How Astha Sharma Passed Both FRM Levels on Her First Attempt With AnalystPrep

From self-taught candidate to Senior Risk Analyst, here’s how AnalystPrep became her anchor through the FRM journey.

“I passed both FRM levels on my first attempt and AnalystPrep played a huge role in giving me the confidence and structure I needed.” – Astha Sharma, FRM

“The question bank teaches you how questions can be twisted. That’s what prepared me for the real exam.” – Astha Sharma, FRM

Meet the Candidate

Astha Sharma, FRM is a Senior Risk Analyst at Societe General and Credit Suisse, with experience across financial services and startups. A BCom (Hons.) graduate from the University of Delhi, she began thinking about professional finance credentials early and built her career with a clear focus on risk.

Her journey into risk analysis was not cushioned by expensive coaching or premium resources. Instead, it was shaped by discipline, curiosity and a deliberate choice to master concepts deeply rather than chase shortcuts.

Why She Chose the FRM Path

Astha began exploring professional qualifications when she was just 18 or 19. While many candidates gravitate toward designations that require being in the final year of university, the FRM designation stood out for its accessibility and rigor.

“It allowed me to begin at any stage,” she explains. “That flexibility mattered to me early on but what truly convinced me was the depth and reputation of the curriculum. I wanted a strong foundation in financial risk from the very beginning of my career.”

Beyond credentials, the FRM appealed to her for what it promised intellectually: a way of thinking about markets, institutions and systemic consequences.

How She Found AnalystPrep

With limited access to expensive prep providers, Astha built her study ecosystem through Google, YouTube and AnalystPrep’s free resources. It was here that she discovered a style of learning that matched her needs.

“The notes and especially the video lectures were incredibly helpful, clear, crisp and to the point,” she says. “I would make my own handwritten notes from the slides in the videos. That helped me understand concepts quickly without having to go through bulky chapters.”

What began as a practical solution soon became her primary learning engine.

Challenges Before Starting

Like many FRM candidates, Astha’s biggest challenge was uncertainty.

“The official mock doesn’t fully reflect the real difficulty of the exam,” she explains. “I was anxious about how questions would be framed, how conceptual the exam would be and what the real level of difficulty was.”

Instead of letting that uncertainty derail her, she adopted a disciplined mindset:

• She solved questions across multiple banks
• She analysed every mistake
• She focused on what concept was missing rather than on the score

“I didn’t lose confidence when I couldn’t solve a question. I asked myself why I got it wrong and what I needed to revise. That mindset changed everything.”

Her Study Strategy With AnalystPrep

Astha primarily relied on AnalystPrep’s Question Bankand YouTube video lessons. She did not impose rigid daily schedules, especially while working in demanding roles.

“For Level II, my workdays were often over ten hours. I decided not to pressure myself with unrealistic targets. Some days I couldn’t study at all, and instead of burning out, I simply restarted the next day.”

Her approach was built on three principles:

• Consistency over intensity
• Steady coverage of the syllabus
• Mental calm over self-criticism

Level I, taken during her student years and the COVID period, allowed for more structured preparation. Level II, however, required resilience. Much of her intensive study happened in the final month, with a sharp focus on revision and high-impact topics.

The Question Bank

If there was one resource that defined her preparation, it was the AnalystPrep QBank.

“I felt the question bank was at par with the actual exam,” she says. “More importantly, the explanations were excellent.”

What made the biggest difference was not just volume, but realism.

For complex areas such as performance ratios and risk measures, she found that AnalystPrep’s questions revealed:

• Where traps can be placed
• How wording can subtly change meaning
• How seemingly minor changes can alter the correct answer

“That’s what prepared me for tricky and unexpected questions. Other material sometimes felt too direct. AnalystPrep forced me to think like the exam.”

The Video Lessons

Astha also relied heavily on AnalystPrep’s structured video content.

“Professor Forjan’s analogies are amazing,” she notes. “He teaches everything from scratch, which builds real confidence.”

Rather than memorising formulas, she learned how concepts connected, how assumptions worked and why methods behaved the way they did. This conceptual grounding later became critical in both the exam and her professional role.

Clear and Insightful Explanations

“What truly stood out was how the explanations taught you how to look at questions,” she explains. “You start recognising how a question can be twisted before it actually is.”

This ability to anticipate exam logic, rather than simply compute answers, gave her a strategic advantage and steadily built confidence as the exam approached.

The Results

• Passed FRM Part I on the first attempt (2021)
• Passed FRM Part II on the first attempt (2022)
• Approximately 50% of total study time spent on AnalystPrep

By the time she walked into the exam hall, she felt prepared not just for familiar patterns, but for surprises.

“Knowing how wide and realistic the question bank was made me feel I was preparing in a complete, wholesome way. I also heard from many candidates who relied almost entirely on AnalystPrep and cleared with strong percentiles. That gave me additional confidence that if I used it properly, I would perform well.”

Professional Impact

Today, Astha works in risk analysis, where the FRM curriculum continues to shape how she thinks.

“Concepts like derivatives, valuation, MTM, VaR and basic risk modelling gave me a strong technical base,” she says. “Even in discussions that go beyond my exact role, I can participate meaningfully because I understand the underlying logic.”

Earning the FRM has also changed how she is perceived professionally.

“People now see me as someone who understands risk. That naturally brings more trust and credibility.”

Yet one of the most powerful outcomes has been humility.

“Risk is vast. The more you learn, the more you realise how much you don’t know. That is what I love about this field. It keeps you learning for life.”

The designation also had a tangible career impact. “My resume was shortlisted because of FRM, and my conceptual understanding helped me crack interviews.”

Her Advice to Future FRM Candidates

Astha offers two pieces of advice that shaped her own journey.

First:
“This exam is not meant to make you money. It is meant to make you a better student and a better thinker.”

She believes the curriculum fundamentally changes how you view institutions, decisions and systemic risk.

Second, from a close friend during a moment of doubt:
“If six more months of this curriculum feels unbearable, then maybe this is not the career you want. Because you are not choosing an exam. You are choosing a lifelong profession.”

For working professionals, her counsel is simple and powerful:
“Be consistent. Show up every day, even if it’s just a little. That effort compounds.”

Would She Recommend AnalystPrep?

Without hesitation.

“I have recommended AnalystPrep to everyone who has ever asked me about FRM, whether they are students or working professionals. If you use the platform correctly and plan your preparation well, you can clear the exam.”

She sees AnalystPrep not just as a test-prep provider, but as a mindset builder.

“It doesn’t just help you pass. It helps you develop the way of thinking required for the FRM exam and for real-world risk.”

Start Your FRM Journey With AnalystPrep

Thousands of candidates, including Astha Sharma, FRM, have used AnalystPrep to build clarity, practise smarter and walk into exam day with confidence.

Try the FRM Free Resources
(Notes, videos and QBank access)

Explore FRM Packages
(Structured learning, extensive practice and unlimited access)

Independent Review of AnalystPrep’s FRM Packages
Discover the pros, cons and features