@mattyc
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Up6
Be aware that if they want to challenge your suggestion to invest in utilities be prepared to answer, what happens if we find ourselves in a rising interest rate environment? Higher yielding, defensive companies like utilities tend to react similarly to bonds as rates rise. Just look at June of 2013. Of course there is an arguement that since Yellen continuing the US’s easy money policies that we won’t see rates rise this year. I know this is very US centric but I just wanted to help. Good luck @bob_loblaw.
Up6@wesmantooth I’m also finishing up book 4 and hope to start book 5 today. The day of my last post I recreated my study schedule to be more aggressive so Im now on pace to finish my first go around on 3/5. Then Ill start all over again and add in EOCs, Qbank and Secret Sauce. Hopefully taking my first mock on 4/18.
My issue is the amount of actual hours Im putting in. My projected vs. actual is grossly mismatched. Just in the 17 days in Feb since I started really tracking everything I estimated around 1.5 hours a weekday and 2.5 on weekend days, but Im actually a full 12 hours short of that. At this pace Ill only total around 140 hours, maybe 180 factoring in taking and grading mock exams. So even though Im sticking to my daily study objectives Im not putting in a sufficient amount of time which scares me.
Other than that Im feeling pretty good about where Im at on 2/25. Did anyone start practicing essays yet?
Up5Very helpful @diya. Your methodology targets problem areas very effeciently. One thing that I’ve read on this site and would just like to add is that doing the 3 hour tests in full can really improve your mental stamina for exam day, so towards the end it would behoove you to build up that test taking endurance. Good luck to all!
Up5Is that the only discount for June 2014 L2?
Up5As someone who has one of the most common male names in America over the last 50 years (Matthew) I would tell you to embrace your individuality. I think its a strength rather than a hinderance.
Up5I didnt review L1 except for some of the QM concepts. Other than that I just got started with the L2 curriculum
Up5Haha great post @jessmat I thought I was the only weirdo but I’ve found myself wondering about the book cover woman too and began to resent her as her smile eventually morphed from pleasant looking to cruelly mocking my suffering. I remember cracking up at a problem last year that stealthly included a reference from the movie Army of Darkness although no one else I showed found it nearly as humorous. I also developed a subconcious love affair with the word heteroskedasticity and would say it as if I was Will Ferrell from Elf saying ‘Fransico’. I guess all that time in the library can make you a little delusional!
Up5I doubt they woud be legal. If its not specifically mentioned by the CFAI as allowed in the test center or if there is a medical reason, they will not be permitted. Plus with all the Dre Beatz headphones and the like out there they would have no way of knowing that you werent secretly playing a Schweser audio chapter during the test. Stick to the earplugs, works great and less bulky.
Up5I remember a question in the
L1 notes from 2013 that used three companies: Klatu, Verata & Nicktu.
Anyone who saw the cult classic Army of Darkness would get the reference. I took a picture of
the problem and sent it to my friends, thinking it would get a good laugh. Unfortunately,
I was so delirious from studying that I really overestimated the fact that my
friends would get this obscure reference imbedded in a complex finance problem
and they all wrote back something like , “Looks like Klatu has a leverage
issue” hahaUp5For these types of questions I tend to use a more mosaic approach and looking at the required return as one part of it. The other parts are suitable allocations, liquidity and appropriate risk.
In this case when looking at the required RoR component it would by easier to convert the institutions RoR to pre-tax to make it comparable to the allocations. It wouldnt matter if you did it the opposite way either, as long as you are able to match up pre-tax to pre-tax or after-tax with after-tax. So my understanding is that there is not a required way to end up selecting the most appropriate asset allocation unless specifically asked to calculate the after-tax returns of each allocation.
Hope that helps.
Up5@wesmantooth did you take the CFAI mock yet? It says AM/PM but both sections are vignette style. My plan is to couple those with past AM exams to replicate the structure of the actual test.
Up5Morning was tough but I finished with about 20 mins to go with enough time to review everything. Definitely thought there were a few curveballs that I didn’t fully prepare for. PM started out rocky with some tough Ethics ques but I finished in 1:45. Way to freaking fast. Walked out after about 2 hours not knowing if it was a good sign or a bad one. We’ll have to wait and see.
Up4@Diya at least you arent in your best friends wedding on May 31st! The wedding is an hour away and the ceremony starts at 7pm! (not the cocktail hour, the actual ceremony) I’ve already told him that I cant drink and have to leave be 10pm but I really cant think of a worse scenario than what Im facing in a couple weeks. My plan is to catch up on sleep for 2 weeks leading up to that Friday, and try to remain calm. ~X(
So whenever you’re feeling stressed I hope you can be thankful that this is not your reality haha.
Up4I totally agree with Sophie. If you do not have a familiar background than many of these topics will be new to you. I would start with the Kaplan materials and if you have trouble with a particular concept than delve deeper with the CFA curriculum.
Up4If you receive the email right away are you more likely pass? Do failing candidates wait longer?
Up4Many formulas will be substituted by getting better acquainted with your calculator.
Up4@123monitor123 there is a difference between underestimating the difficulty/time investment for the CFA and have confidence in yourself. I do not think you are being arrogant. Anyone deciding whether or not embarking on the CFA needs to have an honest introspective dialogue and if you dont believe in your ability to grasp the material then its a non-starter. Having a familiararity with the level 1 curriculum definitely gives you a leg up, just dont take this test for granted! Good luck.
Up4I did 7 mocks for L1 and 4 for L2. Only becuase of life/time restraints. I do not recommend doing that few practice exams for L2 unless you enjoy agita.
