Failed Level 1 band 10. Now what?

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the awesome comments and very encouraging.

I was debating with my mates last night and we all said that I should take it again given that I was ‘‘so close’’. If I was band 4, I think I would reconsider.

And yes, CFA is a long journey. Some people pass it one shot. Some don’t. Even people that are really bright. And I think that’s why this certification is well seen.

I’m from Montreal, lived in Toronto for some time and moved here. What about you sglondon? I guess London, ON?

Thanks struggling for your detailed comment. I know my comment ‘‘I’m 23 and I don’t need it’’ but I surely do. I meant I don’t need it right now, to get a decent job. But I will need it later. That’s the main reason why I took it.

Question for everyone:

I really struggled between work/studies because I did not have a balance. I almost studied every night after work, and full time in the weekend. By the time I got to work, my brain was fried. I was dead.

I stopped working out. I stopped playing music.

I strongly believe that people that succeed are the ones who manage their time and have a balance.

What do you guys do to have a balance? Do you guys take some days off from study during the week? still do activities?

Pick up the damn books and start studying

It definitely takes a lot of grind to get through the studies. I would start every year right around the beginning of January. This year I was able to hit the gym every morning at 5:45a, get to work by 7:45a, get home around 6:00p, study until about 10:30p, and do it all again 3-4 weekdays per week. Saturdays had 6-8 hrs and Sundays had 2-4 hrs.

Break your time up into hour and half segmens and take short 15 minute breaks to get some snacks, take a quick jog, hit the putting green, or just do whatever. You will learn how long you can focus and study for. I found that I could get 80-100 pages in on a Saturday before I started getting stir crazy from sitting down all day.

If you want the social time, go to a happy hour here or there. Don’t spend four nights per week out, but be disciplined.

These exams require discipline and a lot of grind to get through it and sacrifice where necessary. Aside from that, you do end up saving a lot of money by not going out as often…

I felt when I worked out before I studied I did alot better.

You need to study everyday. There are no breaks. Because there is always something that will come up that will eat up your CFA study time. Band 10 is realy close man.

Just pick up a book and start studying.