Investment management certificate-study advice

Hello everyone,

I am planning to take up IMC exams. Could anyone please advice on the following.

a)How feasible is self study(for someone with finance background) without joining any training course.Will the official training manual be enough to pass the exams

b)If training course is advised, which is the most recommended for distance study(7city,BPP,Kaplan..)

c)How preferred is the IMC qualification for the employers.For those who hold this certificate has it been any easy to fetch a job in the current economic climate.

Thanks.

Hi,

Thanks for the above information.

I have been working with financial information services but would like to get into portfolio analysis, investment management job. Would IMC qualification help to fetch a starter job in this field?

Also I am planning to take each unit exam at a time .Please advise ideally how much study time will be necessary for each unit.

Thanks

Hi there,

Like GammaJammer I took my IMC approx 10 years ago. From memory it wasn't too hard but you do need to put the hours in and the key to success is doing loads of practice papers. It used to be a mulit-choice exam. I worked for a fund management company and was told to do it to broaden my knowledge of the industry. I don't think it really qualifies you to do anything however, although it might be the tipping point between yours and another candidate's CV. As GammaJammer said it isn't hard to pass but you do need to study as there is a lot to cover. IMO it is a really good qualification.

Not sure they even exist anymore but I did my course with Hyperion.

Good luck
KJ

kitejedi said:

Hi there,

Like Arabian I took my IMC approx 10 years ago. From memory it wasn't too hard but you do need to put the hours in and the key to success is doing loads of practice papers. It used to be a mulit-choice exam. I worked for a fund management company and was told to do it to broaden my knowledge of the industry. I don't think it really qualifies you to do anything however, although it might be the tipping point between yours and another candidate's CV. As Arabian said it isn't hard to pass but you do need to study as there is a lot to cover. IMO it is a really good qualification.

Not sure they even exist anymore but I did my course with Hyperion.

Good luck
KJ

Click to expand...

Think you might have your advisors confused...

I took the IMC in my spare back end of last year. It is very much a foundation level certificate representing knowledge of both regulations and markets which can be learned, crammed and regurgitated in the multiple choice exam. 30 hours should be suffice for this, of course dependent on your memory. The more interesting part is the longer 2 hour 15 exam on investment practice which covers everything from bonds, equities, futures, accounting, economics (micro, macro) etc this would need about 60-80 self study hours. If you are a hard worker do both at the same time, i did mine seperately and found it relatively easy over an 8 week period while working.
Do plenty of past papers and get to the stage of passing 80%+ and you should be fine.
I have heard good things on BPP and borrowed a friends training manual from their course. In relation to taking a course or self study, this is purely based on your motivation to gain the qualification, whether you have discipline to do yourself or want to pay to be spoon fed.
Solid starting certificate for career paths in fund, asset, investment management, and also helpful to gain an understanding in the financial markets, providing you with empowerment for your own future investments, and can give you idea what specific area you would be more passionate about.

Thanks everyone for your inputs...very useful! On going through the syllabus it seems like Unit 1 is more theoretical and Unit 2 deals with valuation methodologies. Could someone please advice on the level of mathematics involved. Also the mathematical questions asked in the exams...are those quite straight forward or tough nut to crack?

Besides I am planning to apply for distance learning course from 7City. Though I intend to take each Unit exam separately, I may enroll for 7city's Distance learning for Full IMC version(cost £365) whereas each unit costs £270 each(very expensive). Has anyone done a course from 7City.Is there any difference with regard to study material for full IMC version and individual unit versions.

Any suggestion will be great.Thanks

Hi,

Could anyone please advice on the above.

Thanks

Hi all,

I'm hoping to get hold of the study material for units 1 and 2 of the IMC. PM me if relevant.

Cheers

I also need this advice....BPP or Kaplan?? (for the IMC Distance Learning course)

Thanks!

way2win said:

Thanks everyone for your inputs...very useful! On going through the syllabus it seems like Unit 1 is more theoretical and Unit 2 deals with valuation methodologies. Could someone please advice on the level of mathematics involved. Also the mathematical questions asked in the exams...are those quite straight forward or tough nut to crack?

Besides I am planning to apply for distance learning course from 7City. Though I intend to take each Unit exam separately, I may enroll for 7city's Distance learning for Full IMC version(cost £365) whereas each unit costs £270 each(very expensive). Has anyone done a course from 7City.Is there any difference with regard to study material for full IMC version and individual unit versions.

Any suggestion will be great.Thanks

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Hi, did u manage to pass ur IMC? wud u happen to have any study materials available to sell? if so, please get in touch

much appreciated

thank you

Hello to all,this is sneha here,,,,I'm hoping to get hold of the study material for units 1 and 2 of the IMC. PM me if relevant.....its very nice suggestion,,,,,,
Thanks for sharing,,,,,

Even the IMC materials from CFA are very expensive- anyone know where Version 8 can be downloaded for free- or maybe someone who's just done the course and has the materials sitting in his/her bottom draw?

:smart:

Callmor said:

Even the IMC materials from CFA are very expensive- anyone know where Version 8 can be downloaded for free- or maybe someone who's just done the course and has the materials sitting in his/her bottom draw?

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Seconded!

Hi, Did you get hold of the materials and could be come to some arrangement? c

sneha123 said:

Hello to all,this is sneha here,,,,I'm hoping to get hold of the study material for units 1 and 2 of the IMC. PM me if relevant.....its very nice suggestion,,,,,,
Thanks for sharing,,,,,

Click to expand...

For what it is worth - for anyone who stumbles upon this thread - ebay is best bet for study materials. Carging £10-£20 (depending on seller) for entire study pack on CD/DVD. Beats the couple of hundred charged by CFA

Entire book for each module, plus large question bank (5 past papers). Version 8 too.

Have just bought one but has not arrived so cannot comment on quality. Will let you know.

Hi everyone,

I have recently completed the IMC exams and am now selling all the study materials you need in order to pass Unit 1 'The Investment Environment'. The books are published by BPP Learning Media and were purchased a couple of months ago (July 2011) directly from BPP as part of their classroom-based course.

The pack contains all the current BPP study material for IMC Unit 1 'The Investment Environment' (syllabus version 8). As of yesterday (1 September 2011) you'll need to know the new tax rates from the 2011 budget, which are available via the IMC website at https://secure.cfauk.org/assets/1207/IMC_Budget_update___1_September_2011.pdf

The pack includes:

• Study Text (comprehensive tome containing all course information)
• Practice & Revision Kit (lots of questions on each topic plus 4 mock exams)
• Course Slides (slides from the 2-day course, which are annotated with my notes)
• Course Handouts (more questions on each topic)
• Passcards (useful pocket-sized revision tool)
• Review Exercises (even more questions - didn't use this at all)

The course slides are the only piece from this set that has any writing in - all of the rest are in pristine condition!

Having recently studied for and taken the exams, I can confirm what many others have previously said about the importance of doing as many test questions as possible - many of the questions in the exam were pretty much the same, word-for-word, as the questions supplied by BPP.

I will accept £100 and am happy to meet in order to exchange. PM me if you're interested!

Many thanks,

F

Hi,
Are you still selling the IMC study materials from BPP?
I am very much interested.

I have recently completed the IMC exams and am now selling all the study materials you need in order to pass Unit 1 'The Investment Environment'. The books are published by BPP Learning Media and were purchased a couple of months ago (July 2011) directly from BPP as part of their classroom-based course.

The pack contains all the current BPP study material for IMC Unit 1 'The Investment Environment' (syllabus version 8). As of yesterday (1 September 2011) you'll need to know the new tax rates from the 2011 budget, which are available via the IMC website at https://secure.cfauk.org/assets/1207/IMC_Budget_update___1_September_2011.pdf

The pack includes:

• Study Text (comprehensive tome containing all course information)
• Practice & Revision Kit (lots of questions on each topic plus 4 mock exams)
• Course Slides (slides from the 2-day course, which are annotated with my notes)
• Course Handouts (more questions on each topic)
• Passcards (useful pocket-sized revision tool)
• Review Exercises (even more questions - didn't use this at all)

The course slides are the only piece from this set that has any writing in - all of the rest are in pristine condition!

Having recently studied for and taken the exams, I can confirm what many others have previously said about the importance of doing as many test questions as possible - many of the questions in the exam were pretty much the same, word-for-word, as the questions supplied by BPP.

I will accept £100 and am happy to meet in order to exchange. PM me if you're interested!

Many thanks,

F

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marangum said:

Hi,
Are you still selling the IMC study materials from BPP?
I am very much interested.

Click to expand...

I'm afraid that these study materials are long-gone – I sold them within a few hours of my original post!

Hope you have luck in finding another set though...

Its great advise, I am preparing for IMC Exam, Official manuals and some BPP questions bank..Thanks:clap:

HI is this STUDY materials of BPP still available, if please email me, [email protected]
thanks:clap: