kwokchun, is engligh your native language? Maybe, theres a language difficulty thats makes this test harder for foreigners. Keep trying bro!
of course,you should re-take, I have failed twice, next eyar will be my thrid time! this is the most shameful thing ever happending to me1 but this time, I will not take any chance, I will start as soon as possible, do not give up come here often let us encourage each other!
having come this far, quitting is probably not an option… concentrate on IPS questions, beh finance and fixed income. even if you dont score well in half of the AM section, if you do well in the IPS and 2 other questions, and if you score decent in the PM 75% or so you should pass.
I am another one that is thinking of quitting after 3 tries. First year I was unprepared when the pass rate was high (70%) Last year I was prepared but pass rate was all time low (50%) This year I was better prepared and pass rate got higher (53%), but I still failed… with a band 8, not even close to passing. So I am way more devastated compared to all of you first time and second time retakers. I am still debating if I wanna sit for the 2009 exam. It makes sense to do it, but when I am now not even sure if I could do any better, I hesitate. It is a shame to see my coworkers who were still L2 candidates last year and they are now done with the program. It reflects poorly on my credibility and even intelligence, and I am pretty sure my manager starts wondering what the heck I had been doing in those 3 months (she passed all 3 levels in first try).
I passed on attempt number 2. I would have given it one more shot, but that probably would have been it for me. I think the good thing next year is that the material supposedly didn’t change much. I would keep studying lightly right now so that you don’t forget too much. Really try to do a self analysis on why you failed. Was your prep strategy bad, test strategy bad, or did you not grasp the material well…
The worst thing is I don’t know where the problem was, so that’s why I said I am not sure if I could do any better in 2009. I never relied on the CFAI text, because many people did so and failed miserably. I tried weekly class and review course and those were proven to be waste of money and time (at least not working for me). If I were to retake again, I would like to form a study group and study together in similar pace. But with work and other commitments in life, this is easier said than done in reality.
Post your score here. I am too lazy to look around for it on another thread.
lorinsersport. I know exactly how you feel about “where the problem is” I honestly thought I wrote the best exam of my entire CFA exams and actually did worse. The last 2 years I focused on doing the CFAI books and did questions from Schwesar and CFAI, which I am not going to do this year. Likely going to do schwesar books, questions from schwesar and Stalla and thats it and all CFAI exams. You have to remember there is also a difference between understanding and knowing the information and then writing the tests. I know of some people who are hardcore brainiacs in CFA and CA that would fail UFE many times before failing. Its a test writing issue just as much as an information/knowledge issue.
Here is a novel idea… Read the books that the CFAI says you should.
Here’s a more novel idea…STFU unless you have something useful to add idiot.
You guys are scaring me to death… I’ve been in that program for 4 years and sure hope to get that CFA before retirement…
Hi all, I seem new here but I have been reading the postings for years since I enrolled the program & passed level I in 2003. I can understand what you are going through. Took me two tries to get through level II, and then 2006, tried L3 the first time in 2006. Was working for GS at the time, worked a lot during the spring, but studied from 11PM to 2AM in the morning every day. Worked all Memorial day weekend and they gave me half a day off before the exam! I was emotionally and physically exhausted, so of course I failed, although the passing rate was something like 75% that year. At that point, I was not really sure what I wanted to do but clearly I had no more gas in tank to deal with it again. So I took last year off, just rested and cleared my head. At the end of last year, I felt that I gained my strength back, so I signed up again, studied only with Schweser, and I was fortunate to have passed this year. I just thought to share my experience with you coz some times you need to take a step back in order to move forward. You have put in a lot of work, and maybe it is time to relax a bit and look at things from different angles. Wish you all the best.
Big Babbu —Didn’t pass did ya? Figured you could just skim the notes and they would hand you the Charter on the way out the door huh? Figured once you passed this test they’d let you out of the back office? No more monkey reconcilations for you huh? Didn’t happen that way huh? You still feel like crying every time you think about having to sit through it again? You kind of wish you had read through that big stack of paper they sent huh? Thats OK Babbu…you can always take it again next year, or the year after. Signed, JackA$$, CFA (3 for 3)
JackA$$ Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Big Babbu —Didn’t pass did ya? Figured you > could just skim the notes and they would hand you > the Charter on the way out the door huh? Figured > once you passed this test they’d let you out of > the back office? No more monkey reconcilations > for you huh? > > > Didn’t happen that way huh? You still feel like > crying every time you think about having to sit > through it again? You kind of wish you had read > through that big stack of paper they sent huh? > > Thats OK Babbu…you can always take it again > next year, or the year after. > > Signed, > JackA$$, CFA (3 for 3) Wow, you are a jackass. BB has significant industry experience and several children. The CFA isn’t and shouldn’t be his focus. So what if he failed? You can’t compare him to some recent grad in the back office working 40 hours per week with all the time in the world to study. BB, you will kill it next time. Good luck!
BB, lots of respect for you! I too have a couple of kids and took L3 after taking 4 years off after L2 and did not pass (Band 8). I know how hard it is to study while being committed to a family and a full time job. It is very difficult however to quit being 2/3 of the way there. Hopefully 2009 will be the year. BTW your morning after email was hilarious - I forwarded to my coworkers who asked about the exam. Yes, I have been a lurker all year! Passthismofo
JackA$$ Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Big Babbu —Didn’t pass did ya? Figured you > could just skim the notes and they would hand you > the Charter on the way out the door huh? Figured > once you passed this test they’d let you out of > the back office? No more monkey reconcilations > for you huh? > > > Didn’t happen that way huh? You still feel like > crying every time you think about having to sit > through it again? You kind of wish you had read > through that big stack of paper they sent huh? > > Thats OK Babbu…you can always take it again > next year, or the year after. > > Signed, > JackA$$, CFA (3 for 3) ======================================================== lol jacka$$, you then really havent read BB’s posts, i bet he has far better understanding of the CFA CBOK than us you have all my respect BB , with family commitments and a job this is difficult
Thanks for the kind words and having my back guys. You guys summed it up well. It’s just an exam and I’ve had tougher times. Next year I’ll be better. As for you jackass I do not have a CFA designation. I don’t even have a college degree. But I have a kick ass secure job that has given me a sh!tload of experience, a great family and friends and a life I wouldn’t change for anything. I’ve persevered experiences that would crush some people. I’m well aware of my capabilities and character, and that those experiences can be used to inspire others. Water off a ducks back dude. Congrats on going 3 for 3 bud. Rock on.
passthismofo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > BTW your morning after email was hilarious - I > forwarded to my coworkers who asked about the > exam. Yes, I have been a lurker all year! > > > Passthismofo I forgot about that post. Just reread it and man were my first instincts correct. Hopefully next year I won’t have to add something about CFAI screwing with peoples minds with the website stuff the weekend before results come out 
I nailed it with crablegs though. He passed. So pumped for him!!
sh34 and Bib Babbu, Good luck to you guys next year. Sh34, you are too close at this point. Clearly all you need to do is nail ethics next year (which was admittedly trickier than usual). You know this stuff well enough. You did noticeably better than me in the morning session. Hopefully band 10 actually gives you confidence rather than being a downer. And BB, anyone here with a good job and family responsibilities knows how tough it is to slog through this thing. I’ve been there too and ground this thing out with a lot of effort, sacrifice, and I am sure more than a little luck. I hope next year is your year!
I think if you’re routinely failing LIII and you feel you understand the material very well, you should consider mixing it up by taking some writing workshops or college courses in writing. If you honestly grasp the material well, then your issue must lie in projecting the data to the grader, so maybe you would benefit best from working on the writing aspect. I am 100% being constructive here and in no way want anyone to take this as a slight against them.