Compared to most of you, I’m in horrible shape. I’ve completed (and by completed I mean read Schweser Study Notes only) SS3 to SS7. I have done nothing else. Hopefully I can get through all of the study sessions in Schweser by the end of April (tough task, I know). I doubt I’ll retain much, but I want to spend all of May on areas that I’m very uncomfortable with using the CFAI books and doing mostly practice exams. Anyone in worse shape than me?
^^^ Dude, that is pretty bad. I was about the same c.2 weeks ago (which was bad), but have been working like you wouldn’t believe (probably 15 hours last weekend and min. 2 hrs on work-days, usually more). I think you will have to pay your dues by putting in a stint like I have. I have now completed a first speed-read of Schweser and am now starting (literally) to memorise the stuff.
Etienne Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ^^^ Dude, that is pretty bad. I was about the > same c.2 weeks ago (which was bad), but have been > working like you wouldn’t believe (probably 15 > hours last weekend and min. 2 hrs on work-days, > usually more). I think you will have to pay your > dues by putting in a stint like I have. > > I have now completed a first speed-read of > Schweser and am now starting (literally) to > memorise the stuff. I’m in the exact same boat as you… Looks like we are on the same pace… Finished reading this past Friday and started with Portfolio Management/Behavourial Finance this weekend and today. Pretty much finishes S3 and S4 with memorization and Schweser Pro questions. Hopefully I’ll remember all this crap for the exam! 
lol
Etienne, thanks for being brutally honest. I agree that I’m in bad shape but I’ve always been good at cramming. I know my odds of passing this year are low, but I’m going to spend the next nine weeks trying dramatically improve those odds. If anyone knows of a success story with someone who was in my situation, please do share. Thanks.
I have still not bought Schweser. I am now thinking of getting Sch notes as text book from CFAI is difficult to grasp. I read it but it does not stay in my head. I underline it but after a while it seems like my first encounter.
I’m almost done the readings in schweser …however after looking @ some of the questions on here i just realised that i dont remember anything …i have still been goin out n stuff however that is now on hold for the next 2 months …time to go hardcore .and kill this byatch in june …
Finished the schweser readings… I have left schweser book #1 at work, the readings in there ie. ethics/behavioral finance are easy to pick up a couple pages at a time so its an ideal book for work. I am hoping to do index cards this weekend for the 3 books I haven’t done yet. Then its head in book for next two months… Gym on sat-sun and wednesday night… gonna be interesting… Is anyone else having a serious motivation problem this year? ahhh
I’ve still got to read SS 17 & 18 and then go back to do 1&2. Then it’s review & practice tests from there on out. I know what you mean, I’m having a real hard to finding the motivation for this level which wasn’t a problem for levels 1&2. Going to be an even bigger problem for me come playoff hockey…
oh no! all of u are stressing me! 
i’m not even 10% through…
With you, princess - read behavioural stuff once… that’s it. If i’d started any sooner than tuesday i’d forget it all by may
MPT, don’t sweat. This is the earliest I’ve ever started… usually it’s 6 weeks start to finish. Just means giving up most of your weekend and most evenings, but it’s always worked for me. Questions after each chapter, then leave 5 days for practice exams. Got me top score bracket in every section bar one for Levels I and II. Use the force.
Jpd I hope that your plan works I too am on it!!
thanks jpd! we’re all in the “11th hour” group haha
Well, I did the last Stalla video last night and felt really good about my progress… then I remembered that I did a few sections out of order and had to go back and do them… so I was a little bummed that I wasn’t as close as I thought. However, I’ll be done with all in two weeks, and then have maybe 7 weeks left for review. Biggest worry is forgetting all that stuff in the beginning. I really like the L3 material though. It’s what I came to CFA to work on.
Still haven’t started in earnest. Flipped through CFAI this weekend. I’m toast, I suppose. plan is to start reading like a madman and do problems last 2 weeks if i can stay out of office. Still believe CFAI is best because repetition in various readings cements understanding and gives sense of what crops up in multiple places and thus is likely to be factor in various kinds of questions throughout exam.
SteelerFan: I agree 100% with you that CFAI texts are the way to go, but that’s only IF you have the time to read through all the books and solve the end-of-chapter problems. Since we have exactly two months left, I (like many of us here) do not have the luxury of reading the CFAI texts and will instead rely on Schweser’s Study Notes, Secret Sauce and perhaps the 3-day crash course. Btw, anyone know if the 3-day courses are worth the money (I think approximately $400)?
If you are going to do all that, you have time for texts. Just don’t read them like a novel, read them for information only. I’m telling you, the repetition is worth it. by the way read first 4 readings on a one hour plane flight this morning. I’m on a roll!