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  • Linton
    Linton Posts: 18,349 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Hung up my suit!
    gadgetmind wrote: »
    So you're happy with a 55% pass mark? Someone can get nearly half of it wrong and still get a certificate for their wall?

    I've never considered myself a member of the axe grinding camp (mainly because I'm perfectly capable of DIY investing) but if/when I use an IFA in future, I really will be careful to check qualifications with *far* more care than before.

    University degree pass marks are below 55% - they go down to 40% for an "ordinary" degree. You can normally get a lower second for 55%.
  • gadgetmind
    gadgetmind Posts: 11,130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    TH1878 wrote: »
    the industry can start rebuilding its reputation.

    I for one would welcome that. I *want* to be able to go to an IFA and *know* that advice really is whole of market (not just OEICs!) and really does come from a deep knowledge of pensions legislation and personal taxation rather than a desire to keep ratcheting up the commission.

    The last IFA I contacted used the initial one hour meeting to assure me that no-one ever made money in equities and I should instead move my SIPP to him where it would be used as loans for commercial property construction and development.

    I still have his card somewhere so I must check his qualifications...
    I am not a financial adviser and neither do I play one on television. I might occasionally give bad advice but at least it's free.

    Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorns is based upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them.
  • gadgetmind
    gadgetmind Posts: 11,130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Linton wrote: »
    University degree pass marks are below 55% - they go down to 40% for an "ordinary" degree. You can normally get a lower second for 55%.

    Not back when I got my degree you couldn't, and I'd still hope it was harder than that from a (say) Russell Group uni for a "proper" subject such as STEM.

    The current "everyone's a winner!" approach to exams really isn't the way to achieve excellence and give employers such as myself trust in qualifications.

    (Apologies if we're drifting off topic!)
    I am not a financial adviser and neither do I play one on television. I might occasionally give bad advice but at least it's free.

    Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorns is based upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them.
  • Linton
    Linton Posts: 18,349 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Hung up my suit!
    gadgetmind wrote: »
    Not back when I got my degree you couldn't, and I'd still hope it was harder than that from a (say) Russell Group uni for a "proper" subject such as STEM.

    The current "everyone's a winner!" approach to exams really isn't the way to achieve excellence and give employers such as myself trust in qualifications.

    (Apologies if we're drifting off topic!)


    Look at the net - Manchester's pass mark is 40% for a 3rd, 50% for a 2ii. Manchester is a Russell Group University.

    Imperial College, perhaps the most prestigous technical university in the country, and one of the best in the world, has a passmark of 50%.

    No I think you are clutching at straws to denigrate IFAs.
  • gadgetmind
    gadgetmind Posts: 11,130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Linton wrote: »
    Look at the net - Manchester's pass mark is 40% for a 3rd, 50% for a 2ii. Manchester is a Russell Group University.

    And what about a 2i, which is the minimum for most grad jobs?
    No I think you are clutching at straws to denigrate IFAs.

    I seek only the truth, and I thank you for helping with this.
    I am not a financial adviser and neither do I play one on television. I might occasionally give bad advice but at least it's free.

    Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorns is based upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them.
  • atush
    atush Posts: 18,731 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    gadgetmind wrote: »
    Not back when I got my degree you couldn't, and I'd still hope it was harder than that from a (say) Russell Group uni for a "proper" subject such as STEM.

    The current "everyone's a winner!" approach to exams really isn't the way to achieve excellence and give employers such as myself trust in qualifications.

    (Apologies if we're drifting off topic!)

    My son is currently doing a double honors at a Russel group Uni in politics and economics- he's just turned in his dissertation. I'll ask him what pass rates are ;-)
  • TH1878
    TH1878 Posts: 458 Forumite
    darkpool wrote: »
    yeah, but when people complain about those professions online you don't get other professionals in the same discipline jumping to their defence.

    the financial services industry has to be one of the biggest advertisers in the UK. it wouldn't surprise me if some of the IFAs here were paid to post....

    this is a consumer website for consumers, it's good to have professionals posting from experience. but at the same time i'm uneasy that a subtle type of propoganda is taking place.

    often people here post legitimate complaints about the service they receive from IFAs etc, and the IFAs say they complainant is a troll.

    You very deliberately missed off the second paragraph of my post. I come on here for information for myself but if I can help out fellow posters at the same time, then I will.

    I know I do a good job for my clients and don't need it rubber stamping by a bigoted keyboard warrior who doesn't understand how financial services is structured.
  • TH1878
    TH1878 Posts: 458 Forumite
    Lokolo wrote: »
    It goes beyond that for those working in fund management. All anaylsts need to be CFA qualifed which takes 4 years.

    I don't work in fund management. J06 and AF4 are not fund management exams - they're investment planning exams which is the area I work in.

    AF4 is the top investment exam directly linked to my line of work. To get to Chartered Financial Planner Status (of which AF4 is just one exam) takes 4-5 years also.
  • Lokolo
    Lokolo Posts: 20,861 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    TH1878 wrote: »
    I don't work in fund management. J06 and AF4 are not fund management exams - they're investment planning exams which is the area I work in.

    AF4 is the top investment exam directly linked to my line of work. To get to Chartered Financial Planner Status (of which AF4 is just one exam) takes 4-5 years also.

    Indeed I was just giving more info in case anyone was interested from the fund management area.
  • Lokolo
    Lokolo Posts: 20,861 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    atush wrote: »
    My son is currently doing a double honors at a Russel group Uni in politics and economics- he's just turned in his dissertation. I'll ask him what pass rates are ;-)

    Southamptons was 40% 3rd, 50% 2ii, 60% 2i, 70% 1st. That's also a RG university.

    The term "RG" doesn't always mean a great deal nowadays. IT for example (although gadget has on numerous occassions said IT graduates in the UK are crap!) doesn't matter. One of the grads I work with who got a 1st from Cambridge doing PPE didn't know who Anne Frank was. Education has it's limits.
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