So I’ve been studying hard, putting in the hours/problems…I did my first mock last week (Schweser) and scored a 67%. Thought, okay not so bad (didn’t use any help). Reviewed the exam, and took Schweser mock #2 and got a 57%. I recognized much of the material, I just couldn’t quite exactly remember the formula or concept. Man this is tough. I was planning on taking another mock tomorrow, but I think my time will be best spent going over the concepts I forgot/almost had.
Personally, I think the biggest use for the mocks are to check your speed and endurance, and to give you a reality check on concepts you thought you were comfortable with. Id keep reviewing material and concepts from the CFAI texts.
Remember, this is a test of understanding, not rote memorization. Ive found that I can put the time in and be stuck on a concept feeling like I have no idea what Im doing when it suddenly clicks and I understand why Im doing what Im doing. You could be 95% there and be missing that one piece of the puzzle.
You have 35 days left. Memorizing the formulas this far out doesnt mean a lot if you cant hold it for over a month. Work on understanding the why and the formulas will come easier when its time to bash them into your short term memory.
Keep on chugging through and dont stress until its time to stress.
you will do fine stress is an indicator you will bring your A game every day going forward. I havent done any mocks and don’t intend to till 15th of May so you have a head start on a lot of people. Just like Hock said focus and get the concepts and formulas in your brain.
Thanks you guys. I’ve calmed down a bit, missed some dumb things and just bombed corp finance which I will focus on tomorrow…that was the subject I spent the least time on so it’s where I will focus tomorrow. Appreciate the support!! I’m going to relax tonigh, have a nice dinner and review the mock tomorrow to polish the concepts.
hey man, happens to all of us. just be thankful you identified a concept you need to work on, and start accumulating knowledge on each of those concepts. that’s what I use the mocks for. it’ll slowly come together and you’ll hammer it out. don’t stress right now, you can’t afford to. spend more time focusing and less time stressing.
“…I think my time will be best spent going over the concepts I forgot/almost had. “
You are right. You need to note that “Mock” means what it says… it is a mock exam and to ‘mock’ means ‘tease’, ‘simulated/fake’, ‘imitation/mimic’, and also ‘redicule’ , so these tests are aimed at testing your preparation and ‘tease’ you by highlighting your weakness (and strength too), these are ‘simulated’and ‘fake’ tests in the sense that they are as real as they can be under the CFAI constraints, they should be taken imitating and ’mimicing’ the actual test conditions to gauge where you stand if yoiu were to take the test tomorrow, and they are indeed meant to ‘redicule’ you by highlighting where you have not put enough attention or failed to input enough efforts to master the topic for the actual exam. In short these mocks have not only diagnostic purpose but also ‘remedial’ purpose besides ‘reviewing’ of your preparation level. So use them accordingly.
If you understand these points then you can get maximum out of your performance in the Mocks which normally everyone starts taking a month to 2 weeks before the actual exam. You must compare your answers with what should be the right ones (as per CFAI expectations – which often varies from what you think it to be), to diagnose what was left out and what was confusing and identify where to put in little more last minute effort and master it . As remedial measure not only revise the concepts that you think you have underestimated from scoring point of view and the topics/areas/formulaes that you forgot due to having covered it a few months back (remembering that retention is best when reinforced periodically),. Finally. The mock is a tool to review what you ‘must’ learn and master thoroughly as compared to what you must know to be reasonably sure of passing the exam.
As you may have realised by now that starting at above 50- 55% in the first mock while a month remains to finally get ready is a reasonably good indication and is meant to direct you effort in a more focussed manner to take that score upto above 75% level by last week of May.
I am kind of at the same position as you are right now. I did my first mock test on 7 March and got a 64%. I thought to myself “Last year my first mock was 46% and I passed”. Therefore with 64% 2 months before I am okay but have to keep myself tense. I did not relax. I just kept going with my studying at the same pace. The weird thing is, that I am somewhat stuck. Out of 5 mock tests I have 3 64%s and two 56%s. I just can’t lift myself up. I do the mock, then study my mistakes. Sometimes I am not able to exactly recall the solution even though it was there in the last mock and I studied it afterwards.
I mean, Am I tired, anxious, stupid or all of them combined?
It’s just a lot of information, keep it chugging man. One thing about the mocks is they mix it up a lot so just because you learned from your past mistakes doesn’t mean you’ll be able to demonstrate that you fixed your gap. That is until the real exam comes, and hopefully some of those filled in gaps will show up so you can demonstrate your knowledge there. That makes sense?
I’m getting about the same scores right now as you (also using Schweser)… did my first Schweser mock last weekend and scored just shy of 60%. I think I had roughly the same scores on my first few L1 mocks last year so hopefully there’s still plenty of time to improve.
Honestly speaking what other option do you have? Just throw out any doubts that you may be still having in your mind regarding your scoring good marks and passing the Level 2 (even if it is the tougher one, as some say) - have confidence in yourself. Just follow single target : do the EOCs again - review wherver you got stuck - take practice tests - revise- take Mock - take care of weaker areas - practice- review , you will see the positive impact. It is just a matter of another 30 days, then you have all time to yourself ( at least you start Level 3!). Best of luck.
very true, very true. At the end of the day, I just want to be comfortable knowing I gave it a proper effort…hopefully I’ll pass and if not, its just an exam, always next year.