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1 Month Till CFA Exams? Here’s The 5 Step Game Plan

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    • Zee Tan
      Keymaster
        • CFA Charterholder
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        1 Month Till CFA Exams? Here’s The 5 Step Game Plan
        You’ve been consistently working hard studying, trying end-of-chapter (EOC) questions, and perhaps even attempted some practice exams already.
        With 1 month left to go, a little structured plan goes a long way.
        Why? Because this is the period where your learning rate is the highest, when you are actually tested to apply what you’ve learned so far – and more importantly – the opportunity to identify and fill the gaps in your knowledge, just in time for the exams. It’s what you do in this last month that makes a difference between a Band 10 and a Pass.

        So here’s a game plan to make the most out of the 1 month remaining – to eat, sleep, live and breathe CFA until the finish line!

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        I don’t have any other option except going for it.. Because its my dream… Thank u @sophie :* love u.. :p

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        Thank you @Andy! It’s not just me though, the whole 300 Hours team @zee @christine @mike and jason worked extremely hard to bring it to this stage. Your support keeps us going!

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        This is what I needed to hear, it just gave me a TURBO BOOST!! I’m still not finished with FRA…fortunately, I have a week off next week and I’m ready to pounce at these books…. God bless and may the forces be with us all… WHOAh!! :)>-

      • Snippy
        Participant
          • CFA Level 2
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          Ah, that was wonderful @Sophie. May the force be with us!

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          It’s good to take mocks under exam condition @Shwebs. I just did them myself under timed condition, not having to go to a special center per se at that time.

        • Zee Tan
          Keymaster
            • CFA Charterholder
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            @shwebs I’ve not attended a Schweser one, but based on 7city and BPP ones, they run you through an exam, and either have an in-person debrief or over a video later on. They might also give you an extra paper to ‘take away’.

            Generally I’d say the main value is to get an idea of how the actual exam is like. I’m not sure if it’s worth paying a significant more amount of money for (after all you can practice exam conditions at home), but it definitely helps 🙂

          • Franz
            Participant
              • CFA Level 3
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              Thanks, Sophie! This post might actually change my study plan. I was planning to re-do EOC questions, and do Schwesser “Self tests” and “concept checkers” for the next 2 weeks and do mock exams in the 2nd last week before CFA (week of May 20). The last week is kind of my final review week. What’s your take on this? Is it better to spread the mock exams over the next month, or can we just do them in the final 2 weeks before the exam?

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              I’m glad we’re of help @hafsasmalik. Pop by the forum when you need to relax, ask questions or help others. We all know what you’re going through there and you can’t panic nor give up right now!

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              Hi @Andy, welcome to the community! – which level are you taking? That’s a great position to be in, I don’t think anything changes nor should you take it easy now – you should keep practising, brush up the weaker areas with revision for another 2-3 more weeks 🙂 Oh – have a full day off to recharge would help!

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              @surangasa‌ from my experience – a formula page helps because it focuses your thoughts and priorities when you construct it. Its main value is when you write it!

            • shannondaily
              Participant
                • Undecided
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                @Sophie‌ Thanks…if only I could get through accounting. It’s killing me. :neutral_face: 

              • Maroon5
                Participant
                  • CFA Level 1
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                  Hi @Shwebs, I signed up to take that live mock exam too. I thought it would better replicate the exam condition as doing it at home there is still some room to slack off. Whereas putting you in a giant hall with other candidates should provide a better test of doing the exam under proper pressure!

                • Maroon5
                  Participant
                    • CFA Level 1
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                    @schwebs, taking Level 1 too?

                  • Maroon5
                    Participant
                      • CFA Level 1
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                      Yup, in the same boat @Shwebs! 😉

                    • surangasa
                      Participant
                        • CFA Charterholder
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                        Thanks @Sophie for this article. Good to know I am inline with what you said in “What Stage Should I Be In Now?”. I think formula retention is my main priority so any tips on that in a article in the very near future is much appreciated. I do have a single page with all the formulas I want written but don’t know what to do with it.

                      • hairyfairy
                        Participant
                          • Undecided
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                          @shannondaily‌ best to invest time in accounting. L2 takes it to more challenging levels.

                        • NiteFlyer164
                          Participant
                            • CFA Level 1
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                            Thank you @Zee. These are valuable resources for the 3H community and I greatly appreciate it.  🙏 👌 👍

                            Zee Tan voted upmikey voted upSophie Macon voted up
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                            Brilliant. Thanks @Sophie.

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                            @Sophie, been pulling ninja moves, work keeping me busy, will certainly hit you guys up…. quick one, I’ll be taking a Live Mock exam from Kaplan Schweser on the 18 May. What’s your view on this?? Have you ever taken one yourself, actually this goes to anyone from the blog… Thanks

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                            Hello @Franz! There’s no one way of doing things, so this is only a suggested plan, from me :).

                            Personally, I would spread out the mock exams (since there’s quite a few to do), and they take quite long to review/check/ and note down your weak areas, so your revision (self tests, EOC, concept checkers etc) in between these papers are more targeted, as you have better information each time of where your understanding is lacking.

                            Leaving it to the last 2 weeks only to experience the real exam condition may be risky as you don’t have much time to get use to and train yourself with that condition.

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                            @Maroon5….a big whopping nervous YES and you??

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                            Thank you so much @sophie.. 🙂
                            Now i know what i have yo do, all i need was the motivation and here finding others like me and your posts full of motivation.. Helped alot.. I will be intouch with this forum, though i have deactivated all my social networks, so that i may not be distracted.. But im definetly coming more iften here and will search it thoroughly when i will be on my laptop.. As now im accessing via ph.. With books open in front of me :'(

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                            I am taking level 2. I think it’s better to revise the formula now. There are tons of them which I would not want to forget on D day.

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                            Yup sounds like a solid plan @Andy – there’s too many formulae in Level 2 😉

                          • surangasa
                            Participant
                              • CFA Charterholder
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                              Thanks @christine I have quite good retention for about three months but not for those yield formulae (money market yield, bond equivalent yield etc.) which could kill me. I am thinking of writing another page with just those formulae. Thanks again for the wise words. 

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                              @Zee and @Maroon5… great feedback guys thanks a lot.. @Maroon5 that’s why I’m opting to go to a test center – it’s more real, I bet I’ll feel the intensity so yup… I need for this exam to be over already #first time jitters I guess…!!

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                              My mock scores stabilized at around 75% over the last 30 days (about 3-4 mocks). What should be my last time revision strategy now, dear @Sophie?

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                              Dear @Sophie, hope things are going well for you. Me again this year. But level 3. Thank you for posting this and the whole amazing site. Keep up the good work, Sophie.

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                              Thanks @shannondaily‌, @tingwuwang – glad it’s useful. Best of luck for the remaining prep!

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                              Hello @Shwebs, haven’t seen you for a bit! Glad it was the turbo bazooka boost you need. As usual if you come across any problems, you know where to find me!

                              You’re welcome @sidmenon, @vijay. Hope prep is going awesome 🙂

                            • tingwuwang
                              Participant
                                • CFA Level 2
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                                thanks for the article, it really helps and drives me onward! i have two actuarial examinations from uni in the 2 weeks leading up to the final CFA exams. i feel like i’m about to experience a spontaneous explosion of the brain soon.

                              • shannondaily
                                Participant
                                  • Undecided
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                                  I really enjoyed this article. It gave me some much needed confidence to know that I’m not far from being on track.  😀

                                • NiteFlyer164
                                  Participant
                                    • CFA Level 1
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                                    Hello @Sophie!

                                    I would be interested to read your 5-Step-Game-Plan. Unfortunately, the access link for the full story doesn’t seem to work.

                                    Please advise. 😷

                                     

                                     

                                  • robertlee
                                    Participant
                                      • CFA Level 1
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