Hey Guys,
I’m taking the CFA L2 for my second time, and it feels like the CFAI Mocks are much harder than the actual test. Anybody else feel that way? Also, I’d like more mocks, where can you get more mocks? I use Q-bank but I need more vignette questions I think.
I failed in 2013 with a desperate short attempt and felt like the CFAI EoCs were a foreign language after blowing through Schweser readings and non-challenge problems. In the actual exam, I felt like I had a shot at many of the problems despite the massive gap between my knowledge and the EoCs.
That being said, the CFAI has a way of asking a complex problem in simple terms such that you wouldnt have any idea theyre being tricky unless you understand the trick. Maybe I had no idea how far I was in over my head.
Im a retaker also… failed band 9 last year.
I remember the test well and regretted not memorizing more formulas… there were plenty of questions that were basically a (formula plug)… if you dont know it exaclty, you can sit there for 20min and it will just be a guess…
^that
example… reading 35 EOC 19
every other question in that vignette I got right, it’s damn annoying.
On L2, I found mocks harder than the real thing. After first mock, thought I was done for but ended up passing w/ pretty good marks. Don’t get discouraged if your mock scores are low. <60 might be a problem but anything above that and you’ve at least got a decent shot.
Forget the mocks and spend your time learning the material.
I also appeared last year. Managed a Band 9.
I agree that the CFAI mocks are much much harder than the actual exam. I remember that Schewser Mocks were very close to the difficulty of actual exam.
Scoring high doesn’t guarantee you a pass, I remember rejoicing after scoring 70% on my CFA mock three days before exam and thinking it was money in the bank… Exam day pressure is also some thing you should account for.