What I did for CFA Level II examination

I passed CFA level I examination in June 2008. had scored more than 70 % in all topics except Alternative Investments. On January 12 2009 I had all 6 schweser books but started preparing only from last week of January. I started preparing with book 0. Completed it in few days. After that book 1 , solved all end of chapter questions from schweser also. Then slowly completed book 2, 3, 4 and 5. Consulted CFA books only for derivative , that too read only few pages. During this study period I read each chapter at least two times. Watched schweser video also simultaneously. I think I completed first round by 30th march. Prepared a notebook of formulae contain all equations of schweser books. only equation no explanation or anything else. After that I studied each book of schweser once more and solved related questions from question bank. I completed this by 1st May. After that revised formulae notebook, secret sauce and quick sheet several time and then took test from schweser practice exam volume 2 topic wise. Revision and test both were topic wise i.e. first for ethics then quant and so on. Read FSA from schweser for 5th time. This I completed by 15th May. After that I practiced exam from CFA mock paper and sample paper and one or two practice exam from schweser practice exam volume 1. Read that ethics book which is in 5th or 6th edition published by CFA Institute. After that on last day revised from all schweser books and then appeared for examination. Interesting things: 1.) I used only schweser books ( did not use CFA Institute books at all) 2.) Read FSA from schweser book 5 times, solved most of the questions from schweser question bank and after that I was confident that it will not create a problem for me. 3.) Got notebook for writing formulae in the the last month ( May 2009). Could not get a good notebook before that. 4.) Considered myself swap challenged (after reading 7-8 times) but solved swap based question in the exam correctly. 5.) My gut feeling was that I will pass the examination 6.) In one sample exam I got only 50 % but that was only in one sample exam 7.) I copied question no of all questions of question bank in an excel sheet and browsed through all questions. 8.)I liked two topic most - FI & Derivatives. 9.) Used almost all products of schweser 10.) I made less effort for Level 2 than Level 1 Things I regret : 1.) I started little late. I should have started preparing seriously from 12th January. (before that it was not possible as I was busy with something else.) 2.) Should have got formulae notebook in the very first month. 3.)Should have completed first round of study by 15th March and second round by 15th April. 4.)Should have spent more time on schweser video. 5.) Should have solved all questions of schweser question bank(left around 300-400 questions out of 4200 questions) Things I really really regret : 6.) Night before the exam I studied till 1:00 AM. It was very first time that this kind of thing happened to me. Usually before exam I sleep by 9:00 -10:00 PM. 7.) I did not arrange lunch on exam day before exam. I should have made some arrangements. 8.) I should have studied private equity more as I was 100 % sure that some question in the exam will be from this topic. In the exam there were 6 question from private equity chapter but I am not sure that I answered all of them correctly. 9.) Should have got FSA video lecture of Peter olinto of Stalla on time. 10.)Should have solved schweser practice exam volume 1 completely and all EOC questions from CFA Institute books I passed CFA level II examination in June 2009.

Mission: Couple of questions… 1) Why did you only read FSA 5 times? Wouldn’t 7-10 times be better? 2) Where did you buy the notebook for writing good formulae? Staples? Would it have benefited you to buy the good notebook from Office Max? 3) Did you have suicidal thoughts after scoring a 50% on a practice exam? 4) Do you own a gun? 5) How many times did you jerk off while watching the Schweser videos?

did u got all &0+ this time

Misson.CFA, what is your background and job experience.You said that you solved 4000 problems from Q Bank, all scheweser problems, read scheweser again and again and watched scheweser videos. I mean how could you do so many things with so less time, unless you have a related background and experience or a less stressful job.

RIGWDL3 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Mission: Couple of questions… > > 1) Why did you only read FSA 5 times? Wouldn’t > 7-10 times be better? > 2) Where did you buy the notebook for writing good > formulae? Staples? Would it have benefited you > to buy the good notebook from Office Max? > 3) Did you have suicidal thoughts after scoring a > 50% on a practice exam? > 4) Do you own a gun? > 5) How many times did you jerk off while watching > the Schweser videos? what kind of question is this ? Did I make a mistake by posting here ?

Hey Mission CFA, It helped me a lot as far as i am concern.Thanks for your post. But will get back to you whenever i need your help. Can i have your Email ID please. Regards, SAM

Congrats Mission, Mostly people I speak too say that you can’t get away on Level 2 only reading the stalla/schweser books, and that the CFAI books are a must read.

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Mission.CFA Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > RIGWDL3 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Mission: Couple of questions… > > > > 1) Why did you only read FSA 5 times? Wouldn’t > > 7-10 times be better? > > 2) Where did you buy the notebook for writing > good > > formulae? Staples? Would it have benefited > you > > to buy the good notebook from Office Max? > > 3) Did you have suicidal thoughts after scoring > a > > 50% on a practice exam? > > 4) Do you own a gun? > > 5) How many times did you jerk off while > watching > > the Schweser videos? > > > > what kind of question is this ? > > Did I make a mistake by posting here ? Obviously not. He’s just tryna be funny i guess. Thanks for the tips mate, congratulations on clearing the Level II.