A letter I sent to CFAI President

jordanesque23 · August 13, 2015, 2:26pm

JuniorCk8:

CFAilure, and others who agree with him… here are parts of what i wrote in reply to another thread on AF, and i think some of it is applicable here…

i felt the same way last yr after failing Band 9. however, having spent another 7 grueling months studying and learning the material 10 times better than i did last yr, and fortunately passing, i no longer agree. there are many reasons why the CFAI will never do this, or even present it as a valid idea for them to discuss. 1) as much as it may help one “learn” from their mistakes, if you have learned anything from going through the prior Levels, the CFAI doesn’t want you to learn from your mistakes, they want you to KNOW the information inside and out, rather than “knowing the correct answer to a question.”… 3) the CFAI doesn’t want to teach you how to learn this material, or teach you how to study this material. some argue that the CFA Charter is the most prestigious accomplishment in the industry - it is for those who have the perseverance and acumen to learn, problem solve, and set themselves apart. the CFA program is not a “course,” where they want to teach you information and you to pass a test - giving out prior yr’s exams and your answer booklet, in order to give those an oppty to “learn from their mistakes” with only dilute the very prestige that most strive to attain by tackling the program (and won’t help much in the long run when pass rates remain the same but you need to score in the 80s to pass because the average Joe has a leg up on those who inherently have what is takes to pass).

failure is not an option, but considering your name on AF is CFAilure, i get the feeling you subconsciously are continuously setting yourself up for failure. if you, or anyone on here, tells themselves that you WILL NOT fail next yr, you won’t. come November, if every single day your goal is to know more than you did the day prior, and you are giving every ounce of your being to PASS this Level 3 exam, you will NOT fail. if you spend 5-6 months putting in the TIME but not the EFFORT , you will fail. Success is a mentality. Those who succeed do not make excuses or have a plan B. I told myself this was my last go at a CFA exam. By April, I was “ready” for the exam, but I spend the entire rest of that month and all of May putting in even MORE EFFORT because there was no way i was failing this thing. I even finished the PM session in 2 hrs…as others were leaving, I spent the last hr reviewing everything i did because THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS COMING BACK TO THAT TEST CENTER. So, quit all this BS, have that same mentality, and you will be a Charterholder a yr from now!

well said bruh.

dwheats · August 13, 2015, 2:31pm

Would you be writing this email if you passed? Probably not.

Audacious · August 13, 2015, 2:37pm

There’s hope

rossu12 · August 13, 2015, 2:41pm

Anyone knows if there is a way to block a particular thread from being displayed on the screen? I tried squinting, but my eyes are tired…

bertran75 · August 13, 2015, 2:45pm

JuniorCk8:

CFAilure, and others who agree with him… here are parts of what i wrote in reply to another thread on AF, and i think some of it is applicable here…

i felt the same way last yr after failing Band 9. however, having spent another 7 grueling months studying and learning the material 10 times better than i did last yr, and fortunately passing, i no longer agree. there are many reasons why the CFAI will never do this, or even present it as a valid idea for them to discuss. 1) as much as it may help one “learn” from their mistakes, if you have learned anything from going through the prior Levels, the CFAI doesn’t want you to learn from your mistakes, they want you to KNOW the information inside and out, rather than “knowing the correct answer to a question.”… 3) the CFAI doesn’t want to teach you how to learn this material, or teach you how to study this material. some argue that the CFA Charter is the most prestigious accomplishment in the industry - it is for those who have the perseverance and acumen to learn, problem solve, and set themselves apart. the CFA program is not a “course,” where they want to teach you information and you to pass a test - giving out prior yr’s exams and your answer booklet, in order to give those an oppty to “learn from their mistakes” with only dilute the very prestige that most strive to attain by tackling the program (and won’t help much in the long run when pass rates remain the same but you need to score in the 80s to pass because the average Joe has a leg up on those who inherently have what is takes to pass).

failure is not an option, but considering your name on AF is CFAilure, i get the feeling you subconsciously are continuously setting yourself up for failure. if you, or anyone on here, tells themselves that you WILL NOT fail next yr, you won’t. come November, if every single day your goal is to know more than you did the day prior, and you are giving every ounce of your being to PASS this Level 3 exam, you will NOT fail. if you spend 5-6 months putting in the TIME but not the EFFORT , you will fail. Success is a mentality. Those who succeed do not make excuses or have a plan B. I told myself this was my last go at a CFA exam. By April, I was “ready” for the exam, but I spend the entire rest of that month and all of May putting in even MORE EFFORT because there was no way i was failing this thing. I even finished the PM session in 2 hrs…as others were leaving, I spent the last hr reviewing everything i did because THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS COMING BACK TO THAT TEST CENTER. So, quit all this BS, have that same mentality, and you will be a Charterholder a yr from now!

JuniorCk8:

How about my case: I Failed 2014 Level 3 exam with the same band as you, 9. This year, I

took 5 months off from work, so I can concentrate on my studying for the exam.
took the Schweser weekly seminar
Went over the material at least twice, some parts I re-read 7-8 times.
Did all previous CFA Level 3 tests twice.
I also did about 90% of the sample tests that were available on the CFA website.
I did most of the practice questions from the Schweser 3 day seminar.
I did some of questions from the CFA books

Then I took the exam and felt very confident about the AM session (which i fully completed) and was more worried about the afternoon session. Well I still got a FAIL result with a band of 6, which really surprised me, because i scored pretty well on the PM and completely failed the AM (164 point were below 50% and 16 point were 50%-70%). Does this make sense? Do you call this a bad luck?

CFAilure · August 13, 2015, 2:46pm

No hiding from the truth

Audacious · August 13, 2015, 2:48pm

hei.so · August 13, 2015, 3:14pm

Too late for that now. He spent 10 years on it.

CFAilure · August 13, 2015, 3:30pm

Poor me (whining)… Poor, poor me…

banjo711 · August 13, 2015, 3:31pm

Apologies if something like this has been said already, but how bout changing from CFAilure to CFAccomplish…or something of that sort. Might as well try get some karma on your side right?

itera · August 13, 2015, 3:32pm

oh look, he finally got it. alrite we’re good, move along everyone, move along

Topperharley · August 13, 2015, 3:33pm

I failed band 10 and I’m still in the defending CFAI camp. Everyone who takes the exam knows what they’re getting into (or should). If you can’t come up with a good enough study plan and then execute on test day…then you don’t deserve to pass. Simple as that.

CFAilure · August 13, 2015, 3:36pm

(Jumping back) No way!

CFAilure · August 13, 2015, 3:39pm

Logging off for a couple of hours and will be back soon to reply to everyone in details… just be strong

Cory688 · August 13, 2015, 4:02pm

Would_You_Look_at_Th:

Open any of your CFAI issued books to the text immediately following the table of contents to the section titled “How to Use the CFA Program Curriculum.” Read it. Then read it again. That tells you just about everything you need to know, including how many hours SUCCESSFUL candidates report they put into preparation. This is found in the DESIGNING YOUR PERSONAL STUDY PROGRAM section. There it states “Successful candidates report an average of more than 300 hours preparing for each exam. YOUR PREPARATION TIME WILL VARY BASED ON YOUR PRIOR EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. […] So, a good plan is to devote 15-20 hours per week for 18 weeks to study the material. Use the final four to six weeks for review.” You’re such a **** child. Get over it. You probably sucked on your mom’s *** through high school. You need CFAI to tell you to study full time for 450-500 hours? What a **** joke… The number of hours thing is a crock of *** to begin with. CFAI gives you a curriculum, they tell you the main points that can be tested, and you are expected to know the CBOK. You study as long as it takes to be able to understand the material. End of story.

Notice how CFAilure didn’t respond to this. He/she is trolling and just wants to upset people.

Audacious · August 13, 2015, 4:05pm

Behold the Tsar of Perseverance

An army of Charterholders are struggling in defeating the wounded warrior

CFAilure · August 13, 2015, 4:07pm

Cory688:

Would_You_Look_at_Th:

Open any of your CFAI issued books to the text immediately following the table of contents to the section titled “How to Use the CFA Program Curriculum.” Read it. Then read it again. That tells you just about everything you need to know, including how many hours SUCCESSFUL candidates report they put into preparation. This is found in the DESIGNING YOUR PERSONAL STUDY PROGRAM section. There it states “Successful candidates report an average of more than 300 hours preparing for each exam. YOUR PREPARATION TIME WILL VARY BASED ON YOUR PRIOR EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. […] So, a good plan is to devote 15-20 hours per week for 18 weeks to study the material. Use the final four to six weeks for review.” You’re such a **** child. Get over it. You probably sucked on your mom’s *** through high school. You need CFAI to tell you to study full time for 450-500 hours? What a **** joke… The number of hours thing is a crock of *** to begin with. CFAI gives you a curriculum, they tell you the main points that can be tested, and you are expected to know the CBOK. You study as long as it takes to be able to understand the material. End of story.

Notice how CFAilure didn’t respond to this. He/she is trolling and just wants to upset people.

I am on cellphone and there is no mobile version of af. Be patient, respond to all of you

CubsFanCPA · August 13, 2015, 4:15pm

CFAilure:

Cory688:

Would_You_Look_at_Th:

Open any of your CFAI issued books to the text immediately following the table of contents to the section titled “How to Use the CFA Program Curriculum.” Read it. Then read it again. That tells you just about everything you need to know, including how many hours SUCCESSFUL candidates report they put into preparation. This is found in the DESIGNING YOUR PERSONAL STUDY PROGRAM section. There it states “Successful candidates report an average of more than 300 hours preparing for each exam. YOUR PREPARATION TIME WILL VARY BASED ON YOUR PRIOR EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. […] So, a good plan is to devote 15-20 hours per week for 18 weeks to study the material. Use the final four to six weeks for review.” You’re such a **** child. Get over it. You probably sucked on your mom’s *** through high school. You need CFAI to tell you to study full time for 450-500 hours? What a **** joke… The number of hours thing is a crock of *** to begin with. CFAI gives you a curriculum, they tell you the main points that can be tested, and you are expected to know the CBOK. You study as long as it takes to be able to understand the material. End of story.

Notice how CFAilure didn’t respond to this. He/she is trolling and just wants to upset people.

I am on cellphone and there is no mobile version of af. Be patient, respond to all of you

Or mine? He/she only responds to the people who respond emotionally and not to the people bringing up facts that completely counter what he/she’s arguing.

pokhim · August 13, 2015, 4:17pm

LET. IT. GO

CFAilure · August 13, 2015, 4:38pm

CubsFanCPA:

CFAilure:

Cory688:

Would_You_Look_at_Th:

Open any of your CFAI issued books to the text immediately following the table of contents to the section titled “How to Use the CFA Program Curriculum.” Read it. Then read it again. That tells you just about everything you need to know, including how many hours SUCCESSFUL candidates report they put into preparation. This is found in the DESIGNING YOUR PERSONAL STUDY PROGRAM section. There it states “Successful candidates report an average of more than 300 hours preparing for each exam. YOUR PREPARATION TIME WILL VARY BASED ON YOUR PRIOR EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. […] So, a good plan is to devote 15-20 hours per week for 18 weeks to study the material. Use the final four to six weeks for review.” You’re such a **** child. Get over it. You probably sucked on your mom’s *** through high school. You need CFAI to tell you to study full time for 450-500 hours? What a **** joke… The number of hours thing is a crock of *** to begin with. CFAI gives you a curriculum, they tell you the main points that can be tested, and you are expected to know the CBOK. You study as long as it takes to be able to understand the material. End of story.

Notice how CFAilure didn’t respond to this. He/she is trolling and just wants to upset people.

I am on cellphone and there is no mobile version of af. Be patient, respond to all of you

Or mine? He/she only responds to the people who respond emotionally and not to the people bringing up facts that completely counter what he/she’s arguing.

You are the first in line to be responded.