So we are really coming down to the wire. I am just curious as to what everyone’s final 48 hour plan is going to be? o I have a print out that I made that lists the names of about 50 formulas and ratios that I have a much harder time committing to memory than easier things like HPY, Variance etc, and I plan to filling it out from memory at least six times a day today and tomorrow just to stuff those last minute things into my brain. o I have another list I made of the major differences between IFRS and GAAP standards. As an aside, I absolutely hate the fact that I am forced to basically memorize a list of accounting differences. I personally don’t think it says a thing about my understanding of analysis and I promise I will immediately forget it. And when the day comes that I actually need to know it for my work, I will simply look it up. My plan is to spend as much time as possible with these two, reread a few sections of the Schweser Secret Sauce and do some random questions in testable sections that I am not 100% comfortable with. I am done taking finals as I don’t think they are an efficient use of time with two days left. Aside from that I am going to try to get two good nights of sleep, lay off the alcohol, get some exercise and get my head together. I’m just getting excited to get in there and see what the CFAI decides to throw at us. What’'s everyone else’s plan?
Good game plan…I feel good about formulas. I have narrowed down 200 questions from elan, cfai and schweser mocks. These questions I had to pause and think and sometimes guess at. After that going through the 11th hour as many times and my own crib Notes on each reading. I am going hard till friday night 11…going to fall asleep to IFRS v GAAP. On the morning I am going through 60 questions out of my 200. To hammer out all my weak areas. Also listening to a lot of pump me up music and movie clips. Rocky 4 - Siberia training session…7 minutes of gold!
Reviewing my ethics notes and all ethics questions from my various 4 mocks and prep course material tonight. Tomorrow I will do a 3/4 day review on FSA, and then look at some macro stuff on Econ. Friday I will be simply looking over mock’s which I’ve already done well on, and dedicated time to understanding problems I got wrong. Once thats done I will be flipping through Schweser Secret Sauce as a final 1 over of all the major stuff. At this point, all the heavy lifting is done we just need to execute. Im taking an hour to prepare lunch, food, clothes, and everything I need for the exam then getting a good night sleep. Going to get up early (probably not by choice) and get a good breakfast with lots of fruit and juices. How about you guys?
One trend I am seeing is that it sounds like a lot of people plan to study all night long or wake up super early and review. Maybe I am just typecasting everyone as being the same as me, but I am going to be mentally drained by the time I get halfway through the afternoon session. I think cramming for a few hours in the morning or until late the night before would do me more harm than good.
Well cramming all night before the exam is definitely a bad idea, like I said in my previous post the heavy lifting is already done – or at least it should be. If its not, you are probably going to be unsuccessful. Reviewing material on Firday though should be on every candidates to-do list, don’t put your self through a painful 10 hour session, but do do something. Light review, keep ideas, concepts, knowledge, formulas and mnemonic tricks you may have fresh. Definitely get 8 hours sleep (I suggest going to sleep earlier than 8 hours before you have to wake up because anxiety will make it harder than normal to fall asleep). One more thing. Dress well going to the exam. I read this somewhere I think it was a Barry Saunders quote or at the very least some memorable sports figure of the 90’s you can now find on ESPN sporting a 3" collar with a power tie. “When you dress good, you feel good, when you feel good, you preform good, and when you preform good they pay good” Good luck to all over the next 48!
I think its whatever gives you confidence. I think most of us on this board are well prepared, as long we don’t over think things on the exam and go with what we know, we will pass. We have seen the CFAI mock, yes parts of it were difficult, but it was fair. So there will be some layups and some hard questions. Trust yourself. You will probably sit there and go “it cant be that easy” yes it can because you prepared. e.g actual < expected and they ask you what happens to Unemployment. We answer that in 5 seconds, to someone else that it might as well be a foreign language. For me, if I fail. I will wish I did a little big more, so I for my own psyche I will hammer till about 10 on Friday night. And wake up 7:30 am, get to the centre early and then do review in my car. Also do not try to eat anything different on the morning or day of the exam…if your diet is cheesburgers don’t try sushi, get my drift. Everyone has their own style. For dressing good, I love barry sanders - but I am going in something super comfortable.
I’m with you, that’s great advice. I am going to eat the same breakfast that I always do. Bring the same dirty ass pair of ear plugs to the testing center that I have been using for the last six months. Listen to the same music on my ipod on the way that the testing center that I have been studying to for the last few months. Eat the same breakfast and lunch as always. My routine has helped me do pretty well on the mock exams, there is no reason to change it now.
Yep…I might even eat a soggy subway cold cut trio for lunch. Save the other half for old time sake.
CRAMILICIOUS
I plan to curl up in a ball and contemplate why I dreamt I was being attacked by a platykurtic platypus. Despite the keeping the anxiety in check, I’m almost done reading the secret sauce and I’ll be reviewing the CFA and CFABS mock exams over the next two days. In addition, I’m posting questions on concepts I’ve been having trouble grasping. So, thanks to those of you that have been helping out.
Are the test centers usually kept fairly cold? Pgiger, that’s pretty funny. Makes me wonder if the shape was named after platypus.
they aren’t hot, i have one practice test left
Matt and Eastcoast You guys following your plan or did you change it up? I am still going with mine.
Still sticking to it, did a comprehensive ethics and GIPS review last night and did secret sauce reading and FRA tonight. Just going over some very testable topics right now in ARO’s, leases, amortizing interest on bonds, and various IFRS / GAAP similarities and differences. Will be lightly reviewing tomorrow again too. Still gunna look stuff over for 45 min tonight, then catch Obama on Larry King, thank you PVR.
Goodstuff. I was always feel more comfortable if I follow my plan and try to execute it. Best of luck,