Chins up: second timers - L2 2009

June 09 will be my 3rd time sitting for LII. After flying through LI and having very few academic failures (in fact none), THIS REALLY SUCKS!!! The first time around I only used Schweser, the second time around, I used only CFAI. I think my problem is not the material, but knowing how to take the exam properly (test taking skills). So more focus on actual questions and learning how to answer questions rather than trying to memorize every stupid formula. So for those who are in the same boat, hopefully 3rd time’s the charm. Good luck to all, and hope to interact more as we get closer to the judgement day.

ylager Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > June 09 will be my 3rd time sitting for LII. > After flying through LI and having very few > academic failures (in fact none), THIS REALLY > SUCKS!!! The first time around I only used > Schweser, the second time around, I used only > CFAI. I think my problem is not the material, but > knowing how to take the exam properly (test taking > skills). So more focus on actual questions and > learning how to answer questions rather than > trying to memorize every stupid formula. So for > those who are in the same boat, hopefully 3rd > time’s the charm. Good luck to all, and hope to > interact more as we get closer to the judgement > day. I’m exactly in the same boat as you. Will be taking it a 3rd time… have never failed an exam before and academically successful! I passed level 1 first time using schweser and level 2 I failed with schweser, failed with CFAI second time. I know a lot of people who passed 3rd time around. Going to do mainly questions this time also.

FxdIncme Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > glendronach, your post really speaks to me. This > was my first academic failure as well. Have > busted my a$% all my life, never got a C in > college, flew threw level I, and then I see FAIL > for level II. It hurt bad, I left work early b/c > I was so distraught. What changes did you make > when you studied it the 2nd time? I just don’t > know where I went wrong. I put in over 300 hours, > and failed miserably. My only conclusion is that > I didn’t study correctly. My buddy studied less > than 100 hours and got 70+ in all but one > category, just like he did in level I; I don’t > know how he does it. > I used only Schweser first time around. Knew the concepts well, but not well enough to pick up on the little nuances that CFAI throws at you during the exam. Second time around I took my notes from the previous year, supplemented them with any new LOS’s and enhanced the notes on the areas I knew I did poorly on with the CFAI texts. Did all the new Schweser Q’s, all the Textbook Q’s, and the book 6 Schweser Exams. My focus shifted from reading through all the material to strictly reviewing my notes and doing questions (a much better streamlined and efficient approach). Remember, CFAI is always going to throw curve balls, this year is was the Portfolio Frontier, BOP, etc., previous year it was Treynor Black and a couple other things. If you’ve mastered the core material you’ll be able to nail 60% of the test material, and you should be able to work your way through the other 10%. My goal was never to ‘ace’ the exam, it was to pass… You’ll be fine.

So I failed. Last year, I only studied about 20 hours for Level I and coasted through on things I remembered from college and luck. Instead of recognizing how lucky I was and changing my ways for Level II, I tried to coast through on minimal studying (in some fairness, though, I got married this summer and that took priority). Needless to say, luck didn’t strike twice: I failed. So for those you who are thinking “you got what you deserved—you can’t pass without studying,” I completely agree. Failing has completely motivated me to be as prepared as I possibly can for 2009. I have every intention to put in the necessary time and effort, endure the sacrifices, and absolutely crush Level II the next time around. And for the others that didn’t pass, I look forward to reading your posts on this board for another year.

I have a question for all of you out there. As I said I did about 6 exams. My lecturer in Stalla said few people fail if they do seven. Did anyone who failed this year L2 exam score 70% on the practice exams under test conditions leading up to the real one ? I struggled to get 70% even in the mock exams. How well you do on the practice test is that a reflection on the actual exam.??? At level one I was hitting 70% towards the end