This is a story of Urvi Jain, a hardworking and focused finance professional from Bangalore. She grew up loving numbers and scored 95% in her 12th grade with PCM. After school, she studied Economics and Finance at Ashoka University, where her interest in finance grew even stronger. It was during her college years that she decided to pursue the CFA course to build a career in finance.
Urvi started preparing for her CFA Level 1 exam in January and gave her attempt in August. Balancing her job and studies wasn’t easy, but she stayed determined. She studied 3–4 hours on weekdays, often late at night, and 6–7 hours on weekends. She made detailed notes in her own words and practiced questions from Schweser’s materials and CFA mock tests. Ethics, which many skip, became her daily focus..
Her hard work paid off when she cleared the Level 1 exam, and the knowledge she gained started helping her at work too. She developed a better understanding of topics like equity, private equity, and stock markets, which she applies daily in her role. Today, she works as a Senior Associate at a VC firm, where she is recognized for her strong grasp of finance concepts.
Urvi completed her CFA coaching at The WallStreet School, which she says was beneficial in her preparation. Now, she’s gearing up for Level 2, planning to dedicate more time to studying case-based questions and diving deeper into the CFA curriculum.
Urvi’s story is a simple yet inspiring one of balancing work and studies, staying consistent, and never giving up on her goals. She hopes her journey motivates others to take that first step toward building their dream careers in finance.
Below is a transcript of her interview with us:
Q. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how it influenced your career path?
Hi, I’m Urvi Jain, and I’m from Bangalore. I’ve lived here all my life and did my schooling in the city as well. I took PCM in 10th and 12th because I enjoyed math and problem-solving, and I scored 95% in my 12th boards.
After school, I completed my graduation from Ashoka University, where I studied Economics with a focus on Finance. That’s where my interest in finance really began to grow. I loved learning about markets, investments, and how businesses work with money. By my third year, I knew I wanted to do something more in this field, something that would help me learn more about finance. That’s when I learned about the CFA course. It seemed like the perfect option for me to learn and grow further in the world of finance.
Q. How did you balance your CFA Level 1 preparation with a full-time job?
My CFA journey began in January when I decided to start preparing for the Level 1 exam scheduled for August. It was my 6 to 7 months journey of intense study and dedication. Since I was working full-time, managing both my job and studies was quite challenging.
On weekdays, I used to study for 3 to 4 hours daily, usually late at night after work. On weekends I dedicated around 6 to 7 hours each day to studying, apart from attending classes. If I look back and calculate, it took me somewhere between 800 to 1,000 hours to prepare thoroughly for the exam.
About a month before the exam, I took a break from my job to focus entirely on preparation. During that time, I studied for 6 to 7 hours every day. It was intense, but I knew it was necessary to feel confident and well-prepared.
I’ve read in many articles that CFA preparation can be done in 300 to 400 hours, but honestly, I completely disagree with that. Maybe it’s possible for students with a very strong background in finance or those preparing full-time without other commitments like a job. But for someone like me, managing a full-time job alongside preparation, it took much more time and effort. The key, I feel, is not just reading but practicing and revisiting concepts repeatedly.
Q. What role did The WallStreet School play in your CFA preparation and what was your approach to ensure thorough preparation?
The WallStreet School played a big role in my CFA preparation journey. The classes were well-structured and focused on simplifying complex concepts, which made it easier for me to understand the curriculum. Well, my CFA preparation was quite a journey in itself. During classes, there was always a new topic or lesson being taught, so I made it a habit to revise whatever was covered as soon as I got home. I never took notes during the classes. Instead, after coming back home, I would watch the class recordings provided by the institute and then prepare detailed notes in my own language. I used simple wording and wrote them in a way that made sense to me based on what I had learned from the video. These notes became my go-to material for revision later.
For practice, I used Schweser’s questions, CBOK questions, and the solved examples I had worked on. I didn’t follow any fixed pattern for studying because I felt every topic was important, and skipping even one wasn’t an option. My target was to complete the syllabus at least 1 to 1.5 months before the exam so that I could focus on revisions and mock tests.
I gave six mock tests (from the CFA Institute, the premium ones that you have to purchase). In my first mock test, I didn’t score well and got only 60%, which was a bit discouraging. But I kept practicing and improving with each test. By the time I gave the last mock, I scored around 85-90%. These mock tests were very helpful as they gave me a clear idea of the exam pattern and helped me understand where I was lacking.
One important thing I realized during the preparation was that you can’t afford to think any topic is “less important.” The topic you skip or think won’t appear in the exam might just show up. So, my approach was to study everything thoroughly and leave no gaps.
Q. How did you prepare for Ethics?
For Ethics, I decided to stick to the CBOK textbook and read it completely. I went through the applications, recommendations, and guidance sections in detail. I know most students tend to skip the recommendations part, but I would strongly advise against that. Reading those recommendations really helped me understand the concepts better and gave me more clarity on how to apply them in different scenarios.
One thing I’d say is that you need to go through Ethics at least 3 to 4 times to really get a good grasp of it. I won’t lie,it’s text-heavy and can feel boring at times. But it’s a very important part of the exam, and skipping it isn’t a good idea.
I made it a habit to read Ethics for 30 to 40 minutes every day during my preparation. Studying it into smaller chunks like this made it easier to handle. It wasn’t overwhelming, and I could stay consistent without losing focus.
Reading it multiple times really helped me understand the nuances and handle the tricky questions more confidently in the actual exam.
So my advice to anyone preparing would be to give Ethics the time it deserves. Even if it feels boring, stick with it because it’s one of those sections that can make a big difference in your score if you do it well.
Q. What are your plans for the CFA level 2 and level 3?
The 6 months I spent preparing for Level 1 have already helped me a lot in my job. One of the best parts about CFA prep is how practical it is. If you can relate what you’re studying to what’s happening in the finance world, it makes everything so much more interesting and useful. I’ve gained a much better understanding of topics like equity, private equity, and the stock market. It’s helped me think critically about when to buy or sell and how different financial decisions impact the markets.
As for the next steps, I’ll definitely prepare for Level 2. But I know Level 2 is going to be tougher, especially with so many case studies involved. This time, I plan to give more time to my preparation and focus on developing a strategy for tackling those case studies. It’s not just about reading but also about understanding how to apply concepts in real-world scenarios.
I’ve learned a lot from my experience with Level 1, so I’ll make sure to plan even better for Level 2. I’m excited about the journey ahead because I know it’s going to add even more value to my knowledge and skills in finance.
Urvi’s journey highlights the importance of perseverance and dedication in achieving one’s career goals. The WallStreet School takes pride in guiding students like Urvi and remains committed to empowering more students to reach new heights in the world of finance.
