Standard VII: Responsibilities as a Member or Candidate
About this episode
Standard VII of the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct is the one aimed at you as a candidate rather than at a client. In a two host format, one host explains the material while the other plays a fictional exam candidate, and together they reason out loud through the two pieces the exam tests: your conduct as a participant in the program, including following the exam rules and keeping exam content confidential down to the topics tested (VII-A), and referencing CFA Institute, the designation, and the program accurately, with no partial designation and no implied superior performance (VII-B). Using fully fictional scenarios, they work the traps the exam is built around, from the friendly post exam text to the shortened title in an email signature to a flip case where honest criticism of a policy turns out not to be a violation, so you learn to reason through a vignette instead of guessing at it.
In this episode
Standard VII, Responsibilities as a Member or Candidate, is the Standard aimed at you as a candidate rather than at a client, and this episode works through its two sub-standards with fully fictional scenarios.
Standard VII(A), Conduct as Participants in CFA Institute Programs, covers following the exam rules and keeping exam content confidential, down to the topics tested. The hosts reason through the friendly post exam text: what you can say about your own experience, and what crosses into disclosing confidential exam content.
These are points about how the CFA Institute Standards analyze the scenarios for exam purposes, not legal or compliance advice. Actual program rules depend on the specific facts and current CFA Institute policies.
Standard VII(B), Reference to CFA Institute, the CFA Designation, and the CFA Program, covers referencing the designation and the program accurately: no partial designation, no implied superior performance, and no shortened title in an email signature. The episode also works a flip case, where honest criticism of a policy turns out not to be a violation.
The episode points listeners to the free 90 question practice exam at tottenprep.com.
What this episode covers
- Standard VII(A) Conduct as Participants in CFA Institute Programs: exam rules and exam content confidentiality.
- Standard VII(B) Reference to CFA Institute, the CFA Designation, and the CFA Program: accurate references, no partial designation, no implied superior performance.
- The friendly post exam text trap and the shortened title in an email signature.
- The flip case: honest criticism of a policy that is not a violation.
Frequently asked questions
What does CFA® Standard VII cover?
Standard VII of the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct covers Responsibilities as a CFA Institute Member or CFA Candidate: VII(A) Conduct as Participants in CFA Institute Programs, and VII(B) Reference to CFA Institute, the CFA Designation, and the CFA Program.
Can I talk about the CFA® exam after I take it?
You can talk about your own experience in general terms, but you cannot disclose confidential exam content, down to the specific topics tested. The episode works through the friendly post exam text trap with fictional scenarios. This is exam-prep framing, not legal or compliance advice.