Your opinion is needed.

I would like your opinion on studying for level 1. This is my situation. I do not have financial background. I’m working full time. I registered for the Dec. 5 exam. I have A LOT of time to study. That’s true. BUt I feel I’m not like some of the people on this forum. Some of you guys sound like you are very intelligent and passed the exam with about 5 months of studying. I want to be able to study more simply because I’m paranoid about this exam (pass levels of 35%!?!) This is my plan: Do one study session per week 18 weeks(I’ve already started that). That will end on June.8. Finish all Questions in the CFAI books from June to about July Review the Secret Sauce and Schweser Notes from July to August. Do Qbank and review SS and Notes periodically from August to November. What do you think? Did any of you study for this long? I know some of you are going to say that it’s over studying. But the pass rate would be higher if I was to do that…right?

In my opinion, it is too long. I failed once after studying for only 3 months but came very close. I passed in December and would highly suggest that you attempt June and worst case take it in Dec. It will set you up better for Level 2 if you pass this june. Get to it!

I think it is great. I couldn’t take the test in June (My wedding was the day of the exam). I started seriously in April and felt the test wasn’t that hard.

It’s a long ways away, just don’t get burnt out(sounds like you have a good plan so I don’t see that happening). It may be useful to sign up for a class in the fall. At that point you’ll have gone over all the material and the class will be a review, more or less.

Thanks for the fast reply guys! NorthernCFA, That was actually a concern of mine. When (if) I pass level 1, I will have only about 6 months to study for the next one. That might not be enough time. But then again, I need to pass my level 1 first. Danlieb, you studied since April and took the exam in June? In 3 months??? Are you kidding? Was that level 1 you’re taking about? Brianr, in terms of classes I think I might take one if I desperately need help. Right now, i have the CFA material, and I will most likely buy the essential solution package from Schweser, and I really don’t think I need more info than that. (Do you?)

AGL23 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks for the fast reply guys! > > Danlieb, you studied since April and took the exam > in June? In 3 months??? Are you kidding? Was > that level 1 you’re taking about? > No, my wedding was the same day as the June exam. I gave the CFAI Level I exam a good seven months.

Horrible plan. You take WAY too long for Level 1. Why? Because if you pass Level 1 in december (which you probably will) you will be screwed for Level 2 which is a bigger beast.

I would be wary of stretching out the study over that period of time. If you learn by doing something again an again it might have some merit but with so long between the first reading and the exam you will have to spend a whole lot of revising. If it was my plan I would be waiting a bit longer to get stuck into it. That said the time between now and then would be reading general finance whether it is in the papers or websites to help picking up the lessons when you do get stuck in.

If you want to take a lot of time, I’d do the following: -Spend three months on the CFA texts -Spend two months on the schweser/stalla notes -spend two months reviewing questions, doing practice problems. Thats seven months, which is a pretty serious amount of time. Any more, you’ll potentially burn out. This should give you plenty of time to learn everything, and be ready to write in December. Good luck!

Thanks for the replies. In terms of this being too long of a study period, I’m not really worried about that. I really don’t know how the feel is for the CFA exams, so I guess I should just give myself the most amount of time I need in order to succeed. But if I’m reading your comment correctly, then Level 2 is supposed to be a lot harder then 1. Well…what am i going to do? I guess I might try that in the June after dec. 2009. Honestly, I should even think of level 2 yet. aussie, honestly, I guess I should try different things to keep it interesting because it is a long time to study. sbmarti, I saw you suggestion, and that seems to be a simpler plan. “Keep it simple stupid”