My last Dec 2010 result was band 5 fail but I managed to pass this June. The reason I made the huge jump cos I totally relied on the CFA texts and mock in Dec 2010 and I did not fully understand major concepts. So, I enrolled for Kaplan, followed Schweser books and worked all the way. Unforturnately as I have to give up my social life, I gained extra 10 kilos weight. Most important reason is that I learned to love the material as I go along. If I can do it, so can you. Don’t give up if you haven’t put enough effort.
Good job!
M a Band 5 this June…Followed Schweser books…just wondering how far a band 5 is from clearing the exams ( in terms of marks or correct answers ).Also this was my second attempt. last time it was band 2…are any more attempt worth it???or m just not a fit for this exam…are there people who took more than 2 attempts to clear level 1
rocksolid Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > M a Band 5 this June…Followed Schweser > books…just wondering how far a band 5 is from > clearing the exams ( in terms of marks or correct > answers ).Also this was my second attempt. last > time it was band 2…are any more attempt worth > it???or m just not a fit for this exam…are > there people who took more than 2 attempts to > clear level 1 Can you provide your details, education background, work experience, strong and weak areas, etc.
Yes if you can gain 10kgs, so can I. On a serious note well done, Im fully relying on Elan. Hope it works out.
rocksolid Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > M a Band 5 this June…Followed Schweser > books…just wondering how far a band 5 is from > clearing the exams ( in terms of marks or correct > answers ).Also this was my second attempt. last > time it was band 2…are any more attempt worth > it???or m just not a fit for this exam…are > there people who took more than 2 attempts to > clear level 1 I’m sure there are people who have taken it several times and passed. Now, not to discourage you, but if you really studied your butt off the last two times and these are your results, I don’t know if I’d keep trying… It’s not because you couldn’t pass Level I next sitting, indeed I believe ANYONE can pass Level I if they put in enough time, but Level II is easily twice if not three times as hard as Level I. And in Level II, it doesn’t matter how much time you put in, you still may not pass because of how tricky the exam it. Think about it - Only 40% of people pass Level II. And these are folks who have already passed Level I. Just sayin.
rocksolid Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > M a Band 5 this June…Followed Schweser > books…just wondering how far a band 5 is from > clearing the exams ( in terms of marks or correct > answers ).Also this was my second attempt. last > time it was band 2…are any more attempt worth > it???or m just not a fit for this exam…are > there people who took more than 2 attempts to > clear level 1 The test is about the curve. band 5 doesn’t mean anything except you were ranked at the middle of everyone who failed. It’s still a ways to go to passing.
Thanks for ur response…Well…I did studied but had limitations both the times as I had a fulltime job n family to support…so couple of hours each day during the weekdays and then the weeknds…Moreover I just took a week off before the June exams…Mayb lack of practice exam or mock exams… is wot did me in…M just wondering is it like just cracking another 25-30 questions in the next exam to clear it and move from a band 5 to passing…Mayb i should be good to go with some more practice the next time…the stories I hear is that people bounce back from a band 2 to passing mayb with additional time n efforts…also that a few have struggled in level 1 but have cleared level 2 in one attempt…I just dont feel like giving up at the moment as somewhere i do know that i haven’t put in enough efforts both the times…for obvious reasons that i have failed in both attempts…Below are my june scores…Any suggestionss… The three columns on the right are marked with asterisks to indicate your performance on each topic area. Topic Max Pts <=50% 51%-70% >70% - Alternative Investments 8 * - - - Corporate Finance 20 - * - - Derivatives 12 - * - - Economics 24 - * - - Equity Investments 24 - - * - Ethical & Professional Standards 36 - - * - Financial Reporting & Analysis 48 * - - - Fixed Income Investments 28 - * - - Portfolio Management 12 * - - - Quantitative Methods 28 - * - We have divided the full group of candidates who did not pass into 10 approximately equal score bands. Your score band below shows how your overall score on the exam compares with all other failed candidates. Your score band: 5
I don’t know, you need a lot of work still, do you feel like you can really master the material? And if time preparation will continue to be a stumbling block how will you prepare for the tougher levels in the future? I just received band 10 (non-finance background, my weak categories were corp. finance and FRA), but I knew it would be close either way…if I ended up band 2 then band 5 on level 1, I would walk away.
rocksolid Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks for ur response…Well…I did studied > but had limitations both the times as I had a > fulltime job n family to support…so couple of > hours each day during the weekdays and then the > weeknds…Moreover I just took a week off > before the June exams…Mayb lack of practice > exam or mock exams… is wot did me in…M just > wondering is it like just cracking another 25-30 > questions in the next exam to clear it and move > from a band 5 to passing…Mayb i should be good to > go with some more practice the next time…the > stories I hear is that people bounce back from a > band 2 to passing mayb with additional time n > efforts…also that a few have struggled in level 1 > but have cleared level 2 in one attempt…I just > dont feel like giving up at the moment as > somewhere i do know that i haven’t put in enough > efforts both the times…for obvious reasons that > i have failed in both attempts…Below are my > june scores…Any suggestionss… > > > The three columns on the right are marked with > asterisks to indicate your performance on each > topic area. > > Topic Max > Pts <=50% 51%-70% >70% > - Alternative Investments 8 * - > - > - Corporate Finance 20 - * > - > - Derivatives 12 - > * - > - Economics 24 - * > - > - Equity Investments 24 - - > * > - Ethical & Professional Standards 36 - - > * > - Financial Reporting & Analysis 48 * - > - > - Fixed Income Investments 28 - * > - > - Portfolio Management 12 * - > - > - Quantitative Methods 28 - * > - > We have divided the full group of candidates who > did not pass into 10 approximately equal score > bands. Your score band below shows how your > overall score on the exam compares with all other > failed candidates. > > Your score band: 5 Looking at your scorecard, I can assure you that you are not very far away. Few positives from your score: Ethics was one of the hardest section this year and you have more 70% on that, so I assume you are a pretty smart guy. Second, Quants is pretty good too. Third and most important, I guess you are not covering all areas of the exam and probably as you said not enough practice either. Try to attempt as many mocks you can this December. Guess what? The only reason you failed in this exam is because of FSA. I think you bombed FSA big time. I have seen worse score report than this, but those people still passed.
Thanks for the response…your observations are bang on…i get the same feeling when i sit back and wonder how my exams went…still cant believe it that i bombed FSA because on the day of the exam i thot i had cracked it…anyways your response is far more encouraging…and pushes me to hang on…
rocksolid, i dont think you should use schweser anymore. I failed in Dec 2010 with: Q# Topic Max Pts <=50% 51%-70% >70% - Alternative Investments 8 - - * - Corporate Finance 20 - * - - Derivatives 12 - * - - Economics 24 - - * - Equity Investments 24 - - * - Ethical & Professional Standards 36 - - * - Financial Reporting & Analysis 48 - * - - Fixed Income Investments 28 - - * - Portfolio Management 12 - - * - Quantitative Methods 28 * - - Band 10 and in June 2011 with: Q# Topic Max Pts <=50% 51%-70% >70% - Alternative Investments 8 - - * - Corporate Finance 20 - * - - Derivatives 12 * - - - Economics 24 - * - - Equity Investments 24 - * - - Ethical & Professional Standards 36 - - * - Financial Reporting & Analysis 48 - - * - Fixed Income Investments 28 - * - - Portfolio Management 12 - - * - Quantitative Methods 28 - - * Band 9 I’m not knocking Schweser, many many people pass with them, but for me I don’t think it works. I found their questions overly complicated, long-winded and convoluted. I made a pretty major error of not looking at the change in material between Dec and June which may have cost me (or may not have). I do remember about 4 or 5 questions straight in Corp Finance and saying to myself WTF?! I had never even heard of some of the stuff they were asking. 10 questions over the exam is definitely enough to be a difference maker. Anyway, the exam really isnt that hard (I say having failed it twice haha). It’s more of a brain teaser than an exam. You just have to shove a lot of crap into your head and splurge out formulas in the test room. A lot of people go on to fail level 2 because I dont think they have the basics down (so, every cloud…) I’m thinking of taking it again. Just because I can’t stand that I have to tell people I failed. I think I will try Stalla, heard good things. What areas are you struggling with? jestersdead88@yahoo.com
Band 7. This is my 4th attempt. I took several years off to do my MBA in Finance. I am thinking of doing this again in December, but I need to know if I should. Can you provide some guidance? Q# Topic Max Pts <=50% 51%-70% >70% - Alternative Investments 8 - - * - Corporate Finance 20 - * - - Derivatives 12 * - - - Economics 24 - * - - Equity Investments 24 - * - - Ethical & Professional Standards 36 - - * - Financial Reporting & Analysis 48 * - - - Fixed Income Investments 28 - * - - Portfolio Management 12 - - * - Quantitative Methods 28 - - *
Stoploss…As per me , you should certainly go for dec’11 exams…you were pretty close both the time and its just unfortunate that you dint get through on both occasions…also i think you shouldn’t be changing you prep provider…stick to scheweser…imagine if scheweser was that bad you wouldnt have scored band 9 or band 10…some more efforts n u’ll be on ur way to level 2…for me m still not certain if i wuld attempt this dec or take some more time n come back in june 2012…
damn, 4th tempts for L1? Is that gonna take you another 8 tempts to pass L2?
Thanks. How do you think I feel? What would you do?
jpm Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks. How do you think I feel? What would you > do? What do YOU want to do with a CFA? Which area do you want to work in? Is it req’d/needed, more than MBA in Finance?
I think all of you that are taking the exams multiple times have a lot of character. I was going to write a smarta$$ reply, but F THAT! Keep it up. Keep your head in the game. Pursue it as long as it is a desire of yours. As long as it calls you to do it. If you’re on the fence, then you’re thinking about taking it again, then you should! You haven’t reached the point where you just can’t take it any longer. Go out there and do it! CFAI used to post a story about a guy that finally got through L3 on his 5th or 6th attempt. Just kept doing it. Now he’s a charterholder, just like the rest of 'em! Good luck!
z
So I also failed band 5 on my first attempt this past June. I admit that I didn’t start preparing well in advance and only dedicated the last 2 weeks before the exam to study (schweser notes), but it was pretty intensive studying. I didn¡¦t have any time to go through EOC questions or any mock exams either as I was still learning the material up until the day before the exam. I do have a financial background though and I thought it would be an advantage. Before the exam I had no expectation of passing but after I came out of it I though with luck I could have pulled through otherwise a band 10 at min¡K To my dismay it was a 5 ƒ¼ Question is, I felt somewhat confident after the exam and thought I knew what I was doing, I don¡¦t think I can study any differently apart from doing more practice questions and sample exams but will that really mean the difference between a band 5 and a pass? Results Matrix performance on each topic area. Multiple Choice Q# Topic Max Pts <=50% 51%-70% >70% - Alternative Investments 8 - - * - Corporate Finance 20 - * - - Derivatives 12 * - - - Economics 24 * - - - Equity Investments 24 * - - - Ethical & Professional Standards 36 - - * - Financial Reporting & Analysis 48 - * - - Fixed Income Investments 28 * - - - Portfolio Management 12 * - - - Quantitative Methods 28 - * - We have divided the full group of candidates who did not pass into 10 approximately equal score bands. Your score band below shows how your overall score on the exam compares with all other failed candidates. Your score band: 5