Schweser videos

[tony23]

Hey guys, I'm considerign gettting the Schweser premium package that includes the video DVDs as a supplement. My question is, has anyone ever used it and if so was it worth the extra 400.

I took the series 7 exam last year and bought dvds for those but ended up not watching more than an hour or two because the material was pretty straight forward, just alot of memorizing.

i'm stuyding right now for the l1 test in june 2007 and using cfai curiculum for the first couple months and will be ordering schweser materials around december.

thanks in advance

 

[Super I]

There is no comparison between the series 7 and the CFA. You could have passed the 7 by buying and studying an Ace Ventura dvd.

First of all, my pet (detective?) peave. I don't know what you need to buy or when you need to start to study or how much you need to study because I don't know your background, or how many hours a week you work, family situation, other time commitments, schedule next spring, etc. Give us more details and we can analyze the situation better.

Specificaly regarding the videos. I used the videos almost exclusively for all 3 levels (worked for 1 and 2, waiting on 3) but I have a serious FSA background (cpa, ms in acctng, and former NYU acctng adjunct), and lots of banking experience so for me much of it was just review or drilling it down another level.

I always learned best in school from good teachers rather than good texts. the L1 video instructors (unless they've changed) were generally excellent. If you watch the videos, TAKE DETAILED WRITTEN NOTES while you watch and pause the videos, and refer back to texts and Schweser notes to fill in the gaps, and leave enough time to do practice questions and exams you should do okay. Also, read ethics cover to cover.

I do think that you are starting too early. there is a lot of technical stuff that just won't stay with you if you don't use it on a daily basis, adn there's no way you'll remember formulas in June that you look at today. Frankly, I think a lot of the people who fail who talk about studying 400 hours just started studying too far in advance of the exam.

If you have some semblance of a finance or accounting background and can put in 250 hours between jan and June plus leave the two weeks before the exam for working problems you will pass it. If you do all this and don't pass it... give it up. Level 1 is cake compared to level 2.

 

[tony23]

thanks super, i agree with you that starting to study now wouldn't be a good idea. i'm gonna just read for the next month then take a break and will start to study for the cfa in january after i take the gmat in dec.