When will you start studying?

CFA Level III
#1

Hi all,

I passed level 1 and 2 in the last 2 years, starting studying in Jan - wasn’t too stressful but took up all my weekends.

I’ve got the momentum to complete this qualification, but material in L3 is from a different angle.

Looking to start in Nov when Schweser books are available - I want quite a ‘relaxed’ ride this time

Whens everyone else planning to start?

#2

As per my experience with prior exams and as per most of the candidates, 6 months are more than enough to prepare. I’ll start preparing for Level 3 in the first week of December. Till then I am gonna relax to completely forget those stressful Level 2 prep days.

#3

I have started about 15/08. Already read first 2 books from Schweser and official curriculum. I plan to read entire material at least once again. My other schedule is 80 % complied with suggestions of this year’s most successful candidates. The rest is my experience in studying for CFA. It’s not problem for me to study this, but don’t like preliminary phase when still am not able to solve all EOCs and BB. Also essay questionnaire is the new experience and is challenging. In my opinion L3 material is the most interesting of 3 and I can practice many of those in my everyday interactions (clients, family, friends etc.) because almost none wants to talk about heteroskedasticity, regression, delta hedge and other “under the hood” skills, but many want to talk about the way to monetize their illiquid assets, how to optimize personal investment and similar. I see this as an opportunity to keep me persistent in studying and tendency to absolve the material.

#4

I also have a system of studying in waves, covering the curriculum multiple times over. With each successive wave I learn less material than the previous wave until the learning curve becomes flat.

In fact I intend to be exam ready by end of 2016 so as to have 5 months for revision!

#5

I like to follow the live learning sessions from Kaplan. The live learning lessons make sure I’m staying on track of learning the material.

So with that I’m taking the early start live learning from Kaplan starting in October. So I’ll start studying around the beginning of October.

#6

Late Novermber/December as I did for L1 and L2. Gives me plenty of time to cruise along until kicking it in gear and picking up the pace in March. Starting early like that gives me enough time to take weekends off randomly and not have to worry about deadlines as much. I would imagine if I went hard from the beginning I would be able to start in late January/February but I like an easy pace

#7

Sounds like a blast!!!

#8

Plan to do a lot of layers.

  • Have finished a light read of Secret Sauce
  • Working through a deeper read of GoStudy’s notes
  • After that, will do a second pass of both, making very light notes of anything I understand already. Start taking some stuff off the table.
  • Then, will open the CFAI texts and do the usual (read, blue box, EOC, notes)

In a totally light mode right now. Will start getting more serious in Oct, then truly intense come Jan 2.

#9

@Batman1 - Schweser notes are already available.

#10

Got the material…

For Level 1, I started in start-stop sputters from Jan end and had focus only in early April - appeared and passed in June 2015

For Level 2, I resolved to start earlier, so started late Dec to early Jan with focus in March timeframe I think - appeared and passed in June 2016

For Level 3, I want to finish it off in 1 go, plan to start late Dec most likely. May be some pieces here and there prior to that. Hopefully that proves sufficient.

#11

I will start as soon as I can. I got the cirriculum but haven’t been able to study. Same thing happened with L2, I tried to study but couldn’t. My brain is telling me to chill.

#12

I don’t know what’s your situation but if I cannot bring myself to do something today, in the future will be even harder to do that, and there is always likelihood of impact of unexpected events on studying process. Take a shower in cold water, drink strong coffee and just start. You will be pleasantly surprised with your progress shortly. In my case each CFA exam studying has an exponential progress trend, not linear.

#13

Starting in 2 and a half weeks.

#14

Pa, nadam se da nije slučaj. Ako je tako, ja ću morati preskočiti L3 za to yearIt to je dug i mukotrpan ceste. Ja samo želim biti spreman kad sam se prvi pravi korak

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The above is translated from google translate. English version below:

Well, I hope that isn’t the case. If it is, I may have to skip L3 for this yearIt it is a long and arduous road. I just want to be ready when I take the first real step.

Wow, if you can understand that Croation the CFA must be e.a.s.y.!

#15

Fall - just become familiar with curriculum by reading material, make a notes. Spring - pedal to the metal, and then…

[video:https://youtu.be/BMxZFOehN_0]

#16

… and then go to France and start scoring?

#17

Suker-man…my fave on 1998

#18

Schweser books were available in July.

#19

Sounds better…

#20

For level 1 and 2 I said I am going to start in December and end up just barely reading anything in December spend more time strategizing and looking at the breakdown of the books, reading articles on the internet, etc. I really end up hitting it in January and having to push the last month to pass the test.

So I am going to make a goal to start in November and see what happens. I have ordered the Manhatten GMAT books and was going to take my GMAT this fall, but I am still brain fried from Level 2 so I think I am going to reschedule for next year and any time away from CFA look over the Math GMAT.