Handwriting can be a problem???

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d2rockstar

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I attempted Level 3 once and failed. When I analyse my result, my afternoon session is standing out good. >70% in majority of the subjects which puts me in better half of 70-80% comfortably. My essay session looks horrible. Less than 50% in majority of the topics. I have a very terrible hand-writing and I don’t think I will be able to improve. It has been like this since my schooling and I am out of college for 8 years now.
I read in many places that hand-writing doesn’t matter at all. But my result looks otherwise, please advise if hand-writing could be a spoil sport? I have taken a break from Level 3 this year and planning to complete FRM II in November before I take-up level 3.
 
Handwriting should not be your primary concern in the AM Session. If you think that your cursive is *that bad*, then simply print your answers.
Most people perform better in the PM Session than in the morning – that is completely normal.
* But if a majority of your AM scores are <50%, then I think you need to get more direct practice in there.
* Try to do as many previous CFA exams as you can get your hands on, and practice writing them out in a timed environment *as if* it’s test day. (Simply reading the answers and thinking “OK, that makes sense” usually isn’t enough.)
* And be sure to only write brief and concise bullet points as your answers – NO PARAGRAPHS!!!
 
That’s a good point. I have the same problem (yes I am a girl, but I write like a man that writes very badly…).
I also had bad marks at the am session but I think I was just not well prepared.
One of my preparation steps for the exam is to look for a pen that will help me write well. Haven’t found that one yet!!
In order for my handwritting to not be that bad, I probably need to write more slowly at the exam than others do. That certainly creates a time issue but I just know I have to cope with that. No choice.
Then I also have the big concern “can we use a pencil although we are asked to use a pen”. I have to be able to erase. There have been such discussions on the forum about that in the past, saying it was fine to use a pencil. I have to go back to such discussions and check if this is backed by some people that have passed using a pencil in the past.
 
writing legibly versus eloquently is a big difference. Writing legibly is critical but ‘pretty’ handwritting does not matter.
If you have trouble writing legibly. Trying writing in print using all capital letters.
 
yes you are right. Although I just tried writing in capital letters to see how it goes and it takes ages.
 
ok yes let’s go for a very practical discussion (sounds prosaic but all advice is worth being taken)!!
My issue is the grip because I have so little craft. I need a pen with a gum grip that practically glues it to your finger so you won’t let it go for sure! (ok last one, after that I promise, we go back to some complicated discussion that makes us look clever!)
 
Take a rubber band and wrap a layer around grip with minor gaps.. The groves and stickinees of rubber band might help.
 
Thank you all…Tozzert, your advice makes lot of sense…I will put that into pratice when I start preparing for Level 3 in June, 2016.
Thanks again all!!
 
It might be a problem since you are trying to write as much as quickly as you can. Try to use bullets and short sentences, dont write long paragraphs.
I’m using Pilot G-2 1.0
Best bang for the buck. Box of 12 for $15 and writes like a $100 pen.
 
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