Best topic to kick-off the studies
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killamanjaro
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- Jun 18, 2026
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I don't follow the study sessions. I start with the material I know best which is FSA, then corporate, then derivatives, then whatever comes I feel like reading next.
AcraftyOne
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- Jun 18, 2026
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If you have done any undergrad economics this is a good topic to start with to get you confidence up!
But I would also pay alot of attention to Ethics and not leave this to late. You can't fail this section, so it is important to know this inside out.
I am doing financial statments last as this is worth the most marks on the exam, so want to be really into my study when I do this.
Good Luck
But I would also pay alot of attention to Ethics and not leave this to late. You can't fail this section, so it is important to know this inside out.
I am doing financial statments last as this is worth the most marks on the exam, so want to be really into my study when I do this.
Good Luck
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- #4
Thanks for your feedback guys. I don't have finance/eco background but I just wanted to start with something nice and easy to go inside my head and also may be the foundation for the other topics. I thought Eco will be like that because one need to know all about interest rates and inflation.
I want to leave Ethics, Quant and FSA for the middle as they are the main areas and I want to start them when I have build up the pace.
It's just that I want to start with some topic which is involving, easy to go as compare to other topics and can build up the pace.
I want to leave Ethics, Quant and FSA for the middle as they are the main areas and I want to start them when I have build up the pace.
It's just that I want to start with some topic which is involving, easy to go as compare to other topics and can build up the pace.
I think each section has its easy parts and difficult parts. Yes for me Quant is very easy, but at the same time I dont want to make a stupid mistake a use the wrong test statistic or screw up one little formula. Therefore it is also difficult. Econ on the otherhand is just plain BORING, but I'm more of a Quant guy.
For non finance backgrounds, I suggest to start with Quant. SS2 is quite easy and gives you the basics of the time value of money and other topics. I suggest you leave FSA to the end but only if you make sure you have enough time to cover it and kill it.
killamanjaro, i did the same as you. FSA & Corp Finance first, as I am familiar with them. But now i realized they are the 2 most important topics and Im leaving the smaller ones to the end. Anyhow, review will make up for that.
killamanjaro, i did the same as you. FSA & Corp Finance first, as I am familiar with them. But now i realized they are the 2 most important topics and Im leaving the smaller ones to the end. Anyhow, review will make up for that.
acumenjay1
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- Jun 18, 2026
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It's a personal decision but I started:
Quant
FSA
Corp Finance
Econ
I did a once through all of those and then back again to solidify:
Quant
Now I'm on FSA again.
What I've been doing with ethics is A) During the slow times of day I'll have the pdf doc up on one of my screens and read a little here and there B) Listen the Schweser audio to and from work (about 50 min to an 1hr each way). This should give me a good overview and I'll have finished the ethics at least once completely, then spend a weekend on it again in November just to crush it.
Once I round this out and finish with econ again I'll focus on the fixed income. As a ratio of LOS's to % of exam points there is a lot more to cover as compared to some of the other topics. This is just my personal approach and I haven't passed anything yet so a grain of salt should be taken with this.
Quant
FSA
Corp Finance
Econ
I did a once through all of those and then back again to solidify:
Quant
Now I'm on FSA again.
What I've been doing with ethics is A) During the slow times of day I'll have the pdf doc up on one of my screens and read a little here and there B) Listen the Schweser audio to and from work (about 50 min to an 1hr each way). This should give me a good overview and I'll have finished the ethics at least once completely, then spend a weekend on it again in November just to crush it.
Once I round this out and finish with econ again I'll focus on the fixed income. As a ratio of LOS's to % of exam points there is a lot more to cover as compared to some of the other topics. This is just my personal approach and I haven't passed anything yet so a grain of salt should be taken with this.
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- #8
Hey "acumenjay1" how did u got those pdf's? email me : [email protected]
killamanjaro
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- Jun 18, 2026
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Yeah, I wish I had PDFs!!
I started with FSA and Corporate Finance because I feel that I know those best and I've been tested on them again and again. So I just covered them that one time and I won't read them again other than to skim over in november. Besides, I'm taking more finance classes now. Reading the same stuff again and again would drive me insane.
I started with FSA and Corporate Finance because I feel that I know those best and I've been tested on them again and again. So I just covered them that one time and I won't read them again other than to skim over in november. Besides, I'm taking more finance classes now. Reading the same stuff again and again would drive me insane.
Ethics' PDF is available for free download on CFAI website...
And I guess acumenjay1 has suggested best strategy to get through with Ethics section...just read it in bits and pieces over the "slow times of day" (which in itself might be tough for some as reading Ethics in a "slow time" can just hault the time for you and dump your chins in your chests
)
And I guess acumenjay1 has suggested best strategy to get through with Ethics section...just read it in bits and pieces over the "slow times of day" (which in itself might be tough for some as reading Ethics in a "slow time" can just hault the time for you and dump your chins in your chests
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- #11
I am not able to find it.
What's the URL, please send me : [email protected]
What's the URL, please send me : [email protected]
people on this board talk about buying the ethics book. is the cfai curriculum ethics book the same as the one people buy if they're using schweser/stalla. i have the cfai curriculum and wondering if i need to purchase the ethics book or if its all included in the curric. anyone know?
acumenjay1
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- Jun 18, 2026
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http://www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprog/courseofstudy/curriculum.html
Just click the link in the sentence:
"The entire first study session of the 2006 Level I CFA Program Curriculum, "Ethics and Professional Standards," is available free online. We hope that this sample illustrates the quality and convenience of the new CFA Program curriculum. "
My company would buy the book too, but I don't feel guilty reading over a pdf on one of my screens while waiting for something else to calculate or whatever. Totally cracking a book open while sitting at my desk wouldn't make the best impression. Just some food for thought.
Just click the link in the sentence:
"The entire first study session of the 2006 Level I CFA Program Curriculum, "Ethics and Professional Standards," is available free online. We hope that this sample illustrates the quality and convenience of the new CFA Program curriculum. "
My company would buy the book too, but I don't feel guilty reading over a pdf on one of my screens while waiting for something else to calculate or whatever. Totally cracking a book open while sitting at my desk wouldn't make the best impression. Just some food for thought.