usefulness of scheweser notes 2004 ?

[machatha]

Hi,

I am new to CFA... I am planning to write CFA level 1 exam in December. I borrowed 2004 Schweser notes from a friend. What i am wondering is if these will be enough to get me passed. The other thing i am concerned about is that if there are significant curriculum changes between 2004 and now.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at Tuesday, June 27, 2006 at 09:18PM by machatha.

 

[jamespucyk]

I would say Schweser is Schweser, as long as you compare the LOS statements, but then again I haven't used Schweser notes, especially 2004 ones, so that's my 2 cents.

 

[CFAHouston]

Almost everything the same (Except for Ethics). Just compare LOS between the two years.

 

[TooOld4This]

For June 2006 I used 2002 Stalla, 2003 Schweser, and 4 volume current CFAI texts. Don't know if I passed yet but the studying wasn't too bad. I'd say between 2002 and 2006, 20% of the material had changed.

From what I recall (it's getting hazier as the days go by)...

1. ethics being VERY different, biggest changes with governance and GIPS being all new (and heavily tested), get the up-to-date stuff here or you'll have no chance.
2. 95% the same in quant
3. some diffs in econ, like material being moved to/from background reading but still 85% to 90% the same
4. IAS stuff is new in FSA, but 90% the same (again, material moved from one section to another, but still there)
5. corp finance was mostly the same
6. some diffs in portfolio theory, can't remember details
7. expanded alternative investments sections in recent years

Bottom line, you need to stay confident, and keep the LOS's in mind when you're looking at old stuff, especially when you're doing old practice tests. If you can't do that, don't give yourself an excuse to fail, just drop the cash on up-to-date material.