Most people say that it is best to score mid 70’s-80 on mock exams because in the exam environment, it is always more difficult. I actually find it easier in the exam environment, I am more motivated and focused and give it my all, whereas with a mock it is human nature to lose focus since the score doesn’t count for anything. I was just wondering if anyone is the same way.
There are always outliers but the general consensus is most people do worse in the exam environment.
I’ll admit sometimes when doing the mocks with 10 minutes left and 10 hard questions unanswered, I just fill them all with A’s (or B’s or C’s) and go straight to checking my answers since my brain’s already blown its fuse.
If it were the actual exam, I’d fight till the last 2-3 minutes and save those minutes to bubble in the answers left blank.
I’ve always felt the same way - but everyone reacts differently to the atmosphere. During an actual exam, I’m firing on all cylinders and have tunnel vision. During a practice exam, I’m counting hairs on my forearm while going through an ethics item set.
Well the actual CFA test we’ll get on June 1st is harder than the mocks, whether CFA, Schweser or Elan, so there’s that…
Other people have said that the CFAI mock was harder than the actual exam. I know for level 1 I thought the CFAI mock was twice as hard as the actual exam. I guess we will find out.
Also, I agree with the above poster. I was taking the mock yesterday and found myself messing around the house, taking the dog outside, etc, since there is no pressure
As i retaker I can tell you
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Level 1 - mock was way harder than real thing. I think in the mock I got 65 and the real thing I got 70+ in everything
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Level 2 - 2012 mock was so so. got around 75%'s for it. failed the real thing with a band 9. I went into the exam with a 12/12 in the mock for derivatives and in the real thing was only able to answer maybe 3-4 derivatives questions (if that).
second that - in the actual exam I am focused like a laser beam
Lets hope i surpass score of my mock
Then i will pass 
in L1 mock in dec i got 83%. In actual exam i found 2 sections tricky but i think i musthave got 80+ overall
But now in L2 i am screwed up.This dec-june turnaround has broken my back
+1 I don’t even look up. Time has no meaning.
man what was asked in derivatives 
I haven’t taken this exam 3 times already, so what would I know.
And yeah last year’s derivatives was stupid f(%#*&ing hard. If the CFAI pulls that again I’m boycotting the test.
I’e posted this before but I never scored more than 65 on a L1 mock but on the actual exam I scored > 70 in 8 of 10 categories. I felt the actual exam was much easier than any mock mostly because I was more focused and took my time which I never do on mocks.
Also on the real thing I usually have some surplus time at the the end, I will circle back and retry difficult problems.
On the mocks, my study time is valuable, so I just say F— it I am checking the answers as soon as I’m done
exactly what i do, i read the question and answer it, i don’t bother circling back if it is a mock exam.
75 is an excellent mock score, i am definitely surprised that did not translate into a pass on the exam. for your mock exam, did you look up formulas that you forgot or do anything that could have inflated the score?