CFA Level 3 - One Month Study Plan

[Praz Logic]

Hi
Congrats to all those who passed Level 3. Before most of you disappear, I could use some guide/insights.
I will be sitting for my Level 3 next year June 2017 and intend to take a full month off to prepare the exams - so approximately 30 to 32 Days which is equivalent to 250 to 320 Hours.
I typically (habit since my school days) study and crash course the materials in the last month before the exam because I tend to forget what I had read and studied months before and my Jan to April is one of the busiest periods for me while Dec I am typically travelling backpacking. So squeeze the materials in before the exam so they stay fresh in my head.
So anyways - my key concern is of course the Essays. The MCQs I believe I could get through studying the materials in the books but the Essays I need to learn how to structure and display my answers according to CFAI requirements of course.
Of course do let me know which Books and Materials you had used, and where I could get access to past year papers.
Could you share with me your study plans and I somehow figure out how to squeeze into the month.

 

[Grrreg]

Can you really work 10 hours a day without any break day for 32 days straight ? Also, does that mean you managed L1 and L2 with just the one month study ? If so you may have a shot but I really don’t know how you should proceed. This thread could be of interest for you : http://www.analystforum.com/forums/cfa-forums/cfa-level-iii-forum/91353329

 

[ftmm1234]

I spent 1 week for level 1 and 2 weeks for level 2. But level 3 I started in mid-March and still felt destroyed after exam but luckily I passed it. Agree with the comment above, I don’t think anyone can focus 100% without any break for a month. Especially out of school, it is very hard to keep that style. In school, I usually studied overnight before final and got A/A+. Even in this case, I still think I should have started earlier to read the CFAI book to feel more comfortable. The books are actually very interesting and worth reading. Now I passed it, I will still go back and look at the reference books and pick some to start reading without pressure.
So I don’t support your current plan. You should start reading right away and really digest the knowledge considering your busy season later.

 

[Praz Logic]

Hmm ok……..I guess I need to figure out how to fit this into my schedule.
How many mock papers and past exam papers you practiced? Which years?
And which books should I obtain for practice questions?
For Level 1 and Level 2 I spend approx 200 hours in 2 to 2.5 weeks before the exam. Yeah it was extremely tiring but I got through them. Obviously I didn’t cover all the topics - left out some chapters such as on derivatives or alternative investments, and focused on the heavy topics.