Thoughts on FRM part 1 exam this morning....?

So I just sat the part 1 exam this morning and found it to be an immensely passable exam…even relatively easy dare I say. After reading comments on here and Bionic Turtle forums, I was expecting an absolute beast of an exam…and to come out feeling horrendous.

Quite the opposite…I thought it was on a par with CFA1 and lacked any kind of real depth. Most calculation based questions were pretty simple and the answers to the qualitative questions just seemed ridiculously obvious for the vast majority.

Anyone care to share their thoughts? Any resiters who thought this exam was easier/tougher than last time?

Anyhoo…not trying to sound overly smug, just genuinely surprised by the apparent simplicity of the questions.

S666: congrats [on feeling good about the exam]! I know that feeling from the CFA level 1 exam but unfortunately not this time.

I also took the FRM level 1 exam this morning and passed CFA level 1 this past june. I thought this morning’s exam was hard - very hard actually. For some reason, I was short on time. I finished my first pass of the exam w/ only 30-minutes left and 9-questions skipped! So I felt pressured for time which adversely affected my focus on the exam. To put that in perspective re the CFA level 1 exam, I finished both of those 3-hour parts in 2-hours w/ no skipped questions and had plenty of time to review.

For more info re my study prep, I used schweser exclusively for both exams and downloaded old exams for extra practice. On the practice exams, I averaged 57.5-62.5% for the FRM (and 67.5-72.5% for the CFA). Note that there was WAY more CFA practice material so its range is more accurate, and I finished the FRM practice exams almost two weeks ago so I suspect that range would be a bit higher.

Also on the FRM level 1 exam - my approach was thrown off a bit because of the way you change your answers (having to write in the letter to the right, and not having an eraser). This led me to skip questions instead of marking best guesses, hence the 9-skipped questions.

In short, I think I failed w/ a Q3-Q2-Q2-Q3 score. Not too happy but it is what it is - definitely learned a lot and at least I don’t have to continue studying!

When will results be emailed?

i think mine came out jan 3rd or 4th and i wrote it nov 15

A LOT of trick questions… Anyone who thought it was easy should have looked it over at least twice!!! Tough test!

I am glad to hear this and it’s not a surprise coming from you. You did a great job asking for help and were right on top of your studies. Good work S666.

Exam was easy for many. Due to time scarcity, my preparation was little shorter than required to clear this exam.

BT was a bad idea for this exam only Schweser was enough to clear this. BT practice questions of 2 notch or one notch higher difficulty level was not right method those who took in slogging days. BT question should be taken by those who are done with Schweser. Just to have more comfort. Those who want to prepare for worst of the worst should take BT questions otherwise BT is not required at all. BT focus review videos I will rank “A”.

Those who all are repeating same sentence from decades that “Schweser gives false sense of security” are 100% wrong. Guys who all are preparing from Schweser don’t believe this and go ahead with complete faith because there is no book which I have read has such a great articulation or presentation. This should be simple to understand.

All the best for who all are expecting favorable results and to those also who all are preparing with Schweser.

I’ve heard this said after the CFA level 1, CFA level 2 and now FRM part 1…I’m sorry I’m just not buying it. If you don’t have a deep grasp of the material I can see how a slightly more difficult question can seem like a “trick”…but it’s only a “trick” if you don’t know the answer/calculation method. I believe those who find trick after trick in these questions, really just don’t know the material very well.

I sure as hell didn’t see any “tricks” really throughout any of the CFA and FRM exams I’ve taken so far…I don’t mean to sound like a d!ck, but honestly I hate reading posts about “tricks”.

Cheers mate, much appreciated and thanks for taking the time to answer my questions on pm…definitely helped me gauge my study and where to concentrate etc.

I also took the FRM I for the first time. I did not think it was hard. The qualitative questions were a give away if you knew your stuff- Not too confusing but it just required that you know properties of certain processes and concepts.

Calculations also not too difficult. What was a pain was having to read through the long nonsensical dialogue in an attempt to make the problems feel realistic. So for me, the timing was of concern. I had to guess on 10 questions, but i felt i completed at least 75 of them correctly. (by that my calculations ended up as an choice on the question. Not extremely hard but not easy at all.

feel same here, the exam was much more simple than I expected. I also heard that Schweser Note do not covered everything. But from my experience with this Part I exam, the Schweser Note is totally enough.

What really troubles me is their exam policy. Why is eraser not allowed? It’s so uncomfortable when you want to correct something. Not only correcting the answer sheet, but also revising the draft of a calculation is so painful.

Hi S666,

The quantitative questions in exam were not more than 45 If I am not wrong… I think GARP is shifting the pattern towards more on subjective or qualitative questions. I mean they want to test understanding of person in theories than in calculations.

Whats your opinion?

Hello, I don’t feel so good, I’ve passed CFA level 2 in June, but this time I found the questions in exams were not correlated with my revision. The exercices I did are easier than those in exam. I can make sure only 60 questions correct, but my result for tranning was between 80-90/100.

As for me, little chance to pass this time…

I also don’t feel good. I was only able to complete 75% of exam rest all are wild guess.

I don’t like their policy of not allowing Wrist Watches!!, but I can’t do nothing.

But overall I love the content that FRM provide, though I didn’t got time to prepared well the Fourth Book especially on topics like VAR frown but given the time constraint, I gain something.

Let see what will happen on 5th Jan?

One Question I want to ask all member

is it feasible to give FRM part 1 this May as I have CFA level 2 exam on 4th June and I will start my preparation for CFA from Next Saturday onwards???

Although I wouldn’t recommend it, it is doable. You’ve already seen the FRM material and there is significant overlap with CFA L2 and, as you will see, there is also some overlap with CFA L3 material.

Start studying for CFA L3 and then think about FRM once you’ve received your exam results.

@Dhruv,

1What do you mean you completed?How many answers you think should approximately be correct?

If your estimate score is more than 60% excluding wild guesses,I believe you won’t need to take the exam again.

2.CFA Level II and FRM 1 are doable.But not recommended,unless you have any compelling reason to do so.

You can take FRM in November next.With CFA II,you don’t have the choice.

The million dollor question:

What will be the pass cut off of FRM Part 1 exam of Nov 21, 2015? Any guess?

Dhruv: I’m in the same boat and will take the CFA L2 in june and FRM - either L2 or both - next november depending on the recent results. I don’t want to jeopardize the CFA prep time because it’s a once-a-year exam. Good luck.

for me, Exam was really hard. I finished 90 Qs

I guessed 10 blindly in last minute.

All comments about FRM Nov exam are either considering it as a hard exam or a easy exam.

Nothing to do now except waiting for 5th Jan

Hi all - the exam results have been updated on the garp.org website - good luck!

As for me, I’m relieved to have passed!

Note that the analysis / breakdown is not available yet.