As this was the 6th time (or 5th I don’t know… too bad CFAI website doesn’t show how many times I took this thing), I had by far the most relaxing experience taking the exam… slept as normal the night before, went to the exam alert, left both sessions at least 60 minutes early!! For the first time, I was answering questions by instinct and looking at the overall picture, as it was the only picture I could look at. Went home just like any other day!
You see this time, due to other things going on, I didn’t read anything, zero, nothing, nada…I thought I may have some time on Friday to go over one mock, but that didn’t happen, so I was taking the exam based 100% on last year’s review! There was no way to recall any formula, even simple ones, so I wasn’t even trying to recall anything… only tried to see what they are asking and relied completely on knowledge, experience, and common sense. The amazing thing is that I saw answers to questions I would have had a hard time figuring out if I had been “prepared”! Never gave any quesion more than a minute to answer, no matter how long and winding it may have been.
I think my score will be similiar to previous times. That’s truly amazing.
I doubt I would have passed any of the levels if I had to come back just one month later and take it again with no additional review. Other things going on…every day for a year?
I agree it’s doubful one can pass with no current preparation. But if I do pass, it would be a game changer, for me at least. I feel I did just like on any previous time.
ok, so as I said with zero preparation (as in not even knowing where my books were), with a pleasant exam experience, leaving sessions 60 minutes early!, having taken the exam I think for the 5th or 6th time, and expecting similiar scores as in previous times, I got the result finally! And it’s band 6! Wow, that was quite an achievement.
If I decide to take it again, I know for sure that I will not have any time (or motivation) to study again. I will just do it like this time and hope that works. The only one in which I scored less than 50 was Corp Fin., even though it’s an easy topic for me. On the other hand, I scored more than 70 on PM, which is bizarre, because that’s by far my weakest subject. In Econ I got more than 70, I accept that…also I accept all the other topics scores. GLTA.
Money is not the problem. de-motivated? Yes, but in a different way, as I no longer belief I should get the charter, which has been a mere hobby for me, as mentioned before. I am in IT and no chance in hell I would get half of my current salary no matter where I take my CFA charter. However, I like econ and finance, I write about them and do some consulting and training in these areas, so having the CFA charter does help. Down? No. I learned quite a lot through this program, which is something I would not have achieved without forcing myself to learn in this way.
I congratulate you for trying your best and giving your all! it’s good to hear that you have learned from the program and doing it as a hobby.
Since you are doing it as a hobby, i’ve got an idea, you should get your hands on L3 books and read them! That may motivate you to go back to the program or not, but at least you will learn something new!
Change it up a bit and see what your passion lies.
I’m really baffled by this, it doesn’t even sound like you are all that keen on passing, then why waste the money. It’s thousands of dollars down the drain, not to mention wasting a lot of precious Saturdays. You can invest those thousands of dollars, or go on many vacations, or buy your family gifts! Or do you just go in the exam hoping that luck is on your side this time because you’ve sacrificed a lot of money to the CFA god?
