IT'S A WRAP

So what next? That's the question that lingers. Guess it's now time to go back  to the drawing board. Look at life in a new perspective and adopt a long term strategy. This short term strategy I adopted is over. I now need to look at other viable options that can aid in reducing this otiosity that may arise owing to the fact that it may probably arise.

However, there is no denial that my bucket is full. I have so much stuff to immerse myself into and that includes, but not limited to; blogging, reading, online studies, looking for work online, completing my course in Microsoft Excel, Python programming and a miscellany of stuff that will arise as a result of being a free being. I want to sometime be able to come up with various programs that I can be able to tweak easily that can be able to model an equity by incorporating both fundamental and technical analysis within it to determine whether a stock is a sell or a buy.

That is a long term strategy that I am aiming at addressing given that am lethargic when it comes to applying for jobs. The only setback is that I have to find some cash to be able to market this service that I will be offering. Like the betting model I am working on, it’s easier to lose hope and get frustrated when things are not working out. The other problem comes in with regard to the audience. Programming is far a technical thing that needs to be simplified likewise equity valuation. I know there are few individuals who even know about equity multiples, financial reporting analysis so as to be able to decide whether or not to buy stocks.

The other problem is that this venture is a one-man affair. One man affairs don't work out every time. Sometime they become a success. All the friends I know of want to be employed in order to get that cash for survival. I, on the other hand am left to think for the alternative because I have been applying for jobs to no avail. I am imagining the requirements and sometimes get frustrated because the bar is just too high. 

The going has been rewarding though it makes me feel frustrated. Perusing is not as easy as it may look. Sometimes back I went to represent my younger brother during a parents meeting and what surprised me was when one of the teachers acknowledged that students do not love reading. She did not love reading as she confessed about that. That did remind me of my time while in high school, if you never burnt the midnight oil or break your neck to thoroughly peruse, chances are, you would probably be tailing if you were not sharp in grasping concepts while the classroom.

Now that I will be taking a sabbatical with regard to school work, I am sure I will slowly crack some of this codes and get a relief. What is for sure is that I have prepared for the marathon to my able best. It was like a union you never can go without. Until I complete the marathon, I will not be able to attest to anything. Given that I have been struggling but not so much, I am hopeful things will not go awry. In the event they try to, I will have to restrategize by looking at plausible scenarios to move on ahead smoothly.. 

Looking back, I have realized the power of dedication. It clearly demarcates those who are loyal by removing the chaff from the grain. Sometimes the rewards come in the sense that you have gone through a process and can be able to attest to the fact that it is satisfying just having the guts to go through it.

I have occasionally thought of killing this blog while studying as it got into my thoughts. What am I even gaining by having it. Does it even help owning a blog? Sometimes yes. There are those moments that can only be captured well by venting out the frustrations on a personal platform like a blog. Whether someone will read it or not, what remains is that you have learnt a lesson that you have documented. Sometime later on when you feel like going through what you did pen, you realize that you have gone through  a lot. Like it's easy thinking of starting it, but remaining steadfast up to the end is the most challenging aspect. 

There are times during the course of this project I undertook in terms of doing a professional course I felt like giving up. But I never wanted to disappoint myself, nor those who knew that I was going through this tortuous exercise. All in all, I have to wrap it up. Something is piercing me now and I have to call it a day. I have a mountain to climb and it surely will be momentous when I am done with it. 

P/S: Tomorrow, I will be sitting for my first professional exams. After revision and all that, I must say I am armed but shit can sometimes happen. So, let me be hopeful that all will be well even though am anxious and just want tomorrow to end as fast as possible. Until then. Hope I will write about the tension and setting after the process.

Hasta La Vista Baby. 

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STRATH VS UON: PART TWO

continued from Part one
When you go to any institution, you always have to come out with something that is distinctive and tangible. In some institutions, Ethics is taught as any other topic in most of the courses. The famous Hypocritical Oath is synonymous to the medical profession. Chances are, you were taught about Ethical Practices but rarely encounter scenarios where you will apply such gem learnt because you never took the course seriously. The world is now headed towards or it is in that stage where you will be judged by how principled and ethical you are when it comes to issues regarding integrity.

One distinctive aspect that clearly demarcates a Strath student from a UON student basically has to do with Ethics. Not that I have beef with UON. Reality is, the number of students in Strath who are ethically upright vis-a-vis UON is higher. But that is hypothetical, given that there are no tests I have carried out to verify the same. However, there are incidents that have made me believe that Strath has truly given students an edge when it comes to matters ethics.

For example, you might leave you phone or computer unattended and two days down the line if you forgot about it, chances are, you will still find it having been safely kept. There are scenarios where students have been able to recover their valuables even in our class and that is commendable. The same cannot be said of UON. The numbers in UON make it hard to reliably ensure that most students have truly internalized that they should be of high moral standards. In my first year, my mates lost their laptops under unclear circumstances that were quite baffling. The door was broken and the laptops stolen by people we speculated were pals with insider knowledge on how we did things. And such incidents were prone in the hostels, lecture halls were not isolated either. Methinks they are still rampant. When you want to maintain a certain lifestyle and the probability to sustain it is actually low, you may end up doing that which is a vice.

When it comes to lecturers, Strath is still way below UON. There are some lecturers in  UON have more than twenty years or in some cases, 50 years of experience in the academic industry. When one stays for a long duration in a certain field, she is able to execute some complexities with lots of ease much to the chagrin of a rookie. In such circumstances, you have to struggle a lot if not nimble enough with your studies because the lecturers in UON presume you know. But that does not mean that they are better off. There major problem is that they rarely attend classes as they should. In a semester, there are lecturers who will attend a paltry 3 out of a possible 12 classes. Side hustle or something. But that also means that as a student you are disadvantaged because they will rush when time is up to complete the syllabus. As a result, if you are not sharp, you know what’s up.

The only reason why Strath lecturers may fair better than their UON counterparts is that they usually have to compensate for the hours they have not lectured. Plus they usually have tangible reasons why they never show up. Most however juggle studies with teaching which is not a bad thing considering that the two go hand in hand. That they are less experienced is not in doubt. Many of the mates we were with in UON have confessed of the same. Rarely have I encountered a scenario where a lecturer comes to teach just by sheer recalling the topic having taught it continuously for a considerable period of time.  Most are usually in a rush just like their counterparts in UON. This can be attributed to the public university mentality that they went through as students. However, if you find a lecturer who studied in Strath, the chap is very thorough and lethal. Like we were taught by an upcoming lecturer who had just transitioned from Strath and the dude was quite smart. However, I must say that having been in a similar position before, teaching is different. Not a single day is the same.

When it comes to sports, Leos have an edge over Mean Machine. The situation is grim for my former Alma mater. My current has invested a lot and they are doing well winning many tournaments that they feature. That’s the reason why they continue to shine perpetually as the latter continues to sink but not deep in the abyss. But I have never attended any of the games featuring the two teams. I am also too busy these days so much so that creating time for hobbies is becoming a real hurdle that I am forced not to indulge in.

When it comes to ladies, UON beats Strath hands down with ladies who are beautiful. Could it be because of the strict policies put in place shielding the chics from coming out as pretty in Strath? I doubt. However, even though the number of those who are pretty is not as high, the number of those who are next to those who are pretty is commendable. They rarely have those who have menial features which is quite prevalent in UON. But being a liberal University, any lady in UON can look good with time and they do after sometime. The only downside is that some become lovers of sugar daddies forgetting that that is a pro tem relation. Once you are sell by date, another flame will replace you sooner than you expected. Who knows, chances are ladies are just the same. Maybe some Strath chics are also into such affairs only that they keep the affairs discrete. Not openly where you can find them out.

There is also the issue of goons. There is no doubt that UON has the highest number of them. My pal in campus used to say that if he had the chance, he would ensure that students from a certain tribe or region in Kenya would never be given admission in the institution because they really get influenced to become goons once they develop a liking for mullahs. Or is it something to do with attitude. And goons control everything in UON. But they have a liking for elections. You have to part with some cash to be able to campaign if a candidate. Plus they can even stab you in worse scenarios. They also control other activities that you can never know if you never have a penchant for campus affairs. On the contrary, Strath has no goons. It does not make life any interesting. You sometimes need societal misfits who make life worthy a tale.

One thing I hate about Strath is that it has no student celebs. Those students who are influential and call the shots or are known by almost everyone. The ones who are known to be overly drunk, those who are thought to be licentious, those who peddle illicits and the list is endless. This is a bland institution if you are after adventure. Most guys are chummed and class difference really plays out. You never hear of the guy who has dated almost all the beauties in the institution. Neither do you hear of a guy who did something funny like whore being beaten up by comrades while it is the student who solicited for services he refused to pay for her dues. At the end of the day its the society scoffs at ladies of the night. Right.  Guys drive in Strath but don’t know that that is an aphrodisiac for the average lass. They got deep pockets but they don’t show off like they should. Me wishes these buggers were in UON. Where life is a real hustleGuys who did drive in UON had a bevy of ladies to choose from. But am past that age of catching up for now to reliable get the true picture. I only do so when I meet friends. Past that, I am a societal recluse. As such, I do not have a lot of insider information given that I only go to Strath thrice a week.

One thing I love about the student centre in Strath is that it inculcates responsibility in an individual in as much as it is affordable and quite posh by its standards. You are required to queue for your food which is usually a buffet served by very neat servers even though some may sound harsh at times. You pay after collecting your food as opposed to UON where you had to pay before making an order which you may never get. Plus the variety of meals is adequate while in Strath, you have the choice of fruits if you want a dessert or a cup of coffee which is prepared by a barista if you want luxury (am usually broke that's why I find that a luxury), there is cake, veges, snacks and other meals I am not sure of the names. There is still no Java as in USIU though. Once you finish eating, you are required to return the plates, cutlery and cups to the kitchen. I just love the ambience of Strath’s student center. It's quite cosy though noisy in comparison to that of UON.

I had never noticed that there were fashion cops in Strath until one of my pals told me that those ladies manning some of the entrances were cops to look out for ladies flouting fashion rules. The are no metal detectors also for the sentries in contrary to UON. Just like UON, you have to issue your ID if a student or national ID if an outsider. It’s a measure to reduce on those who take advantage of freebies or criminals. Those who like freebies are also the chaps who contribute to diminishing standards at the end of the day.

Am running short of words, therefore I have to make a conclusion. If I was offered a chance to study in either institutions, I would have gone for my undergraduate studies in Strath. It makes sense. However, the only downside is that it has no numbers and a delectable experience given that most guys act kind of upright. Where people are numerous, you get to see very many awkward characters and even make so many friends if you are not a social wreck. On the contrary, I would prefer doing my postgraduate studies in UON if I will gather the nerves to do it. It is more demanding and makes you more independent. UON is in another level when it comes to studies. That could be the reason why so many lecturers from Strathmore were once students in UON. 

But as an individual you always have a choice. Your success is never tied to an institution. It’s you to make hay while the sun shines. The world is not concerned by your onslaught. If victory comes your way, you will smile widely at the end of the day. Alone.

PS: My boys and I love shenging. And that's probably the reason why those English twanging lasses at Strath usually give us some reason to think they are 'it ladies' who we cannot match. But at the end of the day, who knows the language they speak in their households? Food for thought.

Hasta La Vista, Baby.

[Photo Source: My own]

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STRATH VS UON

What’s in a school? The dichotomy is not in the number of prosperous individuals who have gained societal mileage in terms of recognition. It is the way it makes you feel as an individual. It’s never about the buildings and facilities that you will live after your succinct sojourn. It’s not about what the society views the scholars who peruse and pursue academia to the greater heights so much so that they leave an indelible mark. It’s not about those dons and staff who contribute to its wholesomeness.

The end product is you. As an individual, you reflect so much about the institution you have gone through. Whether it instills discipline, confidence, life skills and all the relevance needed to survive in this world that is a monster waiting to take you down. Or a pugilist with clenched fists ready to throw jabs and at the same time swiftly miss the nerve wrecking punches that you throw with rage.

As a scholar who has gone through two of the best varsities in Kenya; Strathmore, a private Uni, and The University of Nairobi, a public Uni. Allow me to boast a little. That’s the extent to which I can take pride.

At the end of the day, no one cares whether you went to Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, or the many Ivy League universities if you turn out to be an academic dwarf. Guys will be like, ‘That guy is from Harvard. Look at the way he is now languishing. I don’t even see the reason why he went to that good school.’

What many who reason in this context fail to realize with their parochial views is that some of those guys only failed to go to greater extent because of one or two variables that if addressed early on, could have contributed to them being respectable people in society.

Like I know a guy who has become a deplorable village sot having been to an international school here in Kenya and failed to finish Uni because of drugs. However, when you take time to talk and reason out with him, you realize that he is sane but has been only discouraged by the debilitating effects of a draconian world. As such, abuse to drugs is the only relief he gets when he is undergoing those perpetual lows has in life.

That was a by the way.

Strathmore is just like any other university sans the formal protocol it has adopted that makes people think that it is stringent and less accommodative. To some extent, I cannot deny that sometimes I usually feel like am in a cocoon only that I cannot come out guns blazing (sic) because there is nothing I would gain at the end of the day other than causing an insipid scene of less value. That’s the reason why I somehow love The University of Nairobi.

When you go to The Prestigious University of Nairobi, you are first told that you are in the best Uni, which might not be the case. But as a fresh scholar who has no experience, you believe that it is the gospel truth. Then your life starts evolving once you start classes. One of the best things about UON is that it allows for radicalism. Which is rare or non-existent in Strathmore. The only form of radicalism that is present in Strathmore is intellectual extremism. When it comes to behaviour, you will be expelled before you even know it. That’s the reason why there is nothing like Political Science, whose dons approve of the same at Strathmore.

When it comes to admission, before you get that letter, you have to go for a requisite debrief in Strathmore which I have never heard of anyone who failed to meet the mark. Maybe, there are those have failed to meet the mark. However, they never write about their rejection. The debrief is usually scheduled after taking an in-house exam and providing  necessary certificates that you have qualified to be admitted to the school you are going to. It's not a lengthy process though.

On the other hand, to gain admission in UON, you only need to have your certificates ratified and there is an induction process or orientation which is present in almost all universities. There are nothing like interviews, doing entrance exams, upon getting that entry letter, you look for your classes and you are good to go.

There is also the misconceived notion that Strathmore is for ‘mababi’ while the hoi polloi who have to burn the midnight oil are the people who will gain entry into UON. To some extent the argument is true, but realistically, the same individuals who go to UON still go to Strathmore. Why? There is a saying that goes like, ‘If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.’ But rationally and realistically, there are many students from humble families in UON as compared to Strath.

Just go to any hostel inhabited by guys in UON, you will find out that they never take hygiene seriously. The haphazard use of the facilities like sinks and WCs and improper disposal of waste is enough to tell you where someone is from. The smell of omena in the hostels and vandalism of most facilities is enough to tell you that such an individual has rural or modest upbringing. Chances are, you will find no one drives an inherited or own car in a class of 500 students, especially for guys in module one. The fashion sense is a disaster. Just let me not go deeper because the meals being eaten at the various messes are not good either.

Strath on the other hand has no hostels of its own. However, those that are nearby are hygienically maintained to admirable standards and you pay a dime as opposed to those in UON. The much you pay in UON for a year is half the monthly rent for a Hostel near Strathmore, which is if you are module one student at UON. Fashion wise, there is little or no fashion in Strath. Broke students wear khaki pants and camera tops that God knows where they got them. The probability of a classmate spinning a car on a daily basis is as high as breathing oxygen and that’s the reason why they are ‘mababi’.

Toilets. If you think that functioning hand dryers, disabled student loos, tissue papers and liquid hand soaps complete with instructions on how to wash your hands are an unnecessary luxury in an institution, as well as perpetually hygienic WCs, then you should be in Strath. There is a big difference between the toilets in Strath and those in UON. In fact, I relearnt how to wash my hands satisfactorily from the instructions engraved on the walls from Strathmore. The doors are not vandalized so there is no probability of someone crashing in to find you in the act. I say, they are cleaner than the place where I used to work in Parklands even though it has more traffic than that building.

There is also the issue about facilities. Whereas UON had many facilities, the reality is that many were not maintained on a continuous basis. There was a time the auditorium seats in 844 building were infested with bedbugs as a result of negligence for a considerable period though they were repaired in the long run. There are some facilities that broke down, like doors to some lecture halls and by the time I was finalizing my stay, there was no single projector that was functioning. Lecturers had to come with school projectors or their own projectors to classes even though there were those installed in some lecture rooms but due to negligence soon broke down. Strathmore is however old school. Lecturers have to use chalks as opposed to pens because they have green-boards as opposed to white-boards. The projectors are in good condition and are in all the classes I have been in.

The façade of UON which is a remarkable whole mark in architecture due to the design that is sole to the institution is quite commendable. You must agree the buildings stand out. The picturesque view is quite aesthetic and there is something that makes one feel proud when you walk on the pavements in UON as fresher. It has a clear demarcation of where students should be walking and there was proper planning when it comes to where schools are located. The lawns are well maintained and it has vast space in as much as most of the roads and parking lots are tarmacked. 

On the contrary, Strathmore is vague in terms of the architectiure. It only acquired a façade recently which is still in the growth face. Initially, the façade was bland with a high school like ambiance. And generally, unless you are a student, you don’t get to see this delectable aura. Though it is a seasoned institution, it has not grown in heaps and bounds in terms of architecture and infrastructure. There are few structures that are monstrously massive. It does not ooze a lot of oomph in this case. But even though it lags behind in scenary, it compensates for the drawback by ensuring it does not falter in ensuring the standards are high while inside. There are no dust, cobwebs, and graffiti on the walls and corners. Like UON, it is a worthy experience that is welcoming while inside, not just a macabre pile of bricks.

I must say I love the ambiance of studying in the lecture halls of Strathmore. They are well aerated, full of life, well lit, soundproof and generally provide both formal and informal relaxing spaces for studying. On the contrary, not all places in UON offer a good study environment. There are certain times when it rained and the basement in Education Building would be flooded and that was among the few places you could hide to study if not the library. Allow me to say up to this point, I have not gone to the Library at Strathmore. Yet I call myself a scholar. But the library is smaller in comparison to the mighty JKML just by the visage. I should go inside one day.

[Part Two]

Hasta la Vista Baby.

[Photo Source: My Own]

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STRATHMORE CFA

I remember reading 'My CFA journey.' A muse by a certain blogger on the probable factually  journey of a bugger who was anticipating to have a charter under his belt which is patriotically a heroic feat now that the number of chartered individuals is still minimal in Kenya. Maybe, he succeeded. I am not going to go into the nitty gritty. I am in one such class and the Department of Immigration has still denied me the right to register for the exams because the process of acquiring a passport in Kenya is quite bureaucratic and somehow snail paced. A single omission of an alphabetical letter on my birth certificate has changed everything about the whole process. I am not sure whether I will get it in time before the second registration of the exam. I am still passportless one and a half months down the line after application as the status on my application is still reading processing. As a patient person, I keep hope alive.

That aside this is my CFA journey up until now.

The first day I entered the class, I was all sweaty and looked like a wretched out of place homeless guy with a pale and contrived visage and compounded by the fact that I am this dark guy, you can imagine how haggard and dreary I looked.

Then, I was still working in Mombasa Road. A place that should roughly take you like twenty minutes and you are in ‘Strath’ as it is colloquially known. Nairobi jam can dampen the spirit especially when it decides to show its languor when you really need to be in a given place. I never went to class the first week because of matters out of my ken. But the second week, I sure was going to go to class. To find out about the chaps I was to be in class with and just to get acquainted with the higher learning institution.

I remember going to one Patrick’s office to be given direction on the CFA class. I never found him but opted to still inquire in an office nearby, I have forgotten about because I rarely frequent the administration building. The guy noted that I was from walking judging by how I was sweating profusely on a slightly chilly evening in Madaraka. Management Science Building (MSB 11) was supposed to be my class. The class was warm, well lit and nicely furnished in comparison to 'the prestigious University of Nairobi' . My immediate former Alma Mater. Not with the mundane desks found in most institutions. Though the classroom walls were bare, the windows were large and a cross of the Lamb of God, a well mounted projector and a clock were distinguishable. But the way the slider which illuminates projected notes rolled downwards after being switched on was quite startling for a guy who had no such interaction even though I have celebrated silver jubilee. The unlimited amount of energy the students contained was heartening. Guys were in nice fitting suits. Ladies in glossy colours that radiated with charm and allure. I felt like I was in a new setting, was this a class or a conference!

The lecturer that day was one Richard Muriithi, CFA. That suffix signifies a lot in the financial milieu. He is of average height, chocolate complexioned with an amiable smile and eyes gleaming with energy. His physique is compact unlike most lecturers who have a hate relationship with the gym. He was in a body-hugging and fitted shirt and a slim tie that amplified the sturdiness of his physique. His rippling biceps and triceps highlighted their powerful posture. One could be tempted to confuse he was brawny more than brainy. But judging by the fact that he is a former Bush boy and a comrade at actuary classes in UON, his acumen is unquestionable. Guess the ladies liked his well-built appearance and soft voice, the voice of consideration and attention (they came in numbers to the class). Again he is no vicious tutor who glares at the class with red flames dancing in his eyes as he expects an answer to a question even the world’s most intelligent mastermind couldn’t provide an answer to (Just kidding). Comrades however said he was not that experienced with the command of his lectures as compared to seasoned lecturers in other course units. And having read about his bio on Linked In, I can attest to the fact that it surely requires time to nurture the skill of imparting knowledge to easily distracted students in an intuitive way that is humorous and keeps the tempo of the rhythm cozy. He once did greet me because I am a back bench dude and never contribute anything in class having been out of place during his class since I'm a homebody in earthy tones.

I recall, I took my school ID during the first week on Wednesday morning just before heading to work. I had initially earmarked the previous Friday before reporting as the day I was to take my school ID before the official start of the semester. Unfortunately, that is the weekend Obama arrived in Kenya and the roads having been closed, most of the staff had taken a break. On Saturday, the staff was nowhere near the institution apart from the tall concierge or is he a sentry I had initially explained to my predicament on Friday about the ID but he told me the same story of the staff being on forced holiday. I have never had time to enquire about this guy, mainly because I am usually busy at work and by the time I arrive in the institution, it’s usually very late and I like my space, just being alone and observing.

Strathmore is an ID based institution, like UON of late due to the Alshabab threat that has aided in the employment of more men and women as guards with metal detectors they have no knowledge of the working. Unlike UON, there are no metal detectors in Strathmore. You use your ID to gain entry almost everywhere. There are very few buildings which do not require an ID to gain entry like the SBS (Strathmore Business School, sic). It has this café that has average status but still better than Student Centre at UON. The only problem is that you need to return your plate and cup after eating. That is something my comrade from UON, Julius taught me.

Already, I am torn between writing this post and concentrating on my studies that require a lot of time. This studies are getting into my nerves. Yes, they are. I have to tender it like newlyweds do their marriage. Writing is like the boys in my life, they keep on coming between my marriage to reading for CFA exams. I have decided to cut the crap and write. Already, I have wasted many man hours that I should have spent reading. That way, I would have eased my backlog on studying for the exams because there are ten units that I should be reading for. The only problem now is to be consistent with my reading. They say in order to make it to being a CFA, a minimum of 300 hours should be dedicated to study. I have done a paltry 30 hours as at present. 

There is this dude who probably acts like the student assistant. Maybe his name is Jeremy, I factually don't remember his name. He a is tall and chocolate complexioned dobber like over 6". Having observed the oddities in his mien, there is no denial that he oozes a sphere of reclusivity. Sometimes you see him in apparels so lousy you wonder whether he truly takes time to choose while at his fashion dispencer. Having seen him reading Walter Isaacson's 'Steve Jobs' biography for close to a month, there is a hypothetical conjecture   i formulated that he is either an FIT (Faculty Of Information Technology) student or a just another lazy

reader struggling to finish a book yours truly tried reading as an Ebook and the disastrous results are not penable. However his drab nature has probably put me off because he appears like that guy who wants to be sophisticated but that feat ideally backfired because he looks more wretched than serious. But maybe it's just me. You look at him and even though you may be mistaken to conclude he comes from those middle income suburbs where guys have an aloof trait that they will not shed because they think society bestows upon them such exclusive rights. 

Enough of dudes, someone may be tempted to brand me a fag. Strathmore has not given me the slightest iota as to it being what it is highly regarded for. But in many other spheres, it qualifies as an institution that adds status and gives    

one the signature oomph as opposed to the currently out of touch UON that has given undue preference to being an institution of advertising at the expense of affording quality education.

Hasta La Vista, Baby. 

[Photo Source: CFA Institute]

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