There is a gentle warmth to the sun in late May. The air has cooled, but somehow the sun seems brighter, clearer. Not that CFA candidates would have known.
As the first Sunday in June rolls around each year, as it relentlessly does, candidates emerge into this sunlight, blinking, nervously. This year they made their way to Canterbury Racecourse, clear plastic bags in hand, Texas IIB, spare batteries, sharpened pencils. For six months or longer they have given up their weekends, buried in probability, Du Pont, portfolio management.
Over this time, a number had diligently made their way to FINSIA's offices each Monday night to learn from academics and practitioners, from CFA charterholders who had gone before them, as part of the CFAS Review Course. Even more, gluttons for punishment all, sat the Boston Security Analyst's Society Practice Exam to hone their skills two weeks before the real thing.
Finally, from many parts of the country they came down Old Canterbury Road, wrote their papers and then a couple of hundred of them stumbled into the Mezzanine Bar to share their hope over a lager and a canapé.
The CFA Society of Sydney was with them, remembering the time that they too once emerged in the sharp sunlight of early June dizzy with knowledge and nervous with anticipation. We do these things to support candidates, but also to build revenue that enables us to provide further benefits for our members and to create a healthy, growing society. To further this, we are currently exploring the development of a new, improved review course, developed in conjunction with experienced Charterholders and professional academics, looking to earn the Society a reputation for education excellence in Asia Pacific. We look forward to rolling this out for the 2007 exams and providing you with more details down the track.
Richard Brandweiner CFA
Candidate Education
