Ourso College Sees Surge in CFA Level I Pass Rate

BATON ROUGE - At the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business, a growing number of finance students and recent graduates are reaching an important milestone in their professional journeys: passing the CFA Level I exam—one of the most rigorous and respected benchmarks in the finance industry.

The latest group to pass the exam includes Thomas Husson (visiting student, EM Strasbourg), Christian Hyde (BS Finance '26), Karly Robledo (BS Finance '25), Amelia Sanford (BS Finance '26), Wilson Varnado (BS Finance '26) and Lucas Vu (BS Finance '26).

This achievement highlights the students' dedication and the strength of LSU's finance curriculum, demonstrated by its status as a CFA® University Affiliation Program. Both undergraduate and master's programs at the E. J. Ourso College have earned this recognition, indicating their alignment with the CFA Institute's Candidate Body of Knowledge.

"The CFA Charter is widely considered the gold standard in finance," said Professor Gary Sanger, who directs the college's CFA program. "Our affiliation reinforces the credibility of our programs and ensures students are learning material that is relevant to the profession."

Recently, LSU students achieved their strongest CFA Level I performance to date. Faculty attribute this success to student quality and enhanced academic support, most notably the reintroduction of a dedicated CFA Level I prep course, FIN 4910, led by Instructor Darren Fournerat, CFA.

"The prep course provides structured, guided study that complements what students are already learning in the classroom," said Sanger.

The course mirrors the exam's rigor and prepares students for the demands of the finance profession. It also helps students integrate exam preparation into their academic schedules and provides approximately 135 hours of structured study time. Still, successful candidates often invest well beyond that, forming study groups and committing hundreds of additional hours on their own.

That level of commitment is necessary. Globally, the 10-year average pass rate for the CFA Level I exam is just 43%, underscoring the significance of LSU students' recent 86% pass rate. 

"There is no better time to start your CFA journey than as a student, while you're already in study mode. The prep class helped me build structure for my study plan and better understand challenging concepts. Passing Level I and continuing in the program will help me develop the technical knowledge and credibility needed to succeed in an asset management career."

Karly Robledo '25, incoming investment analyst for Vanguard (IMDP) 

For students considering the CFA path, LSU offers flexible timing. With recent changes allowing juniors to sit for the Level I exam, ambitious students can begin early and potentially complete Level II before graduation. Others may choose to begin as seniors, balancing preparation with their final year of coursework.

Regardless of timing, the payoff can be substantial. As the first step to achieve Charterholder status, passing Level I helps graduates stand out in the job market and opens doors across a range of finance careers. 

Thanks to contributions to the Department of Finance Opportunity Scholarship, students can receive financial assistance to help defray the cost of the exam. 

"We appreciate the generous donors who ease some of the financial burden associated with taking the exam," said Yingmei Cheng, Lloyd F. Collette Endowed Chair of Financial Services and chair of the LSU Department of Finance.

Beyond career outcomes, the program instills discipline and resilience.

"Passing the CFA Level 1 requires sacrifice and effort," said Russell Crook, dean of the Ourso College. "But those who commit to the process gain not only a credential, but the kind of preparation that leads to long-term success."

As LSU continues to build on this momentum, faculty hope that rising pass rates and student achievements will attract even more students to the CFA track—further strengthening the college's reputation as a leader in finance education.

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About the Department of Finance

The Department of Finance offers high-quality curricula to undergraduate and graduate students interested in corporate finance, asset management, real estate, insurance, banking, financial planning and business law. The department boasts internationally renowned research faculty in several areas, including derivatives, asset management, banking and spatial econometrics. The department's Securities Markets Analysis, Research, & Trading Lab utilizes the Bloomberg Professional service, the platform used by more than 300,000 leading business and financial professionals worldwide to make informed business decisions and a library of financial databases. Additionally, the department encourages, supports and conducts research in real estate by housing the nationally renowned Real Estate Research Institute. For more information, visit lsu.edu/business/finance or call 225-578-6291.