Also CPA sat for L3. Studying during busy season was tough. Fortunately my busy season was long but not as intense. I studied 6:30-8:30am and then went to work till 10-11pm. Studies on weekends as well. It sucked, but worked for L2, will see about L3. As far as comparing the two exams…apples to oranges. I think CPA is more difficult and much more technical. Keep in mind that you have to have accounting degree to be eligible to take it, and only about 10% of takes pass all 4 part on first try. CFA is not a difficult exam, the toughest thing about it is amount of material and dedication required. With CPA you have smaller chunks to tackle.
I’m a CPA and passed L1; sat for L2 this June. Nothing on the CPA exam is conceptually as difficult as the CFA exam. CPA is pretty much memorization from what I recall. You can’t really back into an answer like some CFAI material. It’s pretty much you know the rule or you don’t. Plus with the CPA, I really don’t understand how you can have taxes and ethics on the same exam. Seems counter-intuitive.
It quiets down significantly to a regular schedule after 4/15. I ask about strategies because here it is, 10 months away, and I have an opportunity to plan this right. My preparation window is pretty much open except for the about 7 weeks from late Feb to 4/15. rolo550 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Robert, does tax season remain hot and heavy past > April 15th or does it peter out? My .02 would be > if you got the material at least read through > during tax season or prior, and hit the EOC’s > qbank, etc really hard from Apr 15-Exam day you’d > probably be ok…
Everybody has their own method, but I felt like the EOC’s were critical. If you could get he material done and whatever notes made, etc before February , in other words be ready to study and practice by then, be done with reading, you’ll probably be fine. maybe have some notes to review on occasion in tax season to keep you fresh, then hammer any kind of practice material you can get your hands on after April 15. My .02
rolo550 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Robert, does tax season remain hot and heavy past > April 15th or does it peter out? My .02 would be > if you got the material at least read through > during tax season or prior, and hit the EOC’s > qbank, etc really hard from Apr 15-Exam day you’d > probably be ok… I was doing taxes in 09 as a temp. I tried this strategy. I’m taking L2 in 2011.
CPA? what the hell ? CFA hell yeah!!