CFAI is in my head

Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts with test taking strategies as it relates to the “trick questions” - the questions which aren’t so much testing knowledge of formulas or conceptual relationships as they are being a good testtaker . Obviously these are a focus on the Ethics area but they do cut across all sections of the test. Sometimes I seem to overthink them and get them wrong although I think taking a dumbed down approach can cause one to miss correct answers too

Some general examples:

  • “guaranteed investment product” with life insurance guarantee - one’s first reaction is, "ahh, guarantee…that’s not allowed’. Then you think, well - there’s something different about this since it is supported by a life insurer’s guarantee and not a financial planner’s promise. Then you think, maybe the trick of the question is that the life insurer may have downgrade risk and could default.

  • An emerging market country’s president encourages jobs by encouraging the manufacture of hand tools (low tech), his finance minister encourages stimulating technology innovation (new growth theory). Which one increases labor demand? The answer is both but was the point of the question to differentiate between theories rather than interpret literal meaning and therefore the finance minister is the answer?

Any strategies that people are planning on using would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Good points, but be careful that thinking along these lines sometimes leads to the wrong answer as you tend to avoid the obvious answer :slight_smile: