Most people plan to give the CFA after they’ve finished their degree. After they’ve worked a year or two. After they’ve “built a foundation.” Ankit Patel didn’t wait. He picked up the CFA curriculum while still in his second year of B.Com (Hons) from Delhi — and walked out of the exam with 1845 out of 1900.
That’s a 97% score. On one of the most respected finance certifications in the world. At 20. On his first attempt.
We sat down with Ankit to understand exactly how he did it — and more importantly, what he’d tell you if you’re standing where he once stood: curious, a little confused, and wondering if you’re ready.
The Interview
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and what made you consider CFA in the first place.
I’m from Delhi, currently in my B.Com (Hons). When I was thinking about what to do alongside my degree, CA was the obvious choice — it’s what everyone around me was talking about. But honestly? I wasn’t excited about it.
Then I came across the CFA curriculum, and something clicked. The topics — portfolio management, equity analysis, derivatives, fixed income — it all felt genuinely interesting to me, not just something I was doing to tick a box. I decided pretty quickly that this was the path I wanted.
And I haven’t looked back since.
Q: Once you decided on CFA, how did you go about figuring out how to prepare?
I did a proper deep dive before enrolling anywhere. I researched the curriculum structure, the exam format, the kind of job opportunities it opens up. I wanted to understand what I was signing up for.
Then I started watching free lectures online to get a feel for the content. That’s actually how I found QuintEdge — I came across Yash sir’s lectures, and the teaching style immediately stood out. It wasn’t dry or textbook-ish. He made things click.
I also checked reviews on various online forums, and the feedback for QuintEdge was consistently strong. That gave me the confidence to go ahead and enrol.
Q: What was the hardest part of starting out?
The content itself was almost entirely new to me. Coming from a B.Com background, I had some basics, but CFA Level I goes deep — and fast. I remember feeling genuinely confused in the first few weeks, not about the concepts themselves, but about how to approach the preparation.
Which sources to follow? How many mocks to do? When to start revisions? Nobody tells you these things upfront, and it’s easy to overthink everything and freeze.
Q: How did you get past that confusion?
The structure of QuintEdge’s online portal really helped. The lessons were laid out in a clear sequence — you didn’t have to figure out what to study next. You just followed the path.
And whenever I hit a wall on a concept, the doubt lectures were there. I could go back, rewatch, ask questions, and get clarity. That made a huge difference in the early months when I was still building my foundation. I never felt like I was stuck without a way forward.
Q: Walk us through the study plan that got you to 1845/1900.
It sounds simple, but it really worked:
1. Watch the lectures first. Don’t skip ahead, don’t read the book first. Watch, absorb, and get the concept clear in your head.
2. Read Schweser. Once the concept is in place from the lecture, Schweser solidifies it. It’s dense but worth it.
3. Make your own notes. Don’t rely on someone else’s notes. The act of writing things down in your own words is where the real learning happens.
4. Practice questions — lots of them. Questions expose the gaps your notes don’t. Do them topic by topic, not all at the end.
5. Revise. Revise. Revise. This one is the most underrated. Everything else feeds into revision. If you’re not regularly revisiting what you’ve studied, you will forget it — guaranteed.
That’s it. No shortcuts. No hacks. Just this, done consistently.
Q: Any one thing you’d highlight as the real difference-maker?
Building the basics. A lot of people try to rush through the syllabus because the exam feels far away and then feels suddenly very close. But if your foundation is weak, nothing else holds.
I deliberately slowed down in the early topics — Quantitative Methods, Financial Reporting — and made sure I really understood what was happening. By the time I got to the harder topics, I wasn’t fighting the fundamentals. I was building on top of them.
Speed comes from clarity, not from skipping.
Q: What was the moment you knew you’d nailed the exam?
Walking out of the exam hall, I felt calm. Not nervous-calm, but genuinely calm — like I had done what I came to do. The questions felt familiar. The revision had paid off. I knew I’d passed.
When the score came — 1845 out of 1900 — I just sat with it for a moment. It felt like proof that the process works if you trust it.
Q: What would you say to a B.Com student who’s thinking about CFA but isn’t sure they’re ready?
You’re more ready than you think. The CFA curriculum explains everything from the ground up if you follow the right guidance. You don’t need a finance degree or two years of work experience to understand it.
What you do need is patience and consistency. Don’t rush the basics. Show up every day. And find the right coaching — because good teaching makes the difference between struggling alone and actually enjoying the process.
Start. The readiness comes with the preparation, not before it.
Inspired by Ankit’s story?
Your transformation could be next. Talk to our counsellors and find out how to build your CFA preparation the right way — from day one.
