Hi folks,
Just wanted to share the notes that I created and used while studying. Given the vast amount of content in the CFA exams, and specially the amount needed to be committed to memory for L3, I used to keep feeling that a lot of material was just ‘escaping’ me. I would do chapter 1, then do chapter 2, and then suddenly blank out on chapter 1. After chapter 8 or 10, I wouldn’t even be sure I had ever read chapter 1, and even the few markings / underlines / scribbles on some pages that I had made would seem unfamiliar.
To counter this, I created my own ‘newspaper notes’, which are basically shortened versions of all the concepts on the L3 curriculum. Definitions, formulas, you name it. Stuff all these, in small font, into one word document running a few pages, split into 3 columns, sized on an A3 page, and voila! you get the newspaper notes. I used to read these newspaper notes of mine every single day in the last 4-5 days prior to the exam, to the point where I could run through it all once in one day. _ It’s got everything - definitions, formulas, GIPS highlights and tips, ethics loopholes, tough Qs and As from previous exams, mocks, CFAI EOCs, CFAI BBs, tricks and traps, mnemonics etc etc. _ So you read the whole thing once in a day, and that means you’ve covered the entire syllabus once. No way you can even turn all the pages of your books in that much time. This can be priceless one day before exam day. In fact, I even reviewed it once before the afternoon session - got all sections >70 but one. Not that I’m attributing my prep to this alone, but it definitely helped.
Of course, these newspaper notes are not intended to be a tool to start prepping for L3 from, but rather an aid to review and revise once you’ve got past the initial stage.
Sorry about the handwritten formulas on taxes - just couldn’t bring myself to ype those long ones out and format them.
Feel free to download, change, share, whatever. Humbly, I apologize for any mistakes, but assume no liability for them and some may have inadvertently crept in. I know this method of studying / review may not be suitable for everyone, but I really hope at least someone finds it useful.
All the very best.
Link - http://www.filedropper.com/cfalevel3notes-a3size
Click on ‘Download this file’. It’s virus checked - dont worry. About 1.4 MB in size. Word doc.