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QFA's

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  • 24-03-2010 10:07am
    #1
    snowy2008
    Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭


    Hi

    I had started these exams years ago, failed first exam and just gave up, i know what i want to do now and have just enrolled to complete them, just wondering if they are still hard to pass?

    thanks
    s


Comments

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    #2
    broker2008
    Registered Users Posts: 750 ✭✭✭broker2008


    Well I'm afraid the first exam is the easiest. Numbers taking the exams are way down also. €275 for each exam.


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    #3
    sarahlulu
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭sarahlulu


    Passed all the exams first time. They weren't all easy but if I can do it while working full time and rearing 3 small kids, you can do it too. Just give it your best shot.


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    #4
    snowy2008
    Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭snowy2008


    thansk for the reply! im going to give it my best shot, i wanted to get into mortagage broking, is what your doing work wise with your qfa qualification making you happy in your job as in fulfilling?


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    #5
    sarahlulu
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭sarahlulu


    No, I work for a bank and its not fulfilling at all, but it keeps a roof over our heads, what are you doing at present?


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    #6
    snowy2008
    Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭snowy2008


    i work in accounts and hate it, i worked bank years ago and was grandfathered, went travelling came back and here i am now, i just want to get the qualifications and be able to work independantly so whenever i have kids i can work around them, am i being delusional? :) its just my plan


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    #7
    sarahlulu
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭sarahlulu


    Hopefully by the time you have the QFA the housing market will have improved. Not sure where you are based, but brokers here in the North East finding it tough to make a living!


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    #8
    snowy2008
    Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭snowy2008


    im hoping the market will do a turn around, its just my plan so far, i didnt have one until now so im going with it! im based in the capital so fingers crossed! Thanks for the advice :)


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    #9
    gogo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭gogo


    God, I hate to tell you this but the exams have gotten harder, they have reduced the pass mark to 50% but there is now negative marking, so no more guess work. The multiple choice questions are also harder, most questions have answers a,b,c,d with 'a' being further options, as in you'll also have i,ii,iii,and iv in the same question iykwim. They have taken the guess work out of these questions completly so you really need to know your stuff.
    Personally I think its a complete money racquet, you now need to purchase all new course material (if repeating) as the books are changing each term. They know people are reliant on these exams to continue with their jobs so they keep upping the prices and charging for every little extra.
    Either way they are a necesary evil. Good luck, its the same with any course really, put in the work and you will reap the rewards.

    Good Luck!


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    #10
    gogo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭gogo


    broker2008 wrote: »
    Well I'm afraid the first exam is the easiest. Numbers taking the exams are way down also. €275 for each exam.

    ?
    you can take the exmas in any order you chose, but you have to sit all five before you can register for the final written exam of financial planning. people tend to sit loans or Life assurance first because they tend to be easier, but he might have sat pensions first. Also from what I hear, numbers are up as jan 2011 is the deadline that current financial advisors have to complete exams (ie, 4 years from introduction of mcr in 2007). The qfa exams are the miminum compentancy requirements for all retail financial advisors unless previously grandfathered.


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    #11
    snowy2008
    Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭snowy2008


    i was grandfathered in 2006 tho, im starting to worry now, im trying really hard but this negative marking is freaking me out a bit!!! is the qualification worth it? thankls all for your help :)


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    #12
    kevdough
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭kevdough


    Hi all...desperately seeking any past qfa exam papers...studying loans and regulations and getting freaked out as exams in May...if anyone has previous exam papers I would appreciate it if they might let me have copies...will cover cost of post...thanks a million


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    #13
    ekyll78
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭ekyll78


    I sat regulation on 24th March 2012. Does anyone know how soon the results are out?


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    #14
    lunacyfoundme
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭lunacyfoundme


    If you're looking for past exam papers you may forget it. They are extremely hard to get as you are not allowed to take them out of the exam hall because they are MCQ. They only way to get them out is to sneak them out.

    To OP. I've done some QFA modules for another qualification the CUA. I've done Regulations, Loans and Investments and I can tell you they are dreadful beyond belief. Extremely boring and a lot of the information keeps overlapping so it's quite confusing.

    I passed each one first time but got a real shock with the MCQ exams. They seem to be set out with the deliberate intention of trying to make you fail. The questions rely on trick language and obscure details rather than testing genuine knowledge and understanding. They're actually a bit of a disgrace and the exam setters receive a lot of complaints about them.

    Not to discourage you but you should realise what you're letting yourself in for. I have my qualification and could get a full QFA if I did just 3 more modules. I will never ever do this. Not worth the money or stress.


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