How does one know if they are studying too hard too early? I am taking Level 1 in December and have already begun taking my studying seriously, but the exam is still 7.5 months away! Some have written on the board that those taking the exam in Dec. still have plenty of time to prepare, can take it easy for a while, etc but I very much want to get a strong head start while not experiencing burnout come September. The dilemma is that when you sign up, get the study materials and start hitting the books, the urge to master the material and kick butt on the exam is really strong, almost consuming my thoughts at times. I don’t want this thing to start dominating what little free time I have (work a full-time job, have four kids), but I am already feeling a bit guilty doing things like listening to music, surfing the net, etc and not something related to CFA. Is this a natural reaction when you first embark on the long CFA journey? How have others managed to find some balance between CFA and their private lives? Thanks.
You will score more on the topics you studied earlier. At least thats my experience. Towards the end, there is only so much you can get into your brain, Also you will be overwhelmed by the amount of material you study. So startign early is a good strategy.
dont make the mistake as to think that studying earlier means more free time near the end. You’ll probably have to work just as hard, but the material will come a lot easier reviewing it then learning it.