Arif Irfanullah
New member
- Jun 18, 2026
- 0
- 0
The exam is just one day away! I want to share some final thoughts and wish you the very best.
If you’ve not done so already please log on to the CFA Institute website and visit:
http://www.cfainstitute.org/mycfa/candidate/Resources/Pages/candidate_checklist.aspx
The video at the bottom of the page is useful. When they say the name on the passport must exactly match the name on the ticket they mean it. You will be sent home if the match is not exact. Immediately contact the CFA Institute if there is an issue.
While different people have different strategies for the last day, I suggest that you focus on memorizing the important facts and formulas. Hopefully you’ve done enough practice and have a sense for what is important. It is extremely annoying and frustrating to forget a formula during the exam… so make sure that does not happen.
A student of mine pulled a couple of ‘all-nighters’ ahead of the December 2012 Level I exam and fell fast asleep during the exam. He failed. Get a good night’s rest before the exam. It is essential that on exam day your mind is fresh and alert. The marginal benefit of staying up tonight and studying is less than the marginal cost… so what is the most efficient thing to do?
Let us fast forward to the exam. This might sound basic but read the questions carefully and underline key words. Think of the practice questions you got wrong because you missed a word or two. Make sure this does not happen on the actual exam.
Don’t get hung up on difficult and time-consuming questions. Come back to these at the end of the exam.
Carefully listen to instructions and follow them precisely. I know someone who got into trouble because she did not close the question booklet at the end of the exam.
Do not discuss specific questions after the exam.
That’s it. Approach the exam with a positive frame of mind and give it your best shot.
Good luck.
Arif Irfanullah
If you’ve not done so already please log on to the CFA Institute website and visit:
http://www.cfainstitute.org/mycfa/candidate/Resources/Pages/candidate_checklist.aspx
The video at the bottom of the page is useful. When they say the name on the passport must exactly match the name on the ticket they mean it. You will be sent home if the match is not exact. Immediately contact the CFA Institute if there is an issue.
While different people have different strategies for the last day, I suggest that you focus on memorizing the important facts and formulas. Hopefully you’ve done enough practice and have a sense for what is important. It is extremely annoying and frustrating to forget a formula during the exam… so make sure that does not happen.
A student of mine pulled a couple of ‘all-nighters’ ahead of the December 2012 Level I exam and fell fast asleep during the exam. He failed. Get a good night’s rest before the exam. It is essential that on exam day your mind is fresh and alert. The marginal benefit of staying up tonight and studying is less than the marginal cost… so what is the most efficient thing to do?
Let us fast forward to the exam. This might sound basic but read the questions carefully and underline key words. Think of the practice questions you got wrong because you missed a word or two. Make sure this does not happen on the actual exam.
Don’t get hung up on difficult and time-consuming questions. Come back to these at the end of the exam.
Carefully listen to instructions and follow them precisely. I know someone who got into trouble because she did not close the question booklet at the end of the exam.
Do not discuss specific questions after the exam.
That’s it. Approach the exam with a positive frame of mind and give it your best shot.
Good luck.
Arif Irfanullah