The one subject that really stuck with me long after having passed the CFA® Level III exam was that of behavioral finance. Thanks to CFA Institute for introducing me to this new—perhaps lifelong—buddy. When I started preparing for the behavioral finance section, it didn’t come across as very interesting and didn't hold my focus for long.

Anyone who starts working toward the CFA charter has heard stories of people with a PhD in finance or even professors who fail the Level I exam. There are multiple reasons for this, in my opinion.

As an investor, I’ve always fancied myself as a contrarian who goes against the crowd, someone who can detect patterns and notice minutiae where others can’t. Perhaps that’s why at the age of 27, while my friends and peers were content with gifting one of their two monthly paychecks to their landlord, I became a first-time homebuyer.

When creating the CFA exam, there’s a natural tendency to simplify so that participants from different backgrounds can all gain an understanding of multiple areas of finance.

Comparing mortgage refinance options with varying terms is a unique mathematical challenge, and also one that consumers face often in a declining rate environment.