Whitman graduate students pass Chartered Financial Analyst? exam

Whitman graduate students pass Chartered Financial Analyst? examSeptember 10, 2006Amy Schmitzaemehrin@syr.edu

The Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University has announced that three MBA students recently passed Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)? examination. The students are Daniel Popa (M.B.A. ’07), Jing Hua (M.S. ’06), and Angad Rajpal (M.B.A. ’07).

The CFA exam is the most respected recognition for financial analysts worldwide. Certification is obtained by passing three levels of the exam, which test the applicant’s proficiency in ethical and professional standards; quantitative methods; economics; financial statement analysis; analysis of equity, debt, derivatives and alternative investments; and portfolio management.

“I allocated more time to preparing for the CFA exam than for any other exam in school,” says Popa. “It is a very challenging exam — six hours in total. But I think the effort is worth it since the CFA designation is becoming more of a standard than an exception in the investment industry.”

More than 63,200 applicants from around the world took the exam in 2006. Of that number, more than 26,400 took Level I. Only 40 percent of the applicants who took the Level I exam passed. On average, CFA candidates take four years to pass the three required exams.

“It’s great to be among the mere 40 percent who passed Level I,” says Rajpal. “It was a challenge to prepare for the exam while also pursuing my M.B.A. full time. Whitman’s finance courses, like Equity Valuation, helped a lot with preparation. In the end, it definitely will enhance my placement opportunities upon graduation.”

For more information or to set up an interview, please contact Amy Mehringer, Communications Manager, Whitman School of Management, at (315) 443-3834 or aemehrin@syr.edu.