Band 9 Fail from last year chiming in…
Last year, I found the real exam to be very much in line with Schweser. There are some people who even beleive that the real exam is EASIER than Schweser mocks, I am not sure I agree, but there really isnt anyone out there at thinks the real exam is HARDER than the schweser mocks.
The MPS, as youll soon realize if you hang around AF message boards long enough, is anywhere from 63-64% which is why the “rule of thmb” is that if youre consistently getting >66% on mocks, you should pass. Last year, for your reference (and maybe this makes you feel a lil better) I took two mock exams, yes only two and got a 55% and a 58%. And that was good enough to get Band 9.
You say your range is from 57-65%…well my friend thats a gigantic range. that range is from a Band 9 fail to a pass. PPL have asked me on this forum many times if I think the real thing is “easier” than Schweser mocks (theyre obv hoping I say yes) and my answer is always something to the effect of:
“its really tough to say something at level 2 is EASY, because its all hard. Not to mention there are different factors in play: aka for instance the difference in adrenaline between taking a mock exam in your underwear with ESPN on in the background, vs taking the real thing at a test center with 1000 strangers next to you.” Having said that, the real exam will not have as many “tricks” as schweser, and the questions will be less wordy and more straightforward so they can level the playing field for the tens of thousands of non native english speakers who sit for it"
And honestly, thats the best feedbacK i can give. I legitimately think the real exam is more straightforward than any Schweser I took. Straighforward, mind you, doesnt necessarily mean EASIER…but to many it does indeed mean easier. Thats why many L3 candidates will look back and say “you know what, I thought the real thing was easier than I thought it would be”
For your reference this year, I have taken all of the TTs, and have taken Exam 3, Volume 2 in Schweser (which is allegedly the hardest of the 6 Schweser mocks, if you’re one of those who believe the 6 mocks get harder as you go along thru the books) and I got an 83/120. needless to say, I am very happy with this score. but just so you know…at NO POINT during that exam did i feel CONFIDENT i was getting things right. when I saw 41/60 and 42/60 I was legitimately suprised.
thats what this exam does to you. it zaps your confidence. if you are taking a mock and it feels like youre guessing on every other Q, you probably arent. you know and recall more than you think you do.
Let me ask you this? how are you on formulas? Do you have all them memorized?