I want to know how everyone is doing, how far along are you, are you ahead-of/behind/on schedule. This would be a good opportunity for us to gauge our progress and motivate each other. I just finished SS5, so I am 2/3 of the way through econ. I’m reading the CFAI books since they are much clearer than the Schweser notes for me and I can understand the concepts quicker. My goal was to be done with Econ by Feb 1, so I doubt that I will hit that mark, but we’ll see! I know that for me, seeing all of the results for the Dec 09 takers has really given me a burst of desire to bust my hump and PASS THIS THING!
I have read Ethics once, quickly though. I will be finishing Econ tonight and moving to Quant tomorrow. I am going back and fourth between CFA books and Elan Guides mainly. I like the CFA books the best but with time constraints the Elan Guides are proving to be very good too.
I hear you about the time constraint. I have been struggling with this too (going back and forth between CFAI and Schweser) but in the end it’s how well you KNOW the material, not how fast you get through the material. I’ll sacrifice a week of review for having understood all of the material as I am going through it. Then I’ll only have to review instead of review/learn parts I skimmed or the notes didn’t hit too well.
I have finished Ethics, Quant and will finish Econ this weekend. I am mainly using Schweser and Qbank to reinforce the concepts. For FSA, I’ll probably use CFAI, as accounting is a real weak point for me.
I am a bit behind my own schedule, but making decent progress. I have completed both quant study sessions and am 80% way through FSA. Next up is Econ. I am holding off Ethics until last, so that it is super-fresh on exam day. I hope to be done with all my reading, note-taking by May 1, so I can focus on mock exams and Qbank. I am also keeping track of my weak areas, which include BEY, Hypo Testing and Direct Cash Flow (Schweser did lousy job explaining this and LOS was vague - do we have to calculate a Direct CFO?). Congrats to all those who recently passed the Dec L1 exam. I envy you.
I actually started reading SS11 which is CF and SS12 which is PM, then now I’m starting SS2 for Quant. I’ve been hoping around a little but I decided to stop doing that and stick to the study sessions in order. I’ve purposely skipped SS1 ethics, because I hate ethics! I don’t hate CFA’s purpose of having us study ethics, I just hate memorizing and applying ethics to questions. It’s not my strong point. I know I probably should stick to studying ethics first and keep coming back to it as I study other study sessions, but it just doesn’t give me a good feeling like reading the other topics in the CFA 
Hello! I’ve read through Ethics once, completed CFA text and questions for Quant and will finish Econ by Feb. 1st. I’m using CFA texts primarily and Elan notes, questions and lectures as re-enforcements and practice. I plan on following the Elan schedule and will have 4-6 weeks for mock exams and practice questions. The amount of information already feels overwhelming; especially with the 34% pass rate on the Dec. 09 exam!! Cheers!
Horse Girl Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hello! I’ve read through Ethics once, completed > CFA text and questions for Quant and will finish > Econ by Feb. 1st. I’m using CFA texts primarily > and Elan notes, questions and lectures as > re-enforcements and practice. I plan on > following the Elan schedule and will have 4-6 > weeks for mock exams and practice questions. > > The amount of information already feels > overwhelming; especially with the 34% pass rate on > the Dec. 09 exam!! > > Cheers! Wow that quite some material you covered. I had planned on completing Quant and Ethics by Feb 1st but am currently a little behind. I am done with Quant and will be half way done with Ethics by Feb 1st.
Reading the CFAI books in order… More than Halfway through FRA - I am about a week and a half behind (just got back from a 4 day bachelor party…accomplished nothing for the past week). JB
I am just into SS 3. This weekend I really want to get a lot of ground covered, and at a quicker rate. After seeing December’s results, I just got EXTREMELY motivated. I have been watching the videos from Schweser while taking notes. On topics that aren’t clear I go to the Schweser books to read more detail and get some practice problems. So far it seems to be working fairly well. I’m just going to continue moving through the videos, and expanding my knowledge on areas that I don’t fully understand. Do you guys think this is a legit way to cover the material?
my advise to you guys is … Solve all the CFAI EOC questions…not from an exam point of view, but your understanading point of view…esp in Fixed Income…the questions there are nice and make you think … Ethics comes only with practice…so solve as many questions as you can… Dont rely much on the Schweser CD, I felt the questions in it were way too simple… If possible get last year schweser and other materials and solve the ethics questions… If you cannot do the Practice Exams…make it a point you go through the questions from Ethics and FRA… I found ALternative Investments tough and irritating…esp the problems on Real Estate valuations… Study Portfolio mgmt from CFAI…studying from Schweser wont clear your concepts if you are from a anon finance background… Equity is not as simple as people think…some questions on Growth Stock/Compnay make you think… Derivatives is nice to study…but the options part needs to be studied in a bit more detail…which would clear your concepts Corporate Finance is fun to study…I enjoyed it…Only the Corporate Governance part was a bit confusing and required solving questions from Schweser CD Fixed Income was the best of the lot…The CFAI book written by Frank Fabozzi is awesome…he has explained it to the core and in a very simple language… Economics must be a calkwalk for Eco grads…and for ppl with a non Eco background, might have a good learning experience if you study from the CFAI book… FRA is big daddy of all, I would suggest read from CFAI book the first time and after that read it form Schweser…pratcice a lot of questions…CFAI EOC, schweser, schweser CD, pratice papers… and last but not the least…posts as many doubts as you can on the AF, and I bet it can be solved and debated within mminutes of your post… Good luck guys… Remember, the secret to passing L1 is being honest, disciplined with Schweser, CFAI books…and u can rest be assured to pass
varundarji Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > my advise to you guys is … > Solve all the CFAI EOC questions…not from an > exam point of view, but your understanading point > of view…esp in Fixed Income…the questions > there are nice and make you think … > > Ethics comes only with practice…so solve as > many questions as you can… > > Dont rely much on the Schweser CD, I felt the > questions in it were way too simple… > If possible get last year schweser and other > materials and solve the ethics questions… > If you cannot do the Practice Exams…make it a > point you go through the questions from Ethics and > FRA… > > I found ALternative Investments tough and > irritating…esp the problems on Real Estate > valuations… > > Study Portfolio mgmt from CFAI…studying from > Schweser wont clear your concepts if you are from > a anon finance background… > > Equity is not as simple as people think…some > questions on Growth Stock/Compnay make you > think… > > Derivatives is nice to study…but the options > part needs to be studied in a bit more > detail…which would clear your concepts > > > Corporate Finance is fun to study…I enjoyed > it…Only the Corporate Governance part was a bit > confusing and required solving questions from > Schweser CD > > Fixed Income was the best of the lot…The CFAI > book written by Frank Fabozzi is awesome…he has > explained it to the core and in a very simple > language… > > Economics must be a calkwalk for Eco grads…and > for ppl with a non Eco background, might have a > good learning experience if you study from the > CFAI book… > > FRA is big daddy of all, I would suggest read from > CFAI book the first time and after that read it > form Schweser…pratcice a lot of > questions…CFAI EOC, schweser, schweser CD, > pratice papers… > > > and last but not the least…posts as many doubts > as you can on the AF, and I bet it can be solved > and debated within mminutes of your post… > > Good luck guys… > Remember, the secret to passing L1 is being > honest, disciplined with Schweser, CFAI > books…and u can rest be assured to pass Thanks for the breakdown. I think I speak for most level I candidates when I say that this is the type of guidance we are looking for!
It sounds like all we need to do is read, read, and read. Then practice, practice, and practice. Are any of you using Qbank? I’m debating on buying it or not.
varundarji - Thanks for the great advice!! I think this forum will be an awesome tool for motivation and guidance.
varundarji - Thanks for the great advice! I think this forum will be an awesome place for motivation and guidance.
Great post varundarji. Can you also tell us your academic/work background so we know what to expect given our own individual profiles? I’m through Ethics (one thorough read plus questions from curriculum) and almost done with Econ (lecture videos, then study guide, then practice questions from the guide and curriculum, and then summaries from the curriculum). I am using elan guides for the readings and videos and I’m really happy with them so far. Saved a lot of money too so now I am thinking of investing in a question bank. Seems like kaplan’s qbank is the way to go. Anyone who doesn’t share that view??
SeeEfAye Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Great post varundarji. Can you also tell us your > academic/work background so we know what to expect > given our own individual profiles? > > I’m through Ethics (one thorough read plus > questions from curriculum) and almost done with > Econ (lecture videos, then study guide, then > practice questions from the guide and curriculum, > and then summaries from the curriculum). > > I am using elan guides for the readings and videos > and I’m really happy with them so far. Saved a lot > of money too so now I am thinking of investing in > a question bank. > > Seems like kaplan’s qbank is the way to go. Anyone > who doesn’t share that view?? I’m wondering if Qbank is worth it too…
I am using analystnotes question bank. They have 1000’s of questions, review material, but for a fraction of the cost. I have done a lot of prep questions through them thus far and really like it. It gives explanations for each answer, breaks down questions by sections etc.
I wonder if there’s anyone who has already passed level 1 that thought Qbank was helpful?
praj Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Horse Girl Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Hello! I’ve read through Ethics once, > completed > > CFA text and questions for Quant and will > finish > > Econ by Feb. 1st. I’m using CFA texts > primarily > > and Elan notes, questions and lectures as > > re-enforcements and practice. I plan on > > following the Elan schedule and will have 4-6 > > weeks for mock exams and practice questions. > > > > The amount of information already feels > > overwhelming; especially with the 34% pass rate > on > > the Dec. 09 exam!! > > > > Cheers! > > Wow that quite some material you covered. > > I had planned on completing Quant and Ethics by > Feb 1st but am currently a little behind. I am > done with Quant and will be half way done with > Ethics by Feb 1st. Hey praj , stop hitting on Horse Girl…jks I am done ethics,equity,AI and derivatives; I am thinking of leaving econ.,quant and corp.fin. for the month of May. In the meantime(feb,mar,apr) I will finish off FRA and FI. I am having serious trouble retaining ‘all’ that I have learnt so far. Its been all schweser notes and qbank so far. Question for the guys who passed dec 2009 : How were the exam questions in comparison to the EOC CFAI questions? Similar ? more difficult? easier(cant be!)