CFA exam - don'ts

P

preppie

New member
Joined
Jun 18, 2026
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
Heads up - I have seen a lot of these last year right after the exam on this board
Proctors reporting candidate in violation of CFA standards
1. put your pencil down when announced to do so. (if you don’t they will void your test should the proctor reports)
2. Do not talk to the person sitting next to you until you are dismissed.
3. Do not write anything on your ticket.
G’luck all!!
 
>> 2. Do not talk to the person sitting next to you until you are dismissed.
One year, when we stopped writing and put our pencils down, the guy sitting next to me asked something like “how did you do ?”. I just froze, looked straightb ahead, and ignored him.
 
Baseball cap or any caps should be under your chair. They’ll tell you to do so .
 
chatting seemed quite relaxed in the UK…the guy sittting next to me said he did equity valuation all day..and found it easy ( L2)
 
That must really be a violation, commenting on what topic might or might not have been…
One year an ex-colleague took the exam a few rows away and started to talk or chat while we were waiting for it to start, but one mustn’t reply and the only option is to ignore even if it feels horribly impolite.
 
+1 to UK relaxed chatting rules. I’ve always gotten to know the fella next to me (on the occasions that there was one, I think there was a year where there was a no-show).
 
i once sat next to a really nervous indian kid. he looked as if he was would have a nervous breakdown any second
 
I feel like #1 is key for level 1 writers. I remember coming out of university where that rule is not enforced as strictly as CFA and so some people make the mistake and keep going as if there can’t be that much of a punishment and they’ll understand since I’m just bubbling what I wrote in the book… too bad the CFA isn’t like that. Put down your pencils. Bubble throughout the test, don’t leave it until the end thinking they will let you keep on bubbling.
 
i use my watch, and time it perfectly when proctor says “exam start”, so I know how many seconds I have left
 
before the exam, the proctors should make it clear at what point you can no longer talk. Before then , it’s ok to talk to the guy next to you and find out where they’re from etc. If you get there late and no one else is talking, don’t talk either
 
and don’t bring study materials into the exam room, If you want to study over lunch, leave the books outside.
There was a famous incident in Toronto a few years ago where people were buying bootleg Schweser notes from a copy center, and took them into the exam room for last minute revision. The inevitable happened and the proctors realized that not only had they brought study materials into the exam room, they had bootleg notes to boot
 
and obviously bring a spare calculator battery (or a spare calculator, especially if you have the one that needs a screwdriver to change the battery)
 
Someone else’s watch will go off in advance of the “times up” call. You don’t need to set your alarm if you’re in a big room.
I had a kid next to me have his phone go off (this was India). The proctor just came over and took it. Gave it back to him at the end of test. Guarantee she didn’t report it.
If you are in a country, like the US or Germany,mwherempeople are sticklers for rules, do not break any or even give the proctors something to write down.
 
guest wrote:
and obviously bring a spare calculator battery (or a spare calculator, especially if you have the one that needs a screwdriver to change the battery)
Click to expand...
better yet, just change your battery now, use it for the next few days to make sure nothing wrongs, and dont even bother worrying about it.
Done.
 
guest wrote:
and obviously bring a spare calculator battery (or a spare calculator, especially if you have the one that needs a screwdriver to change the battery)
Click to expand...
You’re actually allowed to bring in a small screwdriver for this purpose… in case you want to use your time this way… just make sure you haven’t engraved any formulas on the tiny handle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top