YSR: How I won a scholarship from the CFA Institute

YOUNG, SMART & RESTLESS

“My articles are basically targeted towards young people who have access to so much information especially as a result of information overload from the internet and this in turn makes them restless as a result of the many options available. My articles would mainly be on providing clarity based primarily on my personal experiences and a mix of other content.”

With

David Apaflo, ACA

David, a chartered accountant, blogger, and social entrepreneur, is the CEO of Shelze Consulting. He also shares his thoughts on his personal blog

Sometime early 2012, I came across a notice from the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute on its Access Scholarship Program (“Program”) which is designed to make CFA Institute programs more available to individuals who may not be able to afford the full program fees (“Access Scholarships”).

After reading up on the eligibility criteria, official rules, application procedures and evaluation process, I decided to take my chance and apply for the scholarship.

The application form required that I fill in my personal information, a personal statement, references and my personal financial statement.

I submitted the application and about three months later, I received an email notifying me of my success!

Please see below my personal statement and personal financial statement used for the entry submission.

Please note that this is to serve only as a guide and not to be copied for your own application.

Personal Statement

One of my career objectives is to become a leading Investment/ Financial Adviser with great intellectual resources and skills required for the delivery of a value added, timely and personalized client service. The CFA charter is an internationally respected qualification, with its members driving development of capital markets and spear heading development projects especially in Africa where I come from. Having the CFA charter is a sign of competence and professionalism in the Investment Banking Service field. Also, the knowledge learned is a distinguishing factor among investment professionals. The CFA charter would increase my knowledge base, improve my marketability and also produce an agent for change in Africa and West Africa in particular as I intend to focus on Africa-based projects. My goal is to complete the CFA exams by the age of 26 (currently 23) and the CFA access scholarship would help me achieve my goal of becoming a CFA charter holder faster as I would otherwise spend a long period saving up for the exam fees.

Personal Financial Statement