When you go in, do they give you a formula sheet, or do you just have to know it all?
You cannot take anything into the exam room apart from your calculator, pencil, password and admission ticket. Knowing the formulas would be helpful…
Part of the reason CFA is so well respected is because there is none of the sissy crap you get with other exams: no coursework, no modules, no “open book” and absolutely no formula sheet. You either know it, or you blow it!
They’re just pulling your chain, Steve. You get a formula sheet when you walk in the door, and instructions on how to use the BA II. Not taking anything else into the exam is BS too - I was listening to my iPod during the morning session.
And if you’re really nice they’ll grade your exam on your way out – so you get your result in minutes. If you don’t pass they tell you what you got wrong and let you make up the difference with extra credit projects!
I just sweet-talked the old hag giving out exams, and she told me I didn’t even have to take it. She marked down a “Pass” on it right in front of my eyes! I couldn’t believe my luck!! Otherwise, there’s no frigging way I would’ve passed…
We could even give the second half (PM session) from home, atleast that is what I have heard from the New York centre guys.
Don’t listen to skillionaire and gideon Steve, they’re talking a pantload. No one gives you a formula sheet and there are no iPods allowed. And anyone who’s actually taken a test knows they don’t grade it for you on the way out. I don’t think those guys are actual candidates, they’re just on this bboard trying to foment confusion. The fundamental premise of the CFA charter granting process is fairness – everybody plays by the same rules. The exam day procedures reflect this fully. Knowing that people differ in their abilities to condense book material, the cfai doesn’t allow notes or aptly named “cheat sheets”. However it’s fair for people to bring in their original texts, _without_ underlining or other value-added devices, to reference in a quiet fashion that doesn’t disrupt other test takers. You can also bring a copy of the Code of Ethics, but again only if it’s free from underlining.
I talked about this in another topic awhile ago . . . . search for strippers or hookers (I forget which I used).
As long as we’re at it, you can bring copies of Playboy, but only if they’re free of cum stains. “I don’t think those guys are actual candidates, they’re just on this bboard trying to foment confusion.” Darien, you’re brilliant. Make sure to not memorize any formulas, but remember where they are in your textbook for easy reference on exam day - hopefully with that and a little luck I’ll see you in the Level II forum come January.
The L2 forum is really boring right now. It’ll blow up starting in January. For now I’ll just make stripper jokes and try to help answer some questions in L1.
I’m with you Niblita. Working in structured credit is WAY boring these days…plus, who doesn’t like a good stripper? Jokes about them are great as well…
Darien - Genius, my friend…pure genius. 
Darien You are a beauty my friend
The way I was able to work around the *no underlining* restriction was by using invisible ink based on lemon juice. At the exam itself, I used a cigarette lighter to gently warm up pages and VOILA, there’s my notes. The slight drawback was the smoke and the unfortunate fact that much of my Code of Ethics is now in burnt to ashes. That firetruck also caused a bit of a distraction in the exam hall. Some candidates were complaining about the water sprayed all over the place by the firefighters. Also, too bad my proctor was such a b*tch and ejected me from the exam.
Stripper jokes kick ass!