Study process

So i was wondering how u guys tackled lvl2 exams, and by that i mean how many times have you gone through the readings, and when did you start solving qbanks and mocks. Also did you fast read the curriculum the first time or what’s your approach on that. So far i just finished FRA and i’m on full time job, so i was wondering what’s my best bet.

Thanks

I watched Wiley videos almost exclusively for L2, so can’t comment on the reading habits. I started mocks about 6 weeks before exam day, and ended up completing around 6 or 7 total. Qbank always worked great for me as daily/weekly quizzes on topics I’d already covered in order to continue reinforcing the material. So for example, if I had just finished FRA as you have, starting next week I’d make it a point to take an FRA qbank quiz twice a week between now and starting mocks. The benefit I’ve found with this approach is that when I started mock exams nothing really seemed like I hadn’t seen it for 4+ months.

Thanks a lot for your advice, and i’ll be doing as you said. But have you just watched the videos and never read the study notes? If so my whole life was a lie lol

For levels one and two I personally did not read any of Wiley’s or Kaplan’s printed material, though I sometimes did skim through some of the CFAI material to polish up on something that I felt the videos may have lacked. It worked really well for me, my mock exam performance was great going into the exam, my exam day performance was great… can’t complain. Of course what worked for me or someone else may not work for you… at the end of the day you need to emphasize learning the material and becoming comfortable answering the type of questions you can expect on exam day.

I’ll give my 2 cents.

The study method I used:

  • In general, read Schweser and complete the CFA EOC questions. There are two exceptions:

  • Ethics. Read this from the curriculum.

  • Various CFA EOC questions that require further research to understand.

  • Review prior reading’s CFA EOC questions AND related formulas on a daily basis. For me, I spent at least 30 minutes a day (longer on weekends).

  • Mocks

  • Start them early

  • Reviewing mocks is the most important part of this process. Not the scores and, to a lesser degree, not the number of mocks. (I completed all 6 provided by Schweser and the 1 provided by CFA institute. I won’t mention my scores, let’s just say I’m glad I ignored them).

Study wise, that’s it.

A few other small tips:

  • If you work full time, figure out if you like studying before or after work. For me, I prefer waking up early and studying while fresh.

  • Know the formulas.

  • Use and contribute to AF. It may take some of your time away from studying, but you’ll be surprised how much more you understand the subject when you are trying to answer questions on here.

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