Sequence of Chapters everyone, please, decide, advice, equity

Jupiter

Hi everyone,

I'm taking my exam in Dec Level 1. Would like to know which chapters do you guys start with first? and subsequently as well?

I am thinking Financial Analysis first, but thereafter, i can't decide to proceed to Statistics, Fixed income or equity...
Any advice please?

Thank you!!!!

Jolyn

Beatnik

I started from Quant and did them in sequence leaving ethics for the end - Just over a month before the exam I started reviewing them.

I find there are some concepts in the later volumes that reflect on information from the previous volumes. However, you are bound to review the volumes several times... I guess after the first run at it, you will see which ones you need to spend more time on and which ones you are more comfortable with and can put to the side for the time being..

What I suggest (more than the sequence of material), get to the mock exams early... Maybe a month before the exam... This will be a good indicator of how you retained your info

gl

evolsteevol

I would say start with the quants and then go like FRA, equity, bonds, corp finance, PM, derivatives, AI. Econ you can squeeze in wherever you want. I am asking you to start with quants not only because of it's been used throughout but also you will have to spend lot of time understanding the concepts. I consider my mathematics skills pretty good but still found quants, especially topics like hypothesis testing, pretty hard to understand. I think there are some more topics which are also very hard to understand and require lot of time to understand, in fact might frustrate you as well, includes, cash flow, taxes and options, I found them hardest to understand. Make sure you study these topics with calm head and spend enough time. Good luck!

sdada

thanks alot guys for the recommendations!

May i know how much time you guys spent on FRA and Quant?

i'm now on FRA, and it seems that i'm so slow on it! sigh...getting really worried...
worried if i can finish studying for it...

ramdabom

From experience... there isn't a set time that I spent.
I went through the books (made notes), did the end of chapter questions. After that I went through the Schweser notes, did those questions. At this point I know what I feel comfortable in and what Im still lacking... I patched up the items that I knew I was forgetting, or weak in. After a few weeks of reviewing/learning, I started with the mocks... Maybe 3 weeks ago.

Between Mocks, I spend time reviewing the info that I didn't retain.

Tonight, I spent time reviewing a few items from FRA, a few items from Equity...

But at the end of the day, to each there own. I don't think you should rely too much on how much I, or anyone else, spent on a particular topic. I suggest starting around 6 months before the exam, and go through and see how it goes.

I don't know how much you know of what... I found Quant to be harder than FRA... to be honest with you.

g.l

leadcfa

Hi Matori, ya i just looked through Quant, and it seems tough already!!

I'm still trying to plan my study schedule, to make sure i'm on track, so that i can finish all the materials... i plan to spend about 1month on one book...
but from the pace of me studying FRA, 1 month seems short!!

May i know how much time you spend studying everyday?

siavosh

Jolyn,

Just a brief note: I am a finance major and work in the financial sector.

Now...
My suggestions which you can take with a grain of salt lol.

I started studying mid February. I usually spent Mon-Thursdays doing 3 hours, Friday was my break, and then Sat-Sun maybe 5 hours a day. Till all changed May 1st. As of May1st i spend around 4-5 hours (7.30/8pm to around 1ish) Mon-Fri, and I would say close to 8 hours Sat and Sun. I also spend time during my lunch at work to review. Night before work, I put a couple items in my bag that I review during my commute - Usually some summaries from Schweser.

I have heard that studying too far in advance may do you more harm then good - you might burn.

Also, I suggest (again grain of salt), you work through the books as many times as you can, rather than devoting a months to each book at a time... Come November, you would of forgotten everything you did in Book 1/2, 4-5 months ago.

Also i suggest, putting together a time table... I didn't stick to it as religiously for the first 3/4ths of my studying (I would underestimate the time I really needed to do something). However, the last month (May 1 +) I have been on the dot.

Hope this helps.

shootingstar

Thanks alot Matori!! it's been really helpful!!

Now i know why i'm so slow in progress... *oops*
I really have to spend more time everyday after work on studying...
will try to stay on top of my study schedule!