump. The Grand Slam post made me think of this.
And since I initially wrote this 2 years ago, i worked with a number of top tier MBA holders and realized from a knowledge standpoint, there is not much value added from a masters for investment management. Except for an MFE or masters in mathematics if you are doing intense quantitative management or research.