Video + Practice Questions Study Strategy

Anyone studying for level 3 with mostly video (Wiley) + practice questions? I passed level 2 using this strategy and currently using the same strategy for level 3. I do make flash cards while completing practice problems/mock exams and found that to be helpful too.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.

Happy studying!

J

I would not ever advocate for a strategy like that but everyone learns differently. I don’t retain nearly as much via video than seeing words in a book. On a video, your mind can wonder for a few seconds here and there and miss something important. Whereas, in a book, you’re at least forced to see the words before moving on.

Don’t take this as personal but to me, sounds like you started studying late and are too lazy to catch up via reading. Take it as you will but be honest with yourself.

Thanks googs. I agree it’s better to read the materials. I was short on time last year but I also found that as long as I have a general idea of what the topics are about, I retain the material much better from doing mock exams. I probably did 6+ full mocks for level 2 along with all the vignettes on the cfa website.

Everybody has a different way of learning. You just need to find a way that works for you. If I ever suggested to anyone to study the way I studied in order to pass level 1 and 2, people here would be telling me that I’m trying to fail the poor guy. For both levels 1 and 2, I started 4 months prior to the exam, did just 2 readings of Kaplan Schweser notes and took just 2 weeks off from work before the exam. Did CFA mock test and some Qbank questions (not even all of them) and gave the exam. Luckily I passed both exams. However this is a highly risky method, but it works for me. Doing the same for L3. So forget what anyone says, do whatever sits comfortably with you. But just don’t sacrifice mocks and practice questions. That’s it. Good luck!!!

To help make your decision easier.

I’ve read all the schweser notes, did all the CFAI EOC questions, and almost done going through on-demand schweser notes, doing the weekly classes, and exam mentor session.

In my opinion in terms of content on-demand video is better because there were lot of things I wasn’t sure on or had wrong (didn’t know till I saw the video) and the video explained it and corrected it. Videos covered the notes just fine in my opinion, weekly classes go into more examples and application of the on-demand videos (75% repetitive feel).

Mentor session are priceless, this is the 1st year they are doing this so they say. But they literally go through CFAI exam questions and walk through what you should write to get full credit and detailed explanation. They actually do this for all the question back to 2010, which makes me really pumped to have access to that.

I’ve done the On-demand videos and read through the Schweser notes. I tend to find that the videos give me the bulk of my knowledge, the notes I can then read pretty quickly as I understand the main concepts. Obviously make notes along the way.

Reading just takes too long (you end up having to understand every sentence) without watching the videos first IMO.

Everyone is different, but videos for me certainly speed up learning time.

It may be mitigated by alternately reading and practicing. A layer of reading, then practicing and so on circularly. Soon you may expect significant increase in retention rate of read material. I have never used videos.

This is false, untrue. They do NOT do this for ALL questions back to 2010. I have done everything you have except more. I attend those mentor sessions and I’ll send anyone slides to prove they only go over ONE morning session question, with multiple parts. They do this every other Saturday and your time is better spent practicing on your own. It takes Mr Heatherington an HOUR to go through one question. 40 minutes of that time is him telling you to suck it up, be a big boy, CFAI doesn’t care what you think only what they think, focus on big picture or you’ll be crucified. For people needing a wake up call then go for it. I attend them simply because I paid for it and it’s still time spent looking at material. When he’s blabbering away I’m reviewing notes until the next question comes up. I cannot disagree more with your statement my friend. No offense. They have those videos but they are not in the exam.mentor bi weekly classes.

I agree the weekly classes are 75% repetitive, I use them to simply get older readings flowing through my head another time.

On demand videos are not a good replacement for the notes. They are a good SUPPLEMENT however. If you have a lot of industry experience then possibly but for someone new then good luck to you.

I used Kaplan for ALL levels and use ALL their products including Windsor Week. This is not knock on them. They do their job and what I pay them for; I pass the exams. I normally don’t rely solely on them though. I use many supplement material. For example in level III attended John Harris accounting workshop for FRA sections. This year I bought March Levelup package with videos and bootcamp. Of course I use the actual curriculum too.

If you’re short on time, the 11th hour guide by is a good resource to supplement your videos. I studied purely off that and went to study guides for examples and to clarify more difficult concepts. I didn’t like the videos at all as the pace was too slow at times (lots of filler words and useless “tips” that were basically common sense). But to each their own.

I wouldn’t consider that highly risky at all. 4 months of prep and 2 full readings of Kaplan notes is way more than enough. Anyone who thinks more than that is required is either failing or wasting their time (they could’ve passed with much less studying). This forum is full of people who failed and think the solution is to study more.

Two weeks off = 14 days x 12 hrs/day = 168 hours. For the 3.5 months before that, you only need ~1-2 hours/day to push your total up to 250-300 hours of studying. That is WAY WAY WAY more than enough. Anyone who is spending more than 300 hours to study is doing it wrong.

Yeah possibly. However I can assure you I didn’t study 250-300 hours. More like 150-170. I still think everybody has a different learning mechanism and should trust their own method. That’s why I find it kinda weird when people here as soon as they pass a level, start a thread on the next level as to how should they be studying. Just because Person X passed his exam because he studied 300 hours or used a certain book doesn’t mean you have to do that as well. Also I think CFA books are slightly overrated. I mean its obviously great if you can do it but it’s not absolutely necessary to pass the exam. I have always felt Schweser teaches you enough and their mock exams are more than enough to make you pass. You don’t even need to do all the blue boxes and EOC questions from the CFA text. Never touched the CFA books in my life.

My bad let me clarify, the other questions back to 2010 are pre-recorded under the last link on the bottom. That’s where you’ll find slides and videos going through the other questions. I’m not certain but I think that’s new for this year too.