June 2012

[sgtr]

Anyone for Level 3?

I just started studying. It was really difficult to even open those ugly looking books after two back to back FSA exams.

[astudent]

I'm taking it. Starting to work problems now.

[Hawgdriver]

I just signed up last week.

It's going to be a pain preparing with only the two weeks prior to the test; I have law school finals until the 17th of May. We'll see... Last year I got a 6, but that was with about 10 days of half-hearted study: too burnt after finals last year.

[ActuarialJames]

How many pages do you have to read for these exams? More than 1,700 like those d*** FSA exams? Also do you have to memorize a lot?

[astudent]

Originally Posted by ActuarialJames

How many pages do you have to read for these exams? More than 1,700 like those d*** FSA exams? Also do you have to memorize a lot?

Its a lot of reading, but less than that required for the FSA exams. The material is about 1000 times better written as well. It reminds me of the history books I read in middle school with key words highlighted.

You do need to memorize quite a bit, but unlike the FSA exams, the CFA questions are extremely straightforward.

[sgtr]

How was your test? I had to rush through in AM session. PM session was good. Overall I feel ok.

[Hawgdriver]

I'm feeling band 8.5-ish, +/- 1.5 band std dev. I feel OK about the AM except for one formula I forgot. PM I finished at the 2 hr mark, but a lot of uncertainty. I looked up a bunch of them and I guessed correctly, so that's encouraging. I think it was a pretty do-able test, if you were prepared.

I only registered the last possible day. I didn't think I'd have enough time to prep after my last law final on the 17th of May. I can't take it next year because of the bar exam. It was difficult cramming for CFA after cramming for finals. It's one thing to cram, it's another to do it for weeks on end. I'm a bit burnt now.

Hope August brings good tidings for you. For me it will take Hope^3.

[astudent]

Originally Posted by sgtr

How was your test? I had to rush through in AM session. PM session was good. Overall I feel ok.

I had the opposite experience. Felt good in the morning, but felt like I was guessing a lot on the afternoon part.

[sgtr]

Couple of people I talked to had similar feeling as yours....may be the question sets were different...or you was better prepared...
I am glad that this is over...If I pass this ( and my application for tourist visa to canada gets approved) I will get FSA and CFA around the same time.

[astudent]

And done! The wife can rest assured there will be no more exams!