I was wondering if you guys were actually taking your own notes while you are studying. I’m trying to do that but it takes so much time, but it’s the only way I can retain the concepts! How are you managing with that issue?
I like to write my own notes as well. I’m sure it helps the retention rate when you make your own notes. I write out the LOS’s for each reading and write notes to understand each of them. Writing out the LOS’s helps focuses my notes onto the important areas. I wrote about it here: http://www.passcfaexam.com/2008/06/how-i-write-my-notes.html
I also need to write down notes since it helps me remember things I would otherwise have forgotten, especially those concepts with which I wasn’t so familiar before. In addition, I am using the notes for reviewing the material after having completed a whole book. I.e. after finishing a book, first I shortly review the previous book I had read, then the most recent one and then move on to a new book.
I took notes for Level I and then found Secret Sauce and didn’t bother wasting time taking notes for Level II. Not taking notes for Level III either.
I didn’t “take notes”… but i did make several short hand note cards for each reading that included a page reference. That way if the short hand didn’t ring a bell, I could reference the reading in which I had highlighting and underlining to trim the fat. so i did and i didn’t… But i was very thankful in the review process, because it allowed me to really whittle down to what i actually needed to review.
I started taking notes for Ethics and made it thru Econ. The issue is that they take a lot of time and you can’t take perfect notes electronically when it comes to formulas etc. I wouldn’t do it unless you just can’t retain information via highlighting and annotating in the margins. You will forget material, it’s a given, the key is can you quickly remember it and retain it the last month before the exam. This is where the mocks come into play.
I write out the LOS’s on spiral ruled index cards, which are easy to flip through periodically like on the morning commute. Other than that I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze on writing any detailed notes while reading.
I created my own flash cards while going through the reading. Not only does it help writing things down, it also helps because reviewing flash cards in your own “language” may help your retention of the material. I have a few friends who are teachers and they are all taught that by far the best way to remember information is to write it down.
I was taking notes until I got my Schweser notes. There’s your notes right there. Writing down formulas can be done while working on QBank questions. But hey, to each his own–I just found that writing notes takes so much time, and in the end I STILL forget what I have written a few weeks later, if I don’t keep working on practice problems.
i didn’t make any notes, because that’s just how i always studied in college - read read read but make no notes. i find it very time consuming to make notes and i’d rather re-read the material once more instead of crafting my own notes. however, i’ve heard a lot of people say they make their own notes because they study better off their own “writing”.
It’s good to take notes since there are just too many materials. Having your own notes in your own words make you understand better when you come back to review the materials.
I agree that taking detailed notes takes way too long. I found it helpful to go back to review the chapter summaries in the Schweser notes. I added in my own notes to those in areas I thought were necessary. Taking detailed notes for all readings can get kind of overwhelming… Short-handed notes were great for last minute-reviews, especially right before the exam when I wanted to skim through all the material really quickly.
I filled 3 notebooks with the entire curriculum. It was ridiculously time consuming, but when I reviewed, I remembered everything inside and out. I passed with +70 in 9/10. I also created flashcards during review
Freakshow Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I filled 3 notebooks with the entire curriculum. > It was ridiculously time consuming, but when I > reviewed, I remembered everything inside and out. > I passed with +70 in 9/10. > > I also created flashcards during review J§ust curious, how long it took you?
I take notes on concepts I feel shaky with so that they’ll receive extra attention during the final cram. I write down formulas I don’t know in order to help commit them to memory. I’m taking notes from the Schweser Notes so I guess I’ll end up with something like the Secret Sauce but only with material I need to review. I like to have things in my own words like vik2000 said.
Friends, I do not usually see the L1 forum…but this topic took my attention… I am level III candidate and let me give you some advices: Taking Notes, but good notes, are one of the most important things to pass exams: Why? First, you will realized that in april-May you will have forgotten a lot of the studied material…so good notes will help you to save time…it will not be necessary to read all again…just review your notes (two weeks) Second, CFA topics are cumulative, that means you will need L1 knowledge in LII and so on, so if you pass this level, I hope that, L1 notes will be very very useful when preparing L2. Spend time making notes, and you will save a lotttttttttt of time All the best in your exam
motoloco Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Friends, I do not usually see the L1 forum…but > this topic took my attention… > > I am level III candidate and let me give you some > advices: > > Taking Notes, but good notes, are one of the most > important things to pass exams: Why? > > First, you will realized that in april-May you > will have forgotten a lot of the studied > material…so good notes will help you to save > time…it will not be necessary to read all > again…just review your notes (two weeks) > > Second, CFA topics are cumulative, that means you > will need L1 knowledge in LII and so on, so if you > pass this level, I hope that, L1 notes will be > very very useful when preparing L2. > > Spend time making notes, and you will save a > lotttttttttt of time > > All the best in your exam thank you man for this advice. Actually, you are right. It is very helpful for reviewing
Did anyone else try taking notes and fail miserably. I didn’t even bother once I heard about secret sauce…the time it must take to do individual notes…
theres a big difference between reading something and writing it. It least for me, I can read something 10 times and it won’t stick as well as if I write it once.
writing it out definitely helps with memorizing/recall so write quickly and concisely