As we all await our level 3 results on Tuesday August 12th, I have an additional dilemma. My CMA (Canadian) case exam is on August 13th from 9AM to 1PM. I have spoken to a few peers and they have provided me with some insight on how to deal with this stituation but I still wanted my forum folks insight on this.
The way CMA case exam works is that they provide you with a backgrounded about 20 pages on the company 48 hours before the actual exam which provides you with an understanding of the industry the company operates in along with its most recent 3 year financials. On exam day you are provided with additional information and then are suppose to anlayse and write a case on the firm usually assuming the role of the controller for the firm.
The reason I gave you guys an insight into how exam works is so that you can better understand my situation and frame of my mind. On August 12 I have taken day off from work and will be busy crunching the financials from the backgrounder.
I have two options at that point.
A ) Do not open results emails until after the case exam is over on August 13.
B) Check grades if Pass (extra boost for case exam ) or fail (waste valuable time thinking what I could have done , check analyst forums yada yada).
I also suffer from slight OCD and i really dont know what am i going to do on result day. My fellow analystforum peers i need your advice to help me get through that day. I can not comprehend how will I be going through this CMA case backgrounder knowing that my results email is in my inbox, the email i have so impatiently waited for since June 7.
I dont know if its just me but even since the level 1 & 2 folks get there emails on July 29 I am even more anxious to know my reults.
Being me, I’d probably check CFA results. If I didn’t I’d be distracted thinking: did I get the email yet? If so, did i pass or not? If I pass, great, confidence boost. If I don’t, that much more incentive to beat tomorrow’s exam. But hey, that’s just me.
Set a filter for your email -client so that this mail gets filtered out (as spam) and you don’t even receive it in inbox. On 13th after the exam check your result at the CFAI site and take a print out. So, you won’t be tense about something in inbox that you don’t want to read on the other hand you have no alternative to see it till 13th when CFAI will display it on their site. But don’t forget to reset the filter after 13th!
difficult dilemma. I can’t imagine not checking the result as soon as it comes out. I honestly don’t know what would distract me more; the elation of passing, the misery of failing, or the nagging feeling of wanting to check every 5 minutes.
go ahead with a big heart and open the email, if you pass, you will be flying high and more likely to crush the CMA exam with ease, if you fail, you will have one more reason to go hard at your exam and the feeling of accomplishment that will follow.
in case you fail and let it hold you back, you’ll have way more regret to deal with as your chances of passing CMA exam will fall a great deal
I really appreciate all the feedback guys, I got some valuable tips still not sure though what I will be doing. I am more inclinded towards not checking the results till after the exam but that is just an inclination not guranteed lol.
