Having been through 2 previous levels before it seems like you have a good idea of what it takes to pass the levels. Was Level 3 more of a curveball and tough material or do you feel that your non-pass is more attributable to things out of your control ( family, illness, job, free time available, the list goes on…)? If it was both, which way was the tilt? I failed Level 2 once and seriously gave it all I had the first time around. However, when test day came I rushed through it and was hungry and not 100% in the best test taking mode. I also read 100% Schweser and only thumbed through CFAI texts the last week (got extremely nervous at specific EOC questions that I could not answer and that Schweser did not mention). When I passed L2 I had as good of a test taking environment as possible and felt somewhat confident the entire process. I also had studied more than I had for the first time around so if I failed I had no excuse. In fact, I said I would quit if I failed because I couldnt have felt better about preparation and test day. Sorry to bring up the fail as I know how that feels, but this go around I am focusing much more on the CFAI text than Schweser and putting in more time on L3 than the first time I wrote L2. Any insight is appreciated.
Not a second-timer but I’m a fan of using the CFAI materials rather than third-party materials if you can help it. That way if those rat bastards at the CFAI test you on some nit-picky details at least you’ll probably have seen them before.
second timer. i was close to passing using CFAI and schweser tests. I just didn’t put in the required number of hours and wasted time on a hard question most people intelligently skipped. it doesn’t matter if you get 100% on one question if you get 60% on the others since you wasted too much time on the one question… so I am going to be smarter about the test. I missed easy points in the AM by not leaving myself enough time and realized I’d left two parts blank in the last 30 seconds of the exam so just scribbled something. I think my prep strategy was good, it’s just that I didn’t get busy until too late in the game.
I’m with DD. I was confident in my abilities to pass this test, and knew the information pretty well, but when it came time to taking the test, I fell through on time management. Spent too much time on questions and wound up missing some easy points at the end of the AM session. I used Schweser only, so my strategy this time around is to definitely incorporate the text.
I read the texts last time and used Schweser also. I think one mistake I made was not picking one or the other. This is my plan this time: CFAI only for individual and institutional IPS and, of course, ethics. Schweser only for the rest, plus EOC questions. I also need to do two more things this time around: 1) spend more time with old a.m. questions. I think I was too cavalier about my answers in my practice sessions. “That is close enough” or “That is what I meant” will not work. 2) More q bank and other MC questions. Where many passers were able to make up for a.m. mistakes by acing the p.m., I got smoked in the p.m. That will not happen this time. At first 2 levels I did tons of qbank questions. At L3, I didn’t do any. I paid for it. Remember, MC is still 50% of the exam.
Went 3/3 with nothing but Schweser. You don’t need anything more. If you actually KNOW the Schweser material inside and out, failure is impossible.
^ Sounds like big Schweser promoter. If you comprehend any third-party or CFAI materials inside and out, you probably won’t fail. (I wouldn’t say ‘impossible’. Word is too strong for me) 
I am also a big fan of CFAI materials. It maybe verbose sometimes but you get more in-dept understanding of materials. Unless you have little time, I would use CFAI and use Schweser as supplement.
agreed with above, I didn’t do any qbank or anything like that and did well on the pm just from CFAI material and old practice exams…
lack of the word “impossible” happens in the dictionary of fools and heroes.
I am a second timer, studied only CFAI text and did all Q at the back of chapters. Just did not plan well to revise before the exam so could not make it through. In fact, I enjoy reading line by line (and between the lines) on the CFAI text. I am confident that just by reading CFAI I can pass this time, just have to organize well. Yes, no harm in solving questions and exams from Schweser if possible.
Like many here I am a big fan of the CFAI texts. They are comprehensive and the questions at the end of the chapters are much better than you will find at the end of Schweser notes (in my opinion!). I also think the Schweser notes are waaaay overpriced especially when CFAI sends you their books as part of the price of admission. I believe Schweser notes grew out of the time when CFAI used to just give you a reading list of about 10 or so very expensive and chunky textbooks that could be very difficult to read. Now that CFAI collects all the readings for you in six slim books I think Schweser notes are now redundant. Again, this is my opinion and you should use the study method that works best for you.
hmmm, thus far I’ve been using Schweser books hard core, because I found them to be much simpler & more efficient to plow through… and I used the CFAI for the questions in the back… Dont think I would ever be able to read through the bulky CFAI curriculum even if I wanted to. Reading this forum makes me think twice though… failed level II the first time (really bad day after a nerve wrecking sleepless night, passed the second time). This will be my first L3 exam
I totally lose in the morning, bad timing and leaving lot of questions blank. I only use Schweser and think it is enough for you to pass, but not a safe pass. I will read the text book for next year, and focus on Individual and Institution questions for AM.