Where to start FRM

[sdoshi004]

DAvid

I am planning to start with Quant since I see that Quant will be used in each topics subsequently and that will help me to understand the other concepts. Simultaneously I will got through your webinars and exam questions to keep myself in tandom with your flow.

To start with Quant, I have the below plan:

1. Looking at the comparative readings between 2009 and 2008 posted on the website, I can see that there is no exclusion of Quant chapters. So I can safely refer the previous core readings of Gujarati. I will refer to the other authors once GARP comes out with new course pack.

2. Secondly I am planning to go through your Quant A,B and C screencast of 2008 and study notes.

Does this sound OK. Would appreciate your views.

Also some one suggested me to start with "Introduction to Options and Futures" by John Hull to brush the concepts. FYI, I am a Chartered aCcountant (CPA) with commerce background and not well verse with statistics and calculas. Can you please suggest any basic stuff for me to brush the concepts?

Thanks

Sumit

 

[David Harper CFA FRM]

Hi Sumit,

1. Yes, I agree: Gujarati Chapters 1 thru 8 are a natural place to start because (i) they repeat and (ii) importantly, as you suggest, they are planks in the foundation going forward. I am consistently impressed at how often the Gujarati basics, while perhaps less interesting than other readings, do find relevance in later readings; e.g., the properties of correlation, variance, covariance are very helpful.

2. Yes, that cannot hurt. (Although I'll be updating them ASAP, not too long after the AIMs publish).

"Also some one suggested me to start with "Introduction to Options and Futures" by John Hull to brush the concepts. FYI, I am a Chartered Accountant (CPA) with commerce background and not well verse with statistics and calculus"

My opinions:
1. The Early Birds were/are meant to help with the background. In particular, last Saturdays (on statistical inference) I think we did a pretty good job of introducing the essence of Gujurata 1 to 5; the recording is in the paid area. And, this upcoming Saturday, I'll do regression intro (trying to shortcut to the heart of Gujarati 6 thru 8), so I think these should be good starts. If you can attend/view this upcoming Saturday, I am really going to try and jampack a (i) recap of inference and (ii) regression.

2. Re "Intro to Options and Futures" by John Hull. Given that you have a massive reading list, I am not a huge fan of taking side trips into additional texts. Better than this, I think, would be to simply start the assigned Hull book (even if Chapter 1). It has most of what you need within. If the reading list were smaller, I'd give you all sorts of suggestions, but time will be a factor so I think you are better of marinating in the assignments, even if they are initially stretch...I previously posted a few suggestions (here and here), but I posted these *before* I saw the expanded reading list and, now having seen how much there is, I think you already have quite enough on your plate.

I hope that helps, David