Test Prep and Test Day practical tips

Thanks Vincent

@KawiGreen Absolutely. Just make sure your backpack is kept in a place easily accessible to you. Usually, at least in my centre, the crowd at the backpack area is insane. Didn’t get to eat my lunch last time >.>

@sidmenon thanks! What’s the protocol for finishing a section early… are you allowed to leave early or are you made to stay in your seat until the 3 hours is up?

@GraemeA yes you can, just not on your ticket.

More tips to add to the list!

• Mindset – 70% is a fine score

• 100% is not the goal – passing is the goal

• Organize your study well in advance of the examination. Divide the material into manageable units (for example, by Study Session) and then allocate a certain number of hours per day or week to studying. Then stick with it! A common study plan is to complete one study session per week.

• Read the 2010 CFA Level I (or II or III) Study Guide, which has a wealth of information and will help you organize your study plans. For Level I candidates, this information also appears in the front of Volume I of the custom curriculum.

• Save the candidate web site and refer to it often. This site will link you to several frequently used candidate services.

• Purchase your curriculum early.

• If you have not yet purchased the calculator you will use for the examination (www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprogram/calculatorpolicy.html), it is strongly encouraged to do so. Learn your calculator completely. Valuable time will be wasted if you have to refer to the keystroke instructions during the examination.

• Experts agree that more learning takes place when study is spread out over several sessions. In other words, people generally learn more from six two-hour sessions than from one 12- hour session. Structure your study program so that your time is used effectively.

• When developing your schedule, make sure to leave time for relaxation so that you don’t get overwhelmed.

Solid, great advice @channing_cox! Great to have you here with us on 300HC 🙂

As far as i know and have seen, you got to sit till the end of the session.

i am taking the june test.
what do u mean by valuation models?

@lulu123 as far as i’m aware, you are not allowed. Not even the wrapper for the batteries of your calculator, you have to remove them and only take your batteries in.

Mechanical pencils are okay, but not recommended unless you are very careful with highlighting your answers (not to puncture through the paper).

This thread makes me sliiiightly nervous.

Does anyone know if we can write on the question paper (use it as scrap paper for calculations) during the exam?

Awesome regardless @connectconnect – lots of good tips. Thanks for sharing!!

Hey @channing_cox! I wrote L1 in Dec and writing it again in June! Agree with you on everything here.

are pencil cases allowed? or do we have to carry in our pencils in our hands?

also just to check: can we bring mechanical pencils? or its a must to bring hb +sharpener ?

So during the break, we are able to get our backpacks and do some quick catch-up studying between AM and PM session?

@KawiGreen: you can leave if its before the last 30mins of the exam. But I would not advice it as you could may be have a good read in that time of what you have written