Slave of The Lord

Dear CFA Program candidates and colleagues,

Hereby I would like to make a query regarding your willingness to take part in CFA Level 1 exam preparation courses that I am contemplating to launch by mid September till beginning of December. The final decision to commence the courses will be pending the number of candidates (i.e. you) expressing their willingness to enroll.
I would like to gather a group of no more than 15 people and train them hard & well so that the pass rate should vary as follows:

• in the pessimistic case – in line with general pass rate, so around 35% (excluding abnormal pass rate 46% this year due to 3 multiple choice)
• in the base case – 50% of all enrolled
• in the optimistic case – 65 to 70% of all trainees

What are the competitive advantages of the courses being offered?

• Proper timing and efficient time utilization. This is important as the majority of the candidates are expected to be full time employees.
• Using the most up-to date materials (including electronic tests) with a proper leverage to ‘tricks’, short-cuts and test taking skills. As with any test CFA (only Level 1!) can be cracked like, for example GMAT.
• Streamlining your endeavor and hard work not only to gain in the right to put the 3 letters in your business card but also direct you in the right direction along your career path.

What makes me confident in claiming the stated above?

• 2 years of teaching experience at KIMEP, all finance courses: Corporate Finance, Derivatives, Financial Modeling and etc.
• Around 1.5 years of experience as a senior analyst at Halyk Finance
• CFA Program Level 2 candidate, June 2010. Level 1 has been cleared with all sections >70% (except ethics!) and with a less than 2 weeks of solid preparation (though likely due to ‘background’)
• Western Master of Science degree in Financial Engineering so the derivatives, quant and fixed income should be my strength.
• The right approach to teaching – all my trainees I will treat as my colleagues (the junior analysts)

Please make up your mind and contact me askartu@halykbank.kz. In case there will be very few candidates willing, please void my proposal.

Requirements to prospective trainees:

• Preferable KIMEP and KBTU students with GPA no less than 3.2 and 3 respectively.
• For non-students, good command of English and the ‘real’ willingness to gain the CFA charter
• Should be able and willing to allocate at least 10 hours for contact study and 3x times more for independent study. Should be willing and prepared to abandon entertainments and private life for 2.5 months.