Hi everyone,
I’ve been eyeing the forum and never had a chance to contribute. Now I feel that I should share my experience with the future level II candidates as others (who had no obligation to share their experience with me) have shared with me before.
Background information: I am a 34 years old, a heavy drinker/smoker whose brain does not function as well as yours. Have had a full time job that required more than 60 hours a week that had nothing to do with finance or any part of the CFA program. Never got a chance to work in the related industry so the practical knowledge was close to zero. Went to a no-name Canadian university and even in that school I struggled to get an A in any course, so you can assume I have a below-average ability to get marks. Passed slightly above 90th percentile.
Method of study: Wiley Level II Silver package, CFAI EOCs
Duration of study: from January 1st to the exam date (new years resolution)
Disclosure: The below statements are my opinions subject to my experience. Cannot assume it applies to everyone.
I read the Wiley study guides first, and watched the videos at full attention. Here is my review for the CFA level II contents
Peter Olinto: The king of all instructors. He is the main reason why I chose Wiley. I passed the level I with Stalla (back in the days it was Stalla vs Schwerser) and I still think I could not have passed level I without Peter Olinto. A little older than before (running out of breath when he lectures) but he could still make the most boring topic interesting for us to learn. FRA and most of the equity sections were covered by him.
Basit Shajani: After Peter Olinto, this guy put me to sleep with his lectures. I still listen to Basit’s lectures to sleep. But remember, this man can teach. In some of the old videos that Basit recorded, he basically reads off the slides. But the ones that I believe he recorded recently, he became Neo in the Matrix. When you get to the economics and investment markets section, you will respect him as if he were the general of the army. I hope he gets rid of all the lectures that he basically read off the slides (he should know before anyone) and does all lectures from the basis of what he really is.
Darren Degraaf: Did not fully attend. I had a hard time engaging in his lectures and ended up studying the materials he taught myself. I tried to learn from him based on positive reviews on his fixed-income lectures but it just did not work for me (maybe just for me). I believe this man has a lot of room for improvement in terms of communicating with his ordinary clients (it just felt like he was paying to teach).
I decided not to go with Wiley for level III for reasons that I did not state above (MONEY and no Peter Olinto or Basit Shajani). But I need to say that Wiley CFA level II package was the key to my success in passing level II. If you are an average guy, who happens to choose Wiley as your third party prep provider, you can count on my word that at least in 2018, an average guy counted on Wiley study materials and ended up above the 90th percentile. Of course he busted his ass studying.