AuthorTopic: Retake?
linette
@2014-01-23 15:22:40
Ok I just got my Dec level 1 exam result and i didnt pass. This was my 2nd attempt and I seem to have done worse than the first. Should I try again and what study methods work? Ive been using schweser supplemented by analyst notes and that obviously isnt working 4 me. All advice would be helpful.
jmcneal
@2014-01-23 17:25:42
I know this is a review site and I did use it but only really to supplement my learning. I failed the first time and i'm not sure it was lack of time (4 mos) to study or method. But I do know the first time I relied mostly on review sites. This past time I passed and I changed my strategy.

It may work for you, it may not but I know how frustrating things like this can be when they aren't working out due to time and money committments.

I decided to actually read ALL the material given by the CFA institute. Then after I finished one book I would go back through and put on Index cards any important concepts, graphs, etc that I needed to remember a concept (I starred these things while i read) so that I wouldn't have to reread the first book when I got to the last one.

Then I studied my notecards any time I had a small break in the day. So once i started doing practice exams and I got stumped I would look at my note cards or maybe just review the concept from this site or the book. This allowed me to take my studying everywhere.

One other thing I want to say is I believe that this test is passable without a calculator (both times i took it). With that being said Know Your Calculations but when studying them it is as, if not more, important to understand what they tell and the parts that make it up than just doing the math.

So when studying if you can't talk out loud the relationships in your Covariance equations to ideas of risk and standard deviation, memorizing the equation will only get you so far per the way they ask questions. The notecards helped me focus on that part of it and the site helped me focus on the math.
obiwan
@2014-01-24 03:34:32
Its disappointing and frustrating that you didn't pass but try not to feel too discouraged. CFA is a very tough course and most fail one level at least once - but its worth perservering. CFA suggests a min. of 250hrs. I recommend at least 350hrs. Analyst notes sample exam questions are simply tougher on average than the exam. If you are consistently exceeding 70% on the sample exams for topics this is as good an indication as any that you really know the material. If you don't work in the industry or have some markets experience the actual CFA materials are the most comprehensive and reliable (they are just long thats all). Good luck.

CFA Discussion Topic: Retake?

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I am using your study notes and I know of at least 5 other friends of mine who used it and passed the exam last Dec. Keep up your great work!
Barnes

Barnes