Time committment for CFA exam preparation.
April 3, 2006 4:19 PM Subscribe
Registered to take the CFA exam June 2. Assuming my past studying efforts count for naught, can I start tomorrow and pass? I have a reasonable grounding in the subject area, and am not working. What kind of commitment would it take? Official Schweiser prep course and CFA Institute time estimates (~250 hrs) are noted.
Best answer: I finished up in '03. Most people I knew didn't start studying until March. At worst you are a month behind, which you can def make up with a solid approach to studying for the exam.
I never started till the NCAA's were over. That would be tonight. But you'll need to be disciplined about studying - I used to read for about an hour a night Mon-Weds. In May I didn't really go out too much. Also I used to take the week off before and do nothing but timed practice exams.
On Level 1 you need to figure out what you know and own it, and not worry too much about the most difficult parts of those topics you don't.
Just remember on the test as a whole you can get a lot wrong and still pass so don't get frustrated.
Also aim for 100% on ethics/PPS. A huge help to passing all three exams.
posted by JPD at 4:53 PM on April 3, 2006
I never started till the NCAA's were over. That would be tonight. But you'll need to be disciplined about studying - I used to read for about an hour a night Mon-Weds. In May I didn't really go out too much. Also I used to take the week off before and do nothing but timed practice exams.
On Level 1 you need to figure out what you know and own it, and not worry too much about the most difficult parts of those topics you don't.
Just remember on the test as a whole you can get a lot wrong and still pass so don't get frustrated.
Also aim for 100% on ethics/PPS. A huge help to passing all three exams.
posted by JPD at 4:53 PM on April 3, 2006
Best answer: i haven't taken the exams but if you're taking Level I, I can tell you that my husband studied for it for about a week and passed. We were in the middle of a cross country trip (he had signed up the year before when we didn't know we'd be quitting our jobs and traveling) and had no time to study (no will either) but relatively good effort for one week was enough for him to pass Level I.
Level II? Well that's another matter entirely :)
posted by karen at 5:49 PM on April 3, 2006
Level II? Well that's another matter entirely :)
posted by karen at 5:49 PM on April 3, 2006
Best answer: You can do it, probably. I took (and passed) LIII the first year that Schweser published the "Secret Sauce," and I used it and it alone in lieu of all other notes.
Also, friends claim that those weekend-long courses, while expensive, gave them a huge leg up. Don't remember who puts those on.
posted by Kwantsar at 5:52 PM on April 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
Also, friends claim that those weekend-long courses, while expensive, gave them a huge leg up. Don't remember who puts those on.
posted by Kwantsar at 5:52 PM on April 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you're not working, you should be able to knock it out. I've been doing a chapter a day before work. If I wasn't working, I would feel very good about passing with two months to study.
posted by Frank Grimes at 6:29 PM on April 3, 2006
posted by Frank Grimes at 6:29 PM on April 3, 2006
Response by poster: Thanks to each of you. Tiamat, you're obviously on a roll and in a highly efficient mode. Hope I make it there.
JPD, much appreciated.
Grimes, studying before work: you are aptly named.
posted by Phred182 at 12:20 PM on April 4, 2006
JPD, much appreciated.
Grimes, studying before work: you are aptly named.
posted by Phred182 at 12:20 PM on April 4, 2006
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posted by Phred182 at 4:28 PM on April 3, 2006