Meet Soumya Raghavan, hailing from Delhi, she completed her Bachelor’s in Economics (Hons) from Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi. Her early interest in finance gradually evolved into a fascination with financial risk—an area she found intellectually stimulating and highly relevant in today’s volatile world.
“Finance has always been my interest since school, and financial risk always intrigued me. That’s what pushed me towards the FRM program.”
She has managed to clear both FRM Levels while working as an Analyst – Policy Management at AXA XL, a part of the global insurance and risk management group.
Let’s here from her her preparation strategy, inspiration, and how she managed to do it all while preparing for CAT exam.
Why did you decide to pursue FRM?
I had been exploring the top finance certifications like CFA and FRM, and through my research, I realized that risk management was the area I genuinely found most interesting. The concept of managing uncertainty and understanding market risk aligned well with both my academic background and long-term career interests.
After carefully evaluating both programs and understanding where my interests lie, I decided that FRM was the right fit for me.
What steps did you take early on to build a foundation in finance/risk?
To be honest, my interest in finance had been there since school, and pursuing Economics in college helped me strengthen my fundamentals.
As I started preparing for FRM, I began consuming content online and eventually came across various prep providers, including QuintEdge, on YouTube. This helped me understand the expectations of the FRM exam and build clarity before diving deep into the syllabus.
How did QuintEdge help you in your preparation?
I came across QuintEdge through a YouTube video by Yash Sir, and within minutes, I knew this was different. His explanation style was clear, logical, and to the point—something I hadn’t found elsewhere. That first impression gave me the confidence to enroll, and it completely changed the way I approached FRM preparation.
What I appreciated most was the strong focus on concept clarity. The topics weren’t rushed—whether it was Market Risk or Operational Risk, everything was broken down in a structured, easy-to-understand way. I also had several small doubts during prep, and QuintEdge’s quick, precise doubt-solving made a huge difference. It helped me stay on track without confusion building up.
Overall, the course felt like a step-by-step roadmap. I always knew what to do next—there was no chaos, no guessing. From lectures to practice questions to revision flow, everything was laid out in a way that kept me focused and confident throughout.
How did you prepare for FRM? What was your daily schedule like?
My approach was straightforward—but consistency was key. I wasn’t someone who followed fancy timetables. I focused on having a routine that was simple, sustainable, and focused on active learning.
Here’s what my preparation looked like, step-by-step:
1. Watch → Read → Apply
- I started every topic by watching the QuintEdge video lectures. I made sure I was fully present—no distractions—because these were my primary source of understanding.
- Right after watching, I’d refer to the Schweser textbook to reinforce the concepts.
- I would then immediately test myself using quizzes—not to get a high score, but to catch where my understanding was weak.
2. Weekly check-ins
Every weekend, I took 1–2 hours to just review the topics I had done during the week. I made small notes—not too long—just bullet points that I could glance at later. This helped reduce the pressure during full-scale revision closer to the exam.
3. Final month = Pure revision
- In the last 30–40 days, my entire focus was on revision.
- I used the notes and highlighted questions I had saved throughout the course to go over everything again.
- I avoided learning anything new during this phase—just reinforced what I already knew and closed gaps.
4. Managing time and energy
One of the biggest challenges for me was managing time and cognitive load. Learning new content while trying to retain older topics is not easy. I didn’t solve this by overworking—I solved it by planning better. For example, I made sure every study session had a goal: “Finish this topic, revise that formula, solve that quiz”—and I stuck to it.
What would be your advice to other CAT students/working professionals planning to take up FRM?
If you’re just starting this journey, I want to say this: you don’t have to be perfect, just consistent.
It’s okay if you’re a student juggling college, or a professional with limited hours in the day. What matters is showing up—daily, or even five times a week—with full focus. 2–3 solid hours a day can take you further than you think.
Also, don’t fall into the trap of just solving endless questions. What helped me was actually understanding the “why” behind each concept.
If you join a coaching program like QuintEdge, make the most of it. Ask doubts, revise regularly, and follow their sequence—it worked really well for me.
Lastly, plan your revision ahead of time. Even if your final exam feels months away, start collecting doubts, saving weak topics, and tagging tricky questions right from the beginning. You’ll thank yourself later.
You’ve got this.
