Anyone do the CFA sample exams?

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D85

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I did one this morning. They are the ones that cost $40 each. For some reason it was rediculously difficult which makes me nervous. I managed to get a 75% on the Mock exam and have been scoring between 72-82% on the Schweser exams. Anyone else have similar results? I would like to try the second one but wont until tomorrow.
Also, be on the lookout for incorrect correct answers. I found one
 
Mate, I am in the same boat as you. Scoring comfortably 75s -85s in my Schweser Mocks and CFAI Mock and I thought I would give the Samples a crack. They were so hard. I got 71% & 66%… I think I got something like 41% and 50% in the Accounting section. I’m glad that you also found it difficult. It’s rubbish that we can’t look at them again.
 
Do you guys mean the testrac ones? I haven’t taken them yet (probably will do one tomorrow). But aren’t they only 60 questions each?
 
Ya the testrac ones. Serious confidence breaker.
 
well…I’ll let you know how I did after I take it tomorrow. thanks for further ruining my night lol
 
I took one of the sample exams about 3 weeks ago. I think I scored 58%, while I was scoring in the low-to-mid 70%’s on the Schweser exams. It sounds like I am pretty much in the same boat as you…you are actually doing better.
I scored a straight 70 on the mock exam, so I felt a bit better after that. However, have you tried some old mock exams from 2010 or 2011? My friend had a copy of 2010 and I tried that one…that was not pretty.
Let me know.
 
The 2010 afternoon mock exam was the hardest I have come across, I did poorly on that one as well. I scored a 64% on the testrac one today. These randomly difficult exams concerns me, at times it is like a test on a whole new subject!
 
I am glad I have someone to empathize with. Do candidates still have access to the 2011 mock exams?
 
I did the TesTrac tests about a month ago and did not do well (low 60s). They had me worried at the time but they did help me to tighten a few things up and I did significantly better on the full-length mocks.
 
The sample exams are a kick up the arse for sure. It’s like the CFAI want u to know what they are capable of!
Imagine doing them after a single read through of the text like they advise. 4 months of reading 3000ish pages and in 60 questions/2hours they make you rethink your life choices
 
My performance mirrored Saffa’s - 70% and 66% respectively - whereas I have been scoring between 78% and 89% on the Schweser and mock exams. It seemed these exams had a higher percentage of obscure material, a lower percentage of gimme questions, and the phrasing was trickier. I just took the 2nd one yesterday and missed the first 4 or 5 ethics questions off the bat … very frustrating.
My intuition says these questions are not representative of what will be on the exam but I’m glad I got my confidence shot so it keeps the pressure on going into the final week.
As D85 stated, I also did notice an incorrect answer on Sample I - I believe it was the 2nd ethics question. The test scored it wrong but the explanation indicated the right answer.
Thanks all for the feedback and good luck to all.
 
Agree with the 2nd ethics question, the test scored it wrong but explaination was correct. Sent them an email with the error, but they don’t seem to care and sent back a very terse reply, so make sure you adjust accordingly. Samples seem to be a mix of very easy questions to extremely difficult. Although, I’m treating the $ sample exams as open book and taking my time to go over them. Econ was the most difficult section (sad since I have two degrees in the subject), but well worth the time.
I’m in a similar boat to everyone else. Averaging around 72 on the Schweser and mock exams (8 exams in total, high 79 low 65), with FRA and FI being the culprits; finishing exams in 2.5 hours, so it is time to spend more time on those sections. Remeber the CFAI Mock Exams are 180 questions each, about 60q longer than the actual exam; explain why I felt so crushed for time to finish in 3 hours!
Fairly consistent across the exams, but it is time to spend the next few days doing Q-Bank and reviewing the errors from the tests.
Good luck to everyone!
 
Where are the testrac exams and are they free? I must be missing something. Thanks
 
1) There are two sample examples
2) First try they’re $40 a piece
3) After your first run through, you can take them multiple times at $20
4) If you’re questioning the use of the sample exams, I would read the section that’s in every CFAI text “How to Use the CFA Program Curriculum”.
Warren
 
1) There are two sample examples
2) First try they’re $40 a piece
3) After your first run through, you can take them multiple times at $20
4) If you’re questioning the use of the sample exams, I would read the section that’s in every CFAI text “How to Use the CFA Program Curriculum”.
Warren
 
I got slaughtered too. It was such shit, so f-ing confusing. Upside down, no time to do anything! and they gave you the correction on the spot DURING a TIME LIMITED exam…. say what?
Waste of 40$. Also a ball buster. I get 70%+ on the practice quesiton from CFAI but got butchered on the testrac.
 
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