CFAI Online Topic Review/Mock Tests/Advice

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Greg5802

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Dear Forum,
I started seriously studying in Jan. Currently, I do 3 hr/day M-F and 6-8 each Saturday and Sunday. I’m making pretty good progress (at about 135 hrs since mid-Jan and based on my projections should finish with around 490 by the end if I keep with my current trend). I’ll finish Corporate Finance this week and presently I knock out a Study Session per week and review the session via the weekend then move on to the next unit. I try not to get too bogged down by not knowing some of the materials. I typically review at least some of FRA just to not completely forget anything. I plan to finish my overall review of the curriculum with about 3 weeks remaining to review (I was planning on using the CFAI topic reviews during that 3 weeks) inclding one week off from work to cram and bang out additional mock exams and practice tests. Is that sound advice? I typically use the weekends to review the CFAI EOC (they’re so intricate and long compared to the Schweser questions which is probably a good thing). Last question for fellow Level II/III candidates and charterholders, do any of you use the mock exams and unit test via the CFAI website? I took a quick look at them they seem ok. Not excruciatingly difficult, but difficult nonetheless.
Anyway, any comments, advice, and questions are welcomed.
Thanks in advance
 
Greg5802 wrote:
Dear Forum,
I started seriously studying in Jan. Currently, I do 3 hr/day M-F and 6-8 each Saturday and Sunday. I’m making pretty good progress (at about 135 hrs since mid-Jan and based on my projections should finish with around 490 by the end if I keep with my current trend). I’ll finish Corporate Finance this week and presently I knock out a Study Session per week and review the session via the weekend then move on to the next unit. I try not to get too bogged down by not knowing some of the materials. I typically review at least some of FRA just to not completely forget anything. I plan to finish my overall review of the curriculum with about 3 weeks remaining to review (I was planning on using the CFAI topic reviews during that 3 weeks) inclding one week off from work to cram and bang out additional mock exams and practice tests. Is that sound advice? I typically use the weekends to review the CFAI EOC (they’re so intricate and long compared to the Schweser questions which is probably a good thing). Last question for fellow Level II/III candidates and charterholders, do any of you use the mock exams and unit test via the CFAI website? I took a quick look at them they seem ok. Not excruciatingly difficult, but difficult nonetheless.
Anyway, any comments, advice, and questions are welcomed.
Thanks in advance
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Your plan doesn’t look bad at all– just make sure you stick to your schedule and cover the curriculum.
In my opinon, Schweser doesn’t really do a good job at preparing you for the exam in comparison to the official CFAI materials (practice questions and arguably, the content). For what it’s worth, I used only CFAI EOCs/subject tests/mocks for Level 2 (because I disliked what I saw of Schweser at L1). I was very happy with the level of preparation I had on test day. I’m sure other people have success with Schweser (or another 3rd party), though.
 
No advice but a couple of onservations:
  • If you have anywhere near an average aptitude for this type of stuff, I think that you will probably pass pretty easily
  • Our approaches are quite different. The core of my studying is lectures and CFAI Blue Boxes.In 490 hours (I will not reach anywhere near that) you didn’t mention either. I will do CFAI EOC and a some mocks, but no Test Bank questions.
  • I also will do a LOT of high level review to keep things generally straight in my head. For L1, I loved Secret Sauce.
 
One thing I will add now, since the previous post called it to my attention, is that the number of hours studying is irrelevant. You should be looking to achieve two things, mainly:
-cover the curriculum
- high accuracy with low variability on practice questions (on the first attempt)
 
Oh I use the blue boxes in my initlal review. Some aren’t as useful as others but I view them nonetheless
 
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