FRM Cut Off Marks

Nipun

New Member
I know GARP does not officially release cut off marks for FRM exams, but merely provide quartiles performance for each individual. But based on the individual experiences, can people post their idea of the cut off for each parts of the exam.
 
Hello, Nipun:

I understand your concern and we have all wondered that same thing at times. However, it is impossible por anybody to guess what the passing grade will be, as you can only rely on a hunch of how well you did in the exam. What I mean is that "individual" experience is just as biased as any.

@abh2013, I know of people that have passed the test with a Q3 or even Q4 in one of the four sections, thus not being probable that GARP looks at anything else other than global performance in order to give a PASS/FAIL.

Regards
 

Nipun

New Member
My guess is 70% CUT OFF is too high a number for making pass rate at ~50%. Also, I think there are no sectional cut off, you have to score an overall score to pass.
 

Pflik

Active Member
there is no sectional cutoff... that being said... it would be extremely difficult to pass if you score very badly on a single topic.
 

NNath

Active Member
Hi, I had this question on my mind, if you attempt the exam Part 1 and you don't pass. Does it effect the percentage of another attempt. Does GARP consider average of all attempts or does it show on the certificate that we passed Part 1 in 2nd attempt.
 

David Harper CFA FRM

David Harper CFA FRM
Subscriber
HI @nikks99 No to both questions. The FRM exams are memory-less ("Markovian" we might say!): each exam is pass/not based entirely on its own score (similarly the Certification makes no references to, or distinctions based on, effort; the "FRM" outcome is identical to all, it has no flavors or sub-variations). Thanks!
 

Roshan Ramdas

Active Member
Hi David,
Just had a quick query please with respect to the actual exam.
Is GARP going to have any issues with respect to candidates who are not able to show the calculation steps on the rough worksheets that have been provided OR who work out the answers in a haphazard manner. On trying a few exams, I have noticed that performing calculations on the calculator without having to actually write down the numbers on a paper really helps,....especially while dealing with large numbers. In the race against time, my handwriting turns out looking pathetic as well.:)
Are there any rules surrounding the manner in which calculations need to be projected on the rough worksheets please ?
Thank you,
Roshan
 

Alex_1

Active Member
Hi Roshan, I am pretty sure GARP only evaluates if the answers you have ticked (or better said circled) on the answer sheet are correct or not. What you write on your paper with regard to the calculations won't matter with regard to the decision of pass/fail. Regards, Alex
 

Pflik

Active Member
The reason they want you to hand in the calculation sheets is they don't want the questions to come into public.
 

odhruvji

New Member
Can someone confirm whether there is individual cut-off for each section; GARP hasn't mentioned it explicitly anywhere(that i am aware of), however i am sick of listening that there is sectional cut-off in the exam.
 

Roshan Ramdas

Active Member
Hi Roshan, I am pretty sure GARP only evaluates if the answers you have ticked (or better said circled) on the answer sheet are correct or not. What you write on your paper with regard to the calculations won't matter with regard to the decision of pass/fail. Regards, Alex
Thank you Alex and all the very best with the exam !!
 
@odhruvji, I know of people that have passed the test being in the 4th quartile of one of the sections, so I am pretty sure that the cut-off score, however they compute it, is exclusively based on your overall performance.
 

BlackSwan

New Member
I thought I read earlier this week either somewhere on this forum or on GARP's website that the scoring was GARP took the top 5% scores and then judged your score relative to those to judge if you passed. I can't find where I read that and now I think maybe I dreamt it haha :confused:

But my question is it seems Pass/Fail is given out on how well you do relative to everyone else, does anyone know if this is ALL scores globally of all candidates or do they make is based on region?
 

Pflik

Active Member
I thought I read earlier this week either somewhere on this forum or on GARP's website that the scoring was GARP took the top 5% scores and then judged your score relative to those to judge if you passed. I can't find where I read that and now I think maybe I dreamt it haha :confused:

But my question is it seems Pass/Fail is given out on how well you do relative to everyone else, does anyone know if this is ALL scores globally of all candidates or do they make is based on region?
all scores.... however, I don't think that really matters, it's not like you are going to fly to to some unfortunate country to take the exam there is it?
 

David Harper CFA FRM

David Harper CFA FRM
Subscriber
@Pflik is correct: the outcome is based on an overall score (topic weightings inform the number of questions you'd expect; e.g., P1.T3 markets & products is 30% so you'd expect ~30 questions out of 100, but those 30 receive the same weight as all 100 P1 questions). Then an ex post ratio of the top 5% (i am forgetting for the moment if it's a 5% quantile or average of top 5%; a 5% VaR or an 5% ES, so to speak, as if that would matter to us!), so if top 5% = T%5, then a pass is achieved by meeting the ex ante unknowable (X/T%5) on an overall score.

@Roshan Ramdas Your notes--e.g., calculation steps--are irrelevant, they will only score you on your final {A,B,C,D} answers. The FRM so far has contained no subjective/qualitative/essay component with respect to answers given. Thanks,
 
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BlackSwan

New Member
all scores.... however, I don't think that really matters, it's not like you are going to fly to to some unfortunate country to take the exam there is it?
Well if it was regional your chances of passing may increase/decrease since its a smaller population of scores, but I just wanted a better idea of what passing really means and that the quantiles you are looking at is actually how you did globally
 

ashutoshg

New Member
HI @nikks99 No to both questions. The FRM exams are memory-less ("Markovian" we might say!): each exam is pass/not based entirely on its own score (similarly the Certification makes no references to, or distinctions based on, effort; the "FRM" outcome is identical to all, it has no flavors or sub-variations). Thanks!

Hi David
is there any sectional cutoff for clearing FRM exam? Both sectional cut off and overall score cutoff required to pass the exam?
 
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