Felt the same way…it was frustrating. Like grrrrr I know this, but can’t do it. Fortunately I went strong parts first so I didn’t even see the hell of Q1 until about 2 hours into the exam…in which I burned any time I had built up, for junk. Without a doubt will be my hardest page to grade.
I had blackout for some questions on both AM and PM part. Those are questions which I was practicing at home but couldn’t recall formula or concept due to time pressure on real exam. Now, after time distance, and while am reading similar experiences, I think I did overall good job. I am still less confident than after Level 2 but this is because of an enigma of AM grading.
That was where it got me and why I wasted time on it that I shouldn’t have had.
It’s one of 2 things:
1)CFAI made a mistake and put them out of order (i doubt this, I’m sure the QC process is extensive)
- It was a straight up attempt to trip us up and get us to second guess ourselves.
I myself was like, ummm wait, so the answer to part 2 is something I calculated for part 1? Luckily I just took it for what it was and said, okay well thanks for the extra free time and points.
Any of two possibilities above should result with full points if you correctly solved both. So why does it matter?
me too! i wasn’t sure at the time if i was thrown by the stress of starting the exam 7 minutes late or this was the intention
Just my 2 cents:
It would be great we could disclose the question so that to discuss it more precisely, but the first part could be solved without knowing the answer to part 2 (although I did the way you have done). Just read the theory one more time, you will see my point. So, there was no trick
of course i can comply with the professional conduct rules, although since the institute publishes the am mock I wonder if they could somewhat relaxing this policy…
sure, my point was not the ethical aspect here, and I think we are not violating anything here so far 
I was referring to the question itself saying that there could be more than one option to solve the first part
Im gonna fail… i could make it this year but 
I can get on AM is ~55% PM should be around ~ 66-67%
pretty sure it is fail
Idk the other way…only learned one but I’ll have to look that up.
Don’t lose hope. You might just make it. No one exactly knows the MPS. Your expected scores are borderline (ok to be honest a little below borderline IMHO). But who knows, there have been several matrices in the past which no one can expect to pass. So, you can still might just sneak through. All the best
I get your point but this is a public forum where if we discussed specific questions while revealing the topic then non LIII candidates could read it. However, only level 3 candidates have and access to our exam next year.
Come On…Dubinko, turn on positive vibration:)
i hadn’t really thought of it, but it is kind of shitty, the sequencing. i might submit a complaint about this question. i know i wasted time on it and wound up doing something silly as a result in the end when i came back to it.
I also thought and did that, but I was thinking myself dump as why would any one give part 2 to solve part 1 but at that time that looked only possibility to me, fingers crossed
Thanks Flashback, positive vibes are ON …well who knows, maybe i will make it
Someone on this thread said there is a way to do part i without solving for part ii. Not sure of how, but if so then I guess its fair. No matter what, its fair, but confusing as heck.
I was the “someone” Just write down the formula for the the two, substitute the part of the 1st formula with the 2nd one, and probably you will see what I mean. I doubt I can go into more details other than this
I mean those questions are fair because they show the difference between a well prepared and not so well prepared candidate. I don’t mind such tricks but CFAI should openly accept that they do ask questions with a twist.