JoeyDVivre
New member
- Jun 18, 2026
- 0
- 0
So I'm really unmotivated to answer questions today. The last minute questions like "OMG, someone explain statistics to me in two minutes so I can pass my test" remind me of that part of teaching I hate. Interesting converstaions and debates don't seem like a good idea because people will just get freaked. So my advice (none of which is particularly original):
1) Do you know exactly where the test center is and have you driven there (or however you plan on getting there tomorrow). There are alwasy a few who show up late because they got lost. 300+ hours of study, but they can't take a drive the day before. Get gas in the car today.
2) Do not continue studying until 11:30 PM and then expect you are going to sleep well, and wake up early relaxed. You will be looking at your clock at 3 AM getting into an ever-worsening panic. This is a really nice night to tell your SO that you appreciate their patience through the process.
3) Leave all your books and what-not at home. You aren't learning anything new on the way to the test center and you need your full brain capabilities to pass this exam.
4) If you have done the right things, you have already passed this exam. You can only screw it up by doing stupid things.
5) If a question seems too easy to you, it's probably because you studied that topic well and the question is indeed easy. Don't stop and try to figure out how they are trying to fool you. Save the time, answer the question and go on.
6) Unless you're darn sure you passed the exam anyway, stay until the last minute checking calculations and stuff.
7) Do not even think of cheating, writing past the deadline, disobeying anything the proctor says. Every year CFAI prosecutes people for doing this. If they do it to you, you (like everyone else) will end up accepting a boot from the program and a non-public censure from CFAI. The proctors are college kids and retirees and probably do not have the authority of the people you are used to listening to. Tomorrow they do. You have to listen to them.
8) Reread the list of things you can bring. Leave the cell phone in the car. Leave the laptop at home.
9) Bring cash for lunch in small bills so you don't have to deal with credit cards at lunch. You can leave a $20 on the table and walk out but you can't leave your credit card on the table.
10) Eat lunch, but keep it normal and light and NO alcohol no matter how stressed you are. Lunchtime at CFA exam is not the time to try foie gras for the first time.
11) Don't plan a big celebration tomorrow night. You will be lucky to stay awake watching a DVD and you will be brain-tired big.
12) Do not talk about exam problems during lunch. If you sit with a bunch of people talk about anything but CFA stuff. Don't even talk about finance or your jobs. Talk about the Red Sox 10 1/2 games up in the AL East. If people want to discuss "what about that problem on FRA's" - tell them to shut-up because you are trying to relax and spare your brain.
13) Despite rumors to the contrary, you have plenty of time to complete this exam if you don't get bogged down. If you are bogged down, bag that question and go on. You need to answer 2/3 questions correctly to pass this exam and that means you can miss a lot. On this test, a C- is just as good as an A+.
Many, many of you are going to pass. In July the speculation starts about "When will they be out?" and then one day they will be out. There will be several "I passed" threads. It will seem that most people who are regulars here passed. That thread will grow to 60 people or so. Just by particpating in this forum, many of you have learned a ton and have kept motivated. It's really a joy for me to watch. Regular particpants on AF pass at a much higher rate than the average candidate. Many of you (some who are not so confident) have a very excellent chance to pass.
Good luck everyone! In my weird way, I'm proud of many of you.
1) Do you know exactly where the test center is and have you driven there (or however you plan on getting there tomorrow). There are alwasy a few who show up late because they got lost. 300+ hours of study, but they can't take a drive the day before. Get gas in the car today.
2) Do not continue studying until 11:30 PM and then expect you are going to sleep well, and wake up early relaxed. You will be looking at your clock at 3 AM getting into an ever-worsening panic. This is a really nice night to tell your SO that you appreciate their patience through the process.
3) Leave all your books and what-not at home. You aren't learning anything new on the way to the test center and you need your full brain capabilities to pass this exam.
4) If you have done the right things, you have already passed this exam. You can only screw it up by doing stupid things.
5) If a question seems too easy to you, it's probably because you studied that topic well and the question is indeed easy. Don't stop and try to figure out how they are trying to fool you. Save the time, answer the question and go on.
6) Unless you're darn sure you passed the exam anyway, stay until the last minute checking calculations and stuff.
7) Do not even think of cheating, writing past the deadline, disobeying anything the proctor says. Every year CFAI prosecutes people for doing this. If they do it to you, you (like everyone else) will end up accepting a boot from the program and a non-public censure from CFAI. The proctors are college kids and retirees and probably do not have the authority of the people you are used to listening to. Tomorrow they do. You have to listen to them.
8) Reread the list of things you can bring. Leave the cell phone in the car. Leave the laptop at home.
9) Bring cash for lunch in small bills so you don't have to deal with credit cards at lunch. You can leave a $20 on the table and walk out but you can't leave your credit card on the table.
10) Eat lunch, but keep it normal and light and NO alcohol no matter how stressed you are. Lunchtime at CFA exam is not the time to try foie gras for the first time.
11) Don't plan a big celebration tomorrow night. You will be lucky to stay awake watching a DVD and you will be brain-tired big.
12) Do not talk about exam problems during lunch. If you sit with a bunch of people talk about anything but CFA stuff. Don't even talk about finance or your jobs. Talk about the Red Sox 10 1/2 games up in the AL East. If people want to discuss "what about that problem on FRA's" - tell them to shut-up because you are trying to relax and spare your brain.
13) Despite rumors to the contrary, you have plenty of time to complete this exam if you don't get bogged down. If you are bogged down, bag that question and go on. You need to answer 2/3 questions correctly to pass this exam and that means you can miss a lot. On this test, a C- is just as good as an A+.
Many, many of you are going to pass. In July the speculation starts about "When will they be out?" and then one day they will be out. There will be several "I passed" threads. It will seem that most people who are regulars here passed. That thread will grow to 60 people or so. Just by particpating in this forum, many of you have learned a ton and have kept motivated. It's really a joy for me to watch. Regular particpants on AF pass at a much higher rate than the average candidate. Many of you (some who are not so confident) have a very excellent chance to pass.
Good luck everyone! In my weird way, I'm proud of many of you.
