Finance jobs are more competitive than ever, so some college students are sitting for the industry's most grueling exam before they even graduate

• More undergraduates are signing up for the CFA exams, a series of three difficult tests.
• Students are doing it to change career paths and boost their résumés.
• CFA registration numbers have dropped significantly since 2020.

Candidates taking the financial world's toughest exam are getting younger.

More college students are signing up for the tests to get a leg up in competing for internships and jobs, according to the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, which administers the tests.