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- Jun 18, 2026
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This question is for both candidates and recent charterholders. What did you find useful in learning to do constructed responses/essays for the AM part of Level 3?
I am an instructor for an exam prep course and I am looking at adding two labs about “constructed response”/essay to help students. My current thinking is one near the beginning (i.e., January) and one near the end (i.e., early May). Here is a potential list, but feel free to add or comment:
1. Past actual exams with answers at home. I have heard criticism that these have four potential problems: A. They seem very neat and well-organized. Even test takers who score very well might not have such answers. B. The answers seem a bit longer than what a well-prepared test-taker might write. C. Some candidates need help realizing that there are a large number of answers. D. This does not directly give any advice about approach (e.g., if you don’t understand part or all of a question, move on quickly to something else). I think a good version of this would be to ask students to do particular past questions for the topic we just finished in class. The CFAI Practice Problems/Topic Tests could be used similarly, and we wouldn’t be borrowing material many students would later use as part of a mock exam.
2. The Schweser videos regarding a large number of actual past essay test questions and their constructed response videos. Note that a large number of students who select Schweser material have not purchased the videos.
3. Having someone who is really familiar with the format do sample written answers live at a lab.
4. Having the class attempt some of the essay questions live and then exchange them to grade. This is harder than it might sound at first. There are lots of questions about what should count at all, and how to give partial points. Students might not be consistent at grading.
5. Having the instructor grade them later. Aside from the large amount of work, written scoring would not by itself provide all of the needed guidance. It tells you an estimated score.
6. Other providers or materials?
Thanks
I am an instructor for an exam prep course and I am looking at adding two labs about “constructed response”/essay to help students. My current thinking is one near the beginning (i.e., January) and one near the end (i.e., early May). Here is a potential list, but feel free to add or comment:
1. Past actual exams with answers at home. I have heard criticism that these have four potential problems: A. They seem very neat and well-organized. Even test takers who score very well might not have such answers. B. The answers seem a bit longer than what a well-prepared test-taker might write. C. Some candidates need help realizing that there are a large number of answers. D. This does not directly give any advice about approach (e.g., if you don’t understand part or all of a question, move on quickly to something else). I think a good version of this would be to ask students to do particular past questions for the topic we just finished in class. The CFAI Practice Problems/Topic Tests could be used similarly, and we wouldn’t be borrowing material many students would later use as part of a mock exam.
2. The Schweser videos regarding a large number of actual past essay test questions and their constructed response videos. Note that a large number of students who select Schweser material have not purchased the videos.
3. Having someone who is really familiar with the format do sample written answers live at a lab.
4. Having the class attempt some of the essay questions live and then exchange them to grade. This is harder than it might sound at first. There are lots of questions about what should count at all, and how to give partial points. Students might not be consistent at grading.
5. Having the instructor grade them later. Aside from the large amount of work, written scoring would not by itself provide all of the needed guidance. It tells you an estimated score.
6. Other providers or materials?
Thanks