How much detail are the looking for in the essays?

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ulanky

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I’m wondering how much detail the CFAI is looking for in the essay questions. I’ve done the 3 AM mocks posted on their website, and I have consistently found that their answers are quite detailed, and would likely take longer than the 3 hours allotted to us. I also took the Schweser mock earlier this week, and found that their answers carried far less detail.
I’m also wondering if anyone knows where to get any other practice essays for free? I’m only using CFAI materials, and I’ve exhausted all writing options.
 
The answers the CFA Insitute gives often have much more detail than you need to get full points.
Schweser’s answers are probably closer to the minimum you need to get full credit.
 
Just want to add to your question. Maybe someone as well explain the difference between following command words : Give a reason, Explain, Discuss, Critique? Which one requires more details and what kind of details? Which command word requires to explain “why”?
 
S2000magician wrote:
https://www.cfainstitute.org/programs/Documents/cfa_and_cipm_los_command...
Click to expand...
Thank you for the link. But i am still not sure what they want.
for example then question ask justify why risk is above average, is it enough to say:
- Risk above average b/c long time horizon
or i need to state the impact as well, so answer should be: risk above average b/c long time horizon, thus the portfolio has time to recover in case of lower than expected returns (impact)
 
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