Friday study tips?

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december4thplease

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What’s recommended for the day before exam as far as studying goes?
I’ve heard that you shouldn’t do anything, but I hate to see unused hours that could have gone to reviewing.
I guess I plan on reviewing formulas and some basic concepts. Any input appreciated
 
I took 4 CFA exams and drank a couple of beers the night before 3 of the exams. The only one I did not I studied all Friday night and failed. I don’t think the beers are what caused me to pass, it was the preparation leading up to that Friday night. Studying hard on Friday is not going to change your performance on Saturday. Review some ethics, go to a movie, have a couple of beers and relax. You will feel ready to go on Saturday morning.
 
I don’t have nearly as much experience as Chad does, but I’ve heard quite a few people say to just relax and not study on Friday. You’ve pretty much learned as much as you could, and what you could gain in one day probably isn’t worth the stress that you’ll create by cramming and risking burning out.
I’m personally just going to relax, have a nice dinner, maybe some wine, take a hot bath and get ready for the big day.
 
I don’t think studying on Friday would have any added benefit to what you already know. This isn’t a undergrad econ exam where you can actually cram all you need to know in your head in one night. Everyone is different, but most of the opinions point to resting Friday and giving it hell on Saturday…..followed by heavy drinking immediately after the exam.
 
I had made a list of formulas over those months i was studying, so friday night came along i reviewed formulas and ethics
I dont believe in just resting and letting hours go by that can be used to study. and thankfully i did review formulas because there were a few that i had forgotten till that friday, and guess what… showed up on exam.
best of luck
 
I don’t disagree that you can add SOME value if you study a bit on Friday. I just don’t think cramming will do much. To borrow from economics, we are all on diminishing marginal returns at this point!
 
Of course everyone’s study habits and preparation routines are different, but I think you will find the overwhelming majority of successful exam takers on this forum recommend a relaxed, confidant approach to the question of Friday preparation. If you have put in the work during the last few months, nothing you do or do not do on Friday should materially change your performance on test day (reasonably speaking here, do not go out and get all hosed up or stay up all night playing video games). Have a nice meal, a few drinks, spend some quality time with the ole lady, then hit the sack early. Wake up Saturday AM excited, prepared, and ready to give it a good shot. You will do fine.
 
I browsed through ethics, and went over a formula sheet and a list I’d written of mistakes I often made. Would definitely recommend keeping it low key. good luck for this weekend.
 
Great! Sounds like a plan. I’ll just stick to the plan of a light formulas and ethics review and then of course heavy drinking will have to wait till Saturday at 5
 
The day befroe my CFA L 1 exam, I woke up early and tried to study. I just got rattled so I went for a drive and I found this nice restaurant where I had lunch. I had a drink or two and relaxed and felt much better after awhile. Then I went home and played chess on the Internet.
The next couple of years I went back to that same restaurant the day before the exam and had lunch - my good luck restaurant. I’ve never been there on any other day.
Whatever you do don’t study on the morning of your exam - you need your brain for the exam. Walk around and look at all the unprepared people studying, worrying about whether they are going to fail. Simple people - they have not prepared as well as you. You are going to make this exam your …..
 
i’m most likely just going to review some of the equations on Friday… nothing too big… definitely will be done with any type of studying by 5 oclock. Just a reccomendation for anyone that just went off Schweser.. i did too, and i’m currently reading the Ethics section from the CFA text… i’d recommend it, it’s taking me a while but its definitely clearing some of the confusing things up… Probably won’t get through the GIPS, but I do think reading the CFAI ethics its like 150 pages is worth it
 
Kiakaha wrote:I browsed through ethics, and went over a formula sheet and a list I’d written of mistakes I often made. Would definitely recommend keeping it low key. good luck for this weekend.
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That’s exactly what I did the day before the exam. On Friday night, I went out for a few drinks and relaxed. Got a little drunk, slept like a baby, woke up and did well on the exam.
*Don’t blame me if you over do it and are hungover. I don’t recommend going that far, lol.
 
Highly recommend not taking no sip of alcohol night before. thats crazy. End your reviews by 5, make a nice dinner, watch a movie and get to bed early
 
Highly recommend not taking no sip of alcohol night before. thats crazy. End your reviews by 5, make a nice dinner, watch a movie and get to bed early
 
Johnnyboyasu wrote:Highly recommend not taking no sip of alcohol night before. thats crazy. End your reviews by 5, make a nice dinner, watch a movie and get to bed early
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The way I see it, while studying the past few months I usually enjoyed a nice adult beverage in the evening. I would hate to confuse my body/mind by throwing off the routine.
 
sdevine42 wrote:
Johnnyboyasu wrote:Highly recommend not taking no sip of alcohol night before. thats crazy. End your reviews by 5, make a nice dinner, watch a movie and get to bed early
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The way I see it, while studying the past few months I usually enjoyed a nice adult beverage in the evening. I would hate to confuse my body/mind by throwing off the routine.
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fair enough
 
Johnny I’m just giving you a hard time, I have to believe a night of sobriety is the right choice.
 
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