Anyone *not* pay attention to LOSs?

Some people build their entire study regimen around the LOSs. For example, making flash cards with an LOS stated in the front. I haven’t paid attention to the LOSs in general since L1. If anything, I read it if the goal of the section is unclear to me. How do you utilize the LOSs in your studies?

I have also followed the same strategy for both L1 & L2. Never even bothered to read the LOS unless i needed some clarifications. I think last i referred to an LOS was for the Bootstrapping section at L1. Was thinking about following the same for L3 but now that you have asked the question, I am also thinking how important they really are… I always make my own notes, but the Flashcards sound like too much work…

i’m the opposite. i follow the LOS’s extremely closely. notecards i make for myself, but with the LOS either stated or kept closely in mind. this is why i use schweser as my primary read- keeps me focused. i begin this weekend. it’s going to be awesome. SS3/4, i’m coming at you baby.

I barely read the LOS’s for level one and two. Sometimes, like stated above if the section was large and/or confusing. As for flash cards, I made a ton for both levels. But its mostly things/questions/formulas i’ve gotten wrong or things that look like must knows. The flash cards are the only thing i look at the Friday before. 30 mins through the flash cards, then go to the beach/movies.

I haven’t paid much attention to the LOS’s yet either. My goal so far has just been to “know it all” which seemed to encompass the LOS. I haven’t been one to make/use notecards either, but I think I’ll at least attempt to this time around. Three more weeks of freedom for me…*sigh*.

Guys, I hate to rain on your parade, but the LOS statements are handy in level one and level two. I don’t recall a situation where if you could answer the LOS that i got caught on the exams not knowing some peripheral topics. However, last year I felt there were a few topics tested that I was not familiar with simply because I followed the same study routine I used with level 1 and level 2. I read the CFA readings first, then wrote note cards summarizing by LOSs based on the command words used. Last year, I can think of two specific examples in the morning session alone where either the command word did not suggest we needed to know the details (i.e. LOS said to describe a concept but we were asked to calculate a number based on the concept) or a concept that did not show up at all in the LOSs but was worth a decent amount on the exam. That said, I passed but I know I angry when I walked out of the exam because I figured I had screwed myself by focusing too much on the LOSs and ignored everything else. I think you should still focus on the LOSs but make sure you read the CFA texts to get the additional nuggets.

Personnaly,I scan and print in a little binder all the summary at the end of each study session of Schweser books and then during the last mo,nth of review, I complete these notes when I feel they are not enough (when doing exercises, or when some concept is too vaguely detailed…). it has worked pretty good for me since i got all the 3 level at first try… and I have studied alone, without any training.

LEARN EVERYTHING

I didn’t read any LOS outlines in L1 or L2 - just study everything in the Schweser books.

I didn’t read the LOS’s on my first pass of the material when i was making my notes and note cards. In my final review I used them as a check-list to ensure I’d grasped everything. But I think (at least for me) its best to learn everything within the context of the readings before narrowing your focus to the LOS’s.

I never read an LOS at any point during L1-L3. Relying on your interpretation of the LOS’s can lead to a false sense of security (like assuming ‘explain’ doesn’t include any calculations). I have always followed the “know everything” approach works best.

you guys all obviously study a lot more than i do. nerds.

being a nerd isn’t always a bad thing… as long as you’re a rich one.

In addition to studying for the CFA, we are also posting on an internet forum about studying for the CFA…

Hello Mister Walrus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In addition to studying for the CFA, we are also > posting on an internet forum about studying for > the CFA… LOL…Thanks for the reminder.

My 2 cents on the use of LOS is that they help in focusing you on what exactly you need to take away from the reading in the form of terms like “calculate” “describe” “list” “show” etc. So if the reading has a messy calculation in it, but the LOS only states “desribe”, you don’t really need to memorize the formula, just need to understand the process. But otherwise, “know everying” seems to be the right way to go.

bannisja Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > you guys all obviously study a lot more than i > do. > nerds. Takes one to know one, jerk :slight_smile:

I didn’t pay attention to the LOS until I started reviewing and then I went through them to make sure I was capable of doing what it asked for.

bannisja Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > i begin this weekend. it’s going to be awesome. > SS3/4, i’m coming at you baby. 3 is not bad, but 4 has lots of pages full of text. It is also the most important SS for the morning part of the exam, so don’t come too fast.

Sponge_Bob_CFA Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > bannisja Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > i begin this weekend. it’s going to be awesome. > > > SS3/4, i’m coming at you baby. > > 3 is not bad, but 4 has lots of pages full of > text. It is also the most important SS for the > morning part of the exam, so don’t come too fast. 4 is the important?