Life studying for the CFA exams

itera wrote:
Goldy7 wrote:Itera, was your Analyst flexible in allowing you some extra time to study if the day wasn’t too busy?
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Unfortunately in research, it’s technically always busy, because a lot of the work is self generated (or boss generated I should say). Unlike bankers who actually can find themselves bored at their desks with nothing to do for 3-4 hours at a time.
in research, it’s very highly boss dependent. I’ve met seniors who totally respected CFA exams and gave their underlyings time by letting them go home early, cutting back on work, etc.
Personally, mine didn’t give a crap about the CFA (I suspect he was bitter bec he failed L2 twice and gave up in defeat), so he never gave me any extra off time, or lighter work load. I had to suffer through it
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Bitter boss. He must have wanted you to fail just like he did. Lol! I wouldn’t want that.
 
itera wrote:
Goldy7 wrote:Itera, was your Analyst flexible in allowing you some extra time to study if the day wasn’t too busy?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately in research, it’s technically always busy, because a lot of the work is self generated (or boss generated I should say). Unlike bankers who actually can find themselves bored at their desks with nothing to do for 3-4 hours at a time.
in research, it’s very highly boss dependent. I’ve met seniors who totally respected CFA exams and gave their underlyings time by letting them go home early, cutting back on work, etc.
Personally, mine didn’t give a crap about the CFA (I suspect he was bitter bec he failed L2 twice and gave up in defeat), so he never gave me any extra off time, or lighter work load. I had to suffer through it
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Thanks, curious because I’ve heard 2 opposing opinions about the CFA from SS Analysts: 1) “Only level 1 is necessary” 2) Get the Charter
As for me, I would study 3 times a week in the mornings before work (Occasionally after work if I needed to reinforce a subject). Practice exams on the weekends about 1.5 months before exam day. This was for level one and I studied Finance in school so a lot of it was a review for me.
 
Enlighten_me wrote:By the way, thanks a lot for the help a few months back. I passed CFA level 1 and you were a big help. If you don’t mind, you want to share your CFA story? (Just looking for motivation or may be inspiration or I guess preparation for when I start sleeping five hours for consecutive days because of studying for the next exam.)
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Mine’s pretty boring.
I took the exams in ‘97, ‘98, and ‘99: my employer’s idea, not mine.
I was working as a mortgage securities analyst at the time, and my company decided that all of the analysts and all of the account managers would sit for the CFA exams. Their policy was that they would reimburse a candidate for the exam fees and the cost of a review course … if you passed the exam. So I had a great financial incentive to pass each exam the first time.
I studied 2 hours after work Monday through Friday, then 4 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday, starting in January. I had three children at the time: 15, 13, and 11. Fortunately, I had a wife who was very supportive, and agreed to pretend that I didn’t exist from January through early June each year.
When I started studying for Level I, I decided that I hated studying. I also decided that I would hate it 10 times as much if I had to study for any exam a second time; I made sure that all of my study time was intense and focused. (I can still recall sitting at the dining table studying for Level III while the wife and kids were in the family room watching Disney’s Anastasia. (To date, I haven’t seen the movie.))
 
Enlighten_me wrote:
infinitybenzo wrote:
i studied after work for 2 hours and crushed it on weekends. I was very motivated for cfa unlike now with gmat.
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It seems like everyone does 2-3 hours on weekdays and do more than that on weekends. How does gmat compare with any level of the cfa?
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I am going for 720 so I have to assume it would take more effort than the CFA exams given that 720 is top 6% of all GMAT takers. I am doing maybe 1 hour a day on weekdays so I really need to step it up.
 
GMAT takes way less time to prepare than the CFA since all you are doing is practices rather than digesting new information. GMAT can also be sort of an IQ test in that many people can study a long time and still obtain subpar results.
 
Each level was different (2012, 2013, 2014). For L1 I worked from 830am-630pm (investment consulting job) and studied 2-3 hours on weekdays, then hit the gym, go home, eat, and sleep. I would study average of 5 hours on the weekends. L1 was Jan-June studying. I had a gf but I was checked out at that point and was trying to get it to end so studying all the time was good. For L2 same work hours and gym time but I did CAIA L2 concurrently. I did not have a gf at this point so did not have to deal with someone nagging me. CAIA L2 studying from Dec-March, CFA L2 a little studying in January but 90%+ of it was from mid-March - June. CFA L3 I started in January but had a gf who I actually liked so I would make time for her. My hours changed completely in April when I started a job in PE. Hours of 8am - 10/11pm…would study in the office til 1am or so, go home and repeat. I would try to make time for my gf on weekends and also possibly have dinner with her around my office. April-June for L3 was def rough with a new job. We almost broke up but made it through…we actually broke up about a month ago…so if anyone knows any boston chicks looking for a suave spanish speaking analyst at a buyout fund…please send her my way.
Also, I am currently studying for the GMAT…I find this m’fer more annoying than the CFA. Aiming for 750.
 
aight so i have a routine for this. june to december, i just degaf about everything, get fit, holla at chicks. january to march i give up 1 weekend to study. march to june, i dont go out, dont work out.
so stats. los angeles. single. buy side research.
aight so from march to june which is most imp part cuz i cram. heres the schedule. i work 6am to 2pm. i go home eat and finish that crap at 3. nap it for 2 hrs in couch. then from ~5 to 7 i study. eat/shower to 8. play dota from 8 until i sleep around 10 or 11. then wake up at 4:30 for work. weekends is just me in a couch studying and dota at 8 to whatever.
my studying is inefficient though. i fall asleep sometimes. browse around my many apps. watch tv, etc
i failed l3 twice.always cuz of the damn am exam. i think they dont get my writing. band 8 and band 10.
 
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