watch videos first and then read notes or vice versa?

CFA Level II
#1

Hi,

Please suggest the best way to retain info of Level 2. Its a lot of material and I started in Feb. I don’t know which is effective way to retain info. Should I read study guide (IFT notes) and then watch IFT video or watch video first and then read notes? Writing down whatever is being said in the video is a painstaking task. I wonder if that’ll help in understanding or retaining info. Please advise.

Thanks.

#2

This is straight out of the class I am teaching.

Do the video first. Don’t take a lot of notes. Writing very extensive notes is a waste of time and can even interfere with actually learning the material.

Within about a day, do the reading. Do the EOC Problems that day or the next day.

Wait about a week and do some of the Practice Problems for that topic on the Institute’s site.

#3

Thank you MunicipalBob

#4

For Level 1, I just watched the videos and only refer to the notes for difficult topics only(which was very rare :p). I used to do the Qbank once i watched the video, i order to retain the concepts, and it helped. I plan to do the same with Level 2, lets see what unfolds :slight_smile:

#5

I do not use IFT, but Schweser. I have had very good results (for level 1 at least) by reading the material first and then using it on real world examples as much as possible. E.g. in the equity section value a real company (ideally one that you are interested in and/or familiar with) by using the different methods presented. It made it a lot easier for me to retain information by linking certain topic areas to companies I have studied in the past. But you should watch your progress closely, after all you want to finish the material more than you want to do real life examples.