Since I may be one of those people who have to take L2 three times, I think I qualify to make a theory and call it: Nephi’s SM Theory Having seen the mocks, samples and actual test twice, I think the pattern is they use what is on the actual exam and recycle similar questions on the next year’s mock. It saves them time to rewrite the whole item set [they make minor revisions] and they are not giving away much since the retakers have seen it. So the mocks are more of an indicator of the last exam and less of a predictor of the next exam. The samples are more of a predictor of the exam in the year it is released and if any topic from the sample shows up on the actual exam, you have to know it TOTALLY COLD to get the points. They would have expected you to review it in dept and know it inside out. Since you have to pay to get the sample, they give you some heads up to the coming exam so they can sell them. This is why consensus is that the mocks scores are not good indicators but the sample scores are more correlated to your actual performance on the exam. Feel free to make your own theory.
I would not be surprised that the mocks have some materials recycled from previous year’s exams. Though the reasons for recycling may not be as what you described (there is little way we can verify the reasoning). As for samples. Last year, I did all three samples offered by CFAI (and passed). I don’t think they are too relevant to the actual exams (at least I don’t recall any questions that got recycled) but the samples did show me some tricks that I couldn’t find anywhere from CFAI text nor Schweser’s notes. A recurring theme in the CFA curriculum is that there is no reason to assume history would repeat itself. The same applies to past exams. There is no basis to expect past exams would resemble the actual exam in current year. Mocks merely give you a feel of how the actual exam could be like. But when mocks fail to be a representative sample of the actual exams, there is no basis to use mocks as benchmarks neither.
this year mock was based on last year (and also 2008) sample exams, most of sets identical … somebody mentioned this here already therefore I am surprised by your theory
eltia Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There is > no basis to expect past exams would resemble the > actual exam in current year. I’d agree with this. I’m a 2nd time L2 and it wasn’t that similar to last year. If you thought that pummeling down on everything that hit last year was a good idea… you were sadly mistaken. There’s no short cuts to this test. Topics from an obscure corner of a page may very well end up on the exam (and it does, last yr and this yr!!) As useless as this sounds, the only way to cover yourself is to study it all. Last yr, one of the most major topics in FRA wasn’t covered in a single question. This yr, you got 7 problems on it.
I’m just saying they take the current year exam and take parts of it to make next year’s mock by adding a few sets to the previous year’s mock and this year’s sample has a few topics that then get put on the actual same year exam. Like pensions and that question on share value per shares issued. Don’t overcomplicated it. I didn’t say last year’s exam resemble next year’s exam…they don’t.
I like your theory, Nep-hi. (\ /) ( . .) c(’’)(’’)
I wish I took the sample’s before this years actual test. I was getting too tight for time and was starting to get burnout syndrome. I’m not too sure if it would have made a difference anyways.
Thanks for the bunny BurnsProblem, it’s really cute. (\ /) ( . .) c(’’)(’’) it’s the few visual picture on the whole darn forum. BTW: forgot to say as part of the conspiracy I think CFAI is using data from sample exams taken by candidates to “test run” future questions or find out where we mess up on normally and then write great distractions. So if you buy and take their samples, you feed them info to use against us. Because of the timing of when samples are released, maybe they use previous years “collected data” to build current/future exams. But is not an original idea. The LSAT does this, one whole session is some “test run” and won’t count for a penny but is on the actual exam and you have to take it not knowing which session doesn’t count. They learn from you and use it against you…hahaha typical.
your conspiracy theory makes soo much sense, you are soo right !!! they are learning from us as we speak, even as we speak on this forum and i tell you to get on your knees hahahahha
maybe everyone who failed puts their results behind their treadmill when they run on it as if they’re running from their past…just food for thought
The 2010 mock had recycled questions from the 2009 sample exams. There is no pattern. They, the CFAI, will find a way to sodomize each and every one of us with the real exam.