Dec '08 - Secret Sauce & Insights

Dear Friends, I bought Schweser’s Level I Essential Solution package and when I was purchasing, I was aware that it does not come with ‘secret sauce’. I’m confused with its role in helping grasp the concepts with an improved pace. I learned the same from other members but I would like to know if it makes any difference. Most importantly your opinion before I commit to purchase the ‘sauce’. As you might know, I have received the following items in the package. 1) 5 Books 2) Q-Bank 3) Quick-Sheet 4) Practice Exams - 3 Volumes Here is my second Question So far, according to my schedule (started early June) I managed to finish Ethics, Quant, Econ and I am half way through FSA. I finished the concept checkers at the end of the reading and at the end of the area, I have been taking 20 (or) 30 question tests from the Q-Bank. Basically, I am following the calender designed by Schweser. I’m contemplating on when I should start working on Practice exams. Not only that but I’d like to know how you feel about this. Please provide me your insights (from your experience) and correct me if you feel that I am not on the right track. Thank you in advance!

while i didnt really use the secret sauce for much other than review. i had a friend who memorized the book and thats all he would carry around towards the very end. he had his book all highlighted and worn by the end. i also tracked each hour religiously and ended up right at 300. this includes most exam time, but not all. i also just came off the CFP and felt lucky that a lot of the investment/fixed income/equity information was similar i passed my first try and spent about 70% on the 5 schweser books and 30% taking mock exams. on the mock exams i would take at least 10 ethics questions before starting my work for the day, every weekday. i also bought all four exams that the CFAI institute put out (scored 65-70 tops in most of those, 80-100 in the schweser only mid and difficult questions at the end). i would not take a practice exam until you have gone through all the material at least twice. but thats just me. best of luck!

yeah, secret sauce is good. get it in october, you are doing fine for now.

I don’t know, to me the SS wasn’t worth the $$. If you want to save $100, just photocopy the end of chapter summaries from the CFAI books and Schweser notes, punch holes in them, and stick them in a binder. wala! You just made your own secret sauce.

I thought Secret Sauce would be much more valuable if it was offered earlier (like 4 months before the test instead of 2). I read it cover to cover once, and then reviewed parts here and there, but I could’ve been doing this from earlier in the study process. Since the december test takers have the ss available now, i would pick it up and start reading casually here and there now. That’s just me and most would wait until the end to read it. For L2, I’m thinking of passing on the sauce but who knows what will happen 2 months before when the panic settles in…

i will get sauce for level II next year, AFTER i read cirr twice and comb thru schweser…

I will tell u my experience 1.)start practice exam 30-40 days before CFA exam. 2.) I did not use SS much but i felt it can be useful and almost 40-50 % exam questions comes from that book 3.)specially last 20 page which contains exam strategy is very useful. 4.)need SS contact destinationiim@gmail.com