Hi Sumit,

Thanks for liking the site! I must deserve this question, as i get it often. First: I realize the member page is dense with assets; I’ve hired expert help for better “usability,” I look forward to interface improvements. I currently think it appears as a buffet of resources, perhaps sort of like a salad bar where you can enter at any point.

My *intention* for the BT FRM program is anchored by the three key resources (1. screencast movies, 2. then study notes, 3. then practice questions. Really, the rest is supplemental help.). I meant for the plan to be:

1a. First the candidate begin by reading core (source) readings - not mine, the assigned authors (Hull, Allen, Tuckman, Jorion, etc). Or, if the candidate is starting late, and/or is time-starved, then at least selected core assigned readings. For next year (2009), I am considering further investment in the BT study notes, such that they can be standalone and I can promote with the message “you don’t need the core readings, the notes will be enough” but, sincerely, I am/have been reluctant to pursue that path for a very simple reason: GARP spends more time than you’d expect selecting best-in-class authors for each topic. The point is not only to pass the exam, but to savor (even if self-imposed) the relevance of experts in their respective fields. For example, you can read lots of press about the subprime securitization mess, but darn if GARP didn’t select a case study by Ashcroft that is unmatched in its probe (last year, we had an Amaranth case by the world’s leading academic on the issue). Skipping the source in favor of only “cliff notes,” IMO, is a shame. I feel this way about John Hull, too; nobody can paraphrase him better than he can. But still, almost daily now, i am getting the question “do i really need to read the core materials?” or “can i skip the core, please?” probably because (i) people are busy and/or (ii) reading seems to be going out of fashion. Sorry, too long on this…

1b. Watch the screencast tutorials. Of course these are ordered. For some, I believe downloading the PPT slides will be also be helpful.
2. Review the study notes
3. Finally, in the weeks ahead of the exam, take the flash practice questions (and the full length sample exams, which i do not write, of course)

That is/was my plan for the study approach: the four steps/phases above but with some overlap. The principle here is:

* Repeat exposure, and
* The final phase must be practice questions. Candidates make a mistake if they only passively read/listen etc and forgo questions. You must allocate time for practice-questions. (because in my opinion the fundamental keys to exam success are: allocate regular time, get repeat exposure, do practice questions)

The other materials mean to give a boost. If you are overwhelmed, please know the following are supplemental and, strictly, can be ignored: blog, forum, editgrids.

But also, you must realize, people have different styles. I recently added experienced customers who are only interested in the spreadsheets (somebody with broad experience can, in fact, achieve most of the needed preparation by studying the spreadsheets plus a small bit of reading). So:

1. The EditGrid is meant to be *supplementary* “pull off the shelf” to clarify a doubt. You’ll note I highlighted in YELLOW the more relevant EditGrid spreadsheets for an exam-passing strategy
2. The blog does not have an organizing principle. I hope it a 5-min quick hit for you on a random topic that relates to an AIM. No organizing principle. Truly, it is almost-daily discipline (selfishly) for me to stay sharp in the curriculum, market the BT, and if it helps, awesome
3. The forum is the newest thing, so I don’t have a strong view. It has been a nice accident. I am going to ask my hired usability expert to see how it my be treated for improvement. It does occur to me that some really great, insightful questions are asked and there isn’t a holistic/organized means to gathering the best stuff, so we will see, but i think all forums have this issue a bit…I am thinking about tagging certain threads so key exam items can be easily referenced

Hopefully you can see that the buffet-style is mostly deliberate. I readily acknowledge that a small percentage of my customers do not like buffet-style. They prefer a step-by-step set of structured instructions. I am currently of the view that this this approach is inferior to buffet-style for time-pressured busy professionals.

To be candid, my market is competitive (aren’t they all!) and I am not really aiming for all segments. There is, lacking a better phrase, a passive segment. Within this, a group who buy and never consume materials (sort of like health clubs can signup folks near New Years but they won’t much consume the facilities). This segment includes some folks who want to be told exactly what to do, as they underestimate the effort required, and I am not really aiming for them; e.g., a provider can sell to people giving the impression that the exam can be aced easily. But (1) I am aiming for the more realistic folks, who definitely have higher pass rates and who realize i can only be a resource not a substitute for their own hard-earned time spent and (2) I’d like to build BT into a long-run community. (it is a very different goal than seeking to maximize current product sales). My long-term goal is build community, get sponsors, and cannibalize the FRM digital asset products to free or nearly free (it is another story, but my view is that much of digital stuff must be free to the customer. For some content, esp text, this will but a necessity more than choice). For what it’s worth, maybe that explains why i resist the standardized approach in favor of a buffet where i merely a concierge.

I am grateful to have visitors/customers so any feedback is sincerely incorporated, if you have a suggestion, please do give!

Thanks, David