How to pass Level 3

CFA Level III
#81

What a great post, trimonious2. I have scoured high and low for a comprehensive read on Level 3. I just passed L2 and am freshly enrolled for the L3. I too have heard time and again that the L2 is the hardest, and do not agree. While I concur that the breadth and depth of information required is staggering, I see L3 as a totally different beast, in that it moves partly from the multiple choice format and actually involves expounding knowledge.

By the way, I am not a native English speaker, yet your posts makes the most sense. You do not need to address the language barriers at all: the test is offered in English and it is fair game. In real life, the excuse “sorry, I do not speak English well” does not cut it. It should cut it even less when it comes to the test. Let alone, if you passed L2, you clearly have a command of the written English; your syntax may still suffer, but you have the formulas, calculations and most importantly, the analytical framework down pat.

#82

Bump, for those about to begin the last leg of the journey.

#83

^ That was nice greenman72 :slight_smile: It actually helped me find this invaluable post as it was recent. Otherwise this post would have been lost in history

and trimonious2 this is one of the best post for starting studies for Level 3

#84

Thank you, trimonious2 - and everyone who added their thoughts. I passed the Level 2 exam and am appreciative that you have taken the time to give new candidates guidance.

#85

Nice post OP, will flag this for whenever I make it to level 3

#86

first post, thanks for your sharing! ready to beat it coming year

#87

Increase your odds by starting to study from now. Overstudying is a good way to pass.

#88

Increase your odds by starting to study from now. Overstudying is a good way to pass.

#89

^ This is spot on.

Aim to know the material so well that you will ace the PM exam. If you can at least tread water in the AM (no one aces the AM), that will get you a pass.

#90

This page is bookmarked. Thanks for the post. :smiley:

#91

Thank you for the great post, Trimonious2 :-)!

#92

You’re welcome

#93

As CFA is mainly conceptual exam, it is all about repeating and digging out the concepts, you not need to understand fully the concept, just repeat all over again.

My strategy is always the same (i passed l1 and l2 at first attempts with +70%) :

  1. schweser video once

  2. schweser notes once

  3. schweser eoc twice

  4. cfai blue box twice

  5. cfai eoc twice again

  6. all eoc, mocks and practice exams as many times as you have time.

However l3 is different and probably i should adjust my strategy a bit.

wish you all the best!

#94

^ Know your Schweser notes cold to the point where if someone asks you a question about a topic, you know in what book and approximately what page it’s on…

#95

^ +1

Many personal experiences with that, especially for L2…

#96

To the moderators of the site:

This page really should be stickied to the top of the L3 page. It is the single greatest resource for L3 first-timers.

#97

I’m surprised there are not more threads stickied. A lot of wise advice has been dropped off the first page.

#98

I’m surprised there are not more threads stickied. A lot of wise advice has been dropped off the first page.

#99

+1.

Personally bookmarked the two threads Timonious (the great) created and have used them for L3.

#100

Agreed.