My review is going pretty slowly this year, and I think I need to dedicate at least one more full weekend to reading Schweser/EOCs. That means the earliest I could take a practice test will be about 5/22. This is a lot later than I started testing for previous levels, but hopefully I can still squeeze in about three full practice exams before Jun5. Damn, this is going to be a rough four weeks. Anybody else still scrambling to finish the curriculum review?
I haven’t taken one yet… but that’s been my strategy all along. It’s risky but it’s paid off two times so far. I’m waiting until the week or two before to start knocking out practice and mock exams. This not only helps me to identify my weakest areas up until test day. But it also get’s me in “exam mode” so that my brain and body are used to the grueling 6 hour sit that’s about to happen under real conditions. So no, I don’t think its a huge deal. (at least not for me… but that’s how i learn and maybe not how you do)
everybody walks to their own beat y’know. Personally I have done 15 practice exams and both CFAI samples, but there’s nothing to say your strategy or mine is better.
I am with on this one. I haven’t taken any test yet and won’d be able to do so till the end of the month.
I am with you on this one. I haven’t taken any test yet and won’d be able to do so till the end of the month.
I haven’t taken a practice test yet either. I’m done with the readings and have been reviewing my notes over the past week. I will probably start taking tests this weekend though.
yeah, I guess we’ve just got to hope it all comes together in those last couple weeks. i’d just much rather go into the test feeling confident that I know the material (or at least did at one time) than that I know what the exam structure/timing/scoring considerations are. While being familiar with that stuff is probably good for an extra 5% or so, knowing the material seems more important.
Newsuper - 15 tests!! wow, that’s a ton. you must be going for the first perfect score!
I took one last June…
jankynoname Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Newsuper - 15 tests!! wow, that’s a ton. you must > be going for the first perfect score! ha! i wish! My results have been very very ordinary and I’m concerned I might slip below the bar on exam day. For some reason I’m struggling through LIII more than the other two.
My initial plan was to do tests starting 5/22, but heard from other experienced L3ers that it’s a very very very risky strategy. So I am starting from today.
^ Good idea. Its better to find our your weak spots early than to find out a week before that you don’t know nearly as much as you thought you did!
If you have limited time you should focus on CFAI mock and sample exams IMHO. As a retaker, I am only taking CFAI practice and sample exams and then working through past CFAI exams. Skipping Schweser this year. I can assure you that CFAI sample and mock is closest to the real thing. And don’t forget end of chapter questions from CFAI readings. Some of them appear to be from actual exam.
CF_AHHHHHHHHH Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I haven’t taken one yet… but that’s been my > strategy all along. It’s risky but it’s paid off > two times so far. > > I’m waiting until the week or two before to start > knocking out practice and mock exams. This not > only helps me to identify my weakest areas up > until test day. But it also get’s me in “exam > mode” so that my brain and body are used to the > grueling 6 hour sit that’s about to happen under > real conditions. > > So no, I don’t think its a huge deal. (at least > not for me… but that’s how i learn and maybe not > how you do) Me too, I’m taking some time off from work and am just going to knock out like 8 practice exams in a row leading up to the test, it’s the best way to get you mentally and physically prepared
jankynoname Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > yeah, I guess we’ve just got to hope it all comes > together in those last couple weeks. i’d just > much rather go into the test feeling confident > that I know the material (or at least did at one > time) than that I know what the exam > structure/timing/scoring considerations are. > While being familiar with that stuff is probably > good for an extra 5% or so, knowing the material > seems more important. The exam structure, timing, and (for the most part) scoring have been known since before we passed Level II. I take the practice exams to 1) see where my weak areas are and 2) to know what exactly is considered “testable” material. It’s my feeling that if something doesn’t show up on any of the six Schweser exams, CFA sample, CFA mock, two old CFA afternoon session mocks, and three old CFA morning session mocks, than I can safely rule that out of my “focus areas”. Without taking tests, you’re not gonna know what’s actually going to be tested, and seeing as how passing the test is the name of the game, I consider that to be a MASSIVE mistake. Also, the “point” (for me, anyhow) when taking the tests is to understand why I got wrong what I got wrong and to review those sections so I don’t make the same mistake twice - how are you possible going to do that with so little time? Anyways, more than one way to skin a cat, so good luck to all; that being said, if any of you who are planning to wait are on the fence about your strategy, consider this one vote for “take a test immediately to see where you stand”. Again, good luck. All right, enough procrastinating, time to get to Schweser Volume 1, Exam 3, AM.
Yeah, that makes sense. There’s pretty much no way I’ll get through all 10 exams you referenced, but maybe the sample, mock and a couple Schwesers. The reason I liked the Schweser exams (at least at level II) was that they do a better job of explaining the correct and incorrect answers. The tests the CFAI puts out usually seems to omit an explanation of why incorrect answers are wrong. But yeah, maybe I’ll try to squeeze in a morning exam this weekend just to see how things are coming together. Thanks everyone!
I’m still reading the summaries and won’t be able to get to any practice test until May 24th. Hopefully I could do 6 tests in total before exam. Hopefully this would work for me, at least it worked for level 1 and 2.
Sponge_Bob: funny, I took that same “practice test” last June : )
p.s. If you haven’t done a practice IPS yet from a real CFA exam, then you’ve waited too long (my opinion). It’s too many points on June 5th & there’s no way to learn them except by doing a bunch. Also for IPS, the Schweser ones aren’t a good substitute for the past CFA exams (again, my opinion). Take it from this guy who failed last year.