How Easy is it to Pass the FRM® Exam?

Suppose you have just enrolled in the FRM program; you probably want to know how hard the exam is. The FRM curriculum is challenging; therefore, you will need to put in hard work and a lot of time to succeed.

The FRM exam rates are low, with less than half the candidates passing the first part and just over half of those who sit for the part II exams pass it. Only a handful of those who start the course pass both level exams.

What is the FRM Exam Format?

The FRM curriculum consists of two levels. In both parts, the question format is multiple choice.

The FRM part I exam has 100 questions and is 4 hours long. Part II is also 4 hours long but has fewer questions than part I. Part II consists of 80 questions.

What are the FRM Topics and their Weights?

The FRM topics and weights vary from year to year to remain relevant in an ever-changing financial industry. The 2021 topics and weights are;

FRM part I:

• Financial markets and products (30%) will test your understanding of different financial products and their trading markets.
• Valuation and risk models (30) will test your understanding of various valuation techniques and different risk models.
• Foundations of risk management (20%) focus on your knowledge of the foundation concepts of risk management and how it adds value to an organization.
• Quantitative analysis (20%) tests your knowledge of basic quantitative techniques vital in risk management and understanding basic probability and statistics, regression, and time series analysis.

FRM II:

• Market risk management (20%) will test your knowledge of market risk measurement and different management techniques.
• Credit risk management (20%).  This part of the exam will test your knowledge of structured finance and credit products and default risk measurement.
• Operational and integrated risk management (20%) will test how well you understand operating and integrated risk management.
• Risk management and investment risk management (15%). This part of the exam will test your understanding of different risk management techniques used during investment process management.
• Liquidity and treasury risk measurement and management (15%) will test your understanding of various treasury and liquidity risk management systems.
• Current affairs in financial markets (10%) will test your in-depth knowledge of all the other sections and how you can apply it critically in real situations.

Tips to Help you Study for your FRM Exam

You will need to put in an average of 200 – 240 hours for each part of your FRM exam. You need to ensure that you have an in-depth understanding of the curriculum and the skill to apply this knowledge to real situations.

Set up a study routine and adhere to it

Setting up a study routine will help you attain a high level of understanding and application skill, and starting a study routine as early as possible will go a long way in helping you achieve this.

You should adhere to the set study routine as much as possible and develop a study strategy to ensure that you maximize the time you have in each session. You can start by reading or listening to lectures and understanding the information, then learn to apply the knowledge through practicing with examinations.

Pay attention to the core areas of study and expected learning outcomes

As discussed above, there are some core areas of education that you need to master in FRM. During your study sessions, you should pay more attention to these topics to master them.

Paying close attention to the core areas of study and understanding the weight of each topic will help you have a more focused study session.

Relate your knowledge to real situations

To pass the FRM tests, you should know the material and the skill to apply that knowledge to real life. It would help if you studied to gain the skills to use the information in real scenarios.

Remember that you will need to use the material you learn to work in the real world. You can make your learning material faster to remember by relating it to real-life situations.

Practice taking the exam using mock tests

You must be familiar with the terms used in the tests and how to answer the questions effectively. It would help if you practiced using mock examinations as many times as possible, leading to your scheduled test. Taking mock examinations will enable you to identify any knowledge gaps and adjust your study sessions. You will also understand the terms used during testing, the calculations required, and how to apply the knowledge to solve problems.

Contact us at Analystprep.com and access our extensive question bank with over 4,000 questions to equip you with experience to help you pass any part of your FRM exam.

Our FRM study packages will help you understand key concepts and give you the confidence to pass both parts of the FRM exam. You will have access to notes and video tutorials from the best professors to help you pass your exam on the first try.