Too Early to Start for Dec '11? background, studying, starting, material, beginning

edgeon

I know most of this forum is probably beyond stressed and on edge right now studying for the June exam but I wanted to ask the forum if they felt like starting the beginning of June (which would be approximately 6 months of studying) on average of 1.5 to 2 hours a day is overkill for the December level 1 exam. I have a Finance background but I also know how humbling this material can be and do not want to take it for granted.

I ask this knowing similar questions have been asked on this board ad nauseam but would really appreciate the perspective of people right up against in June. Best of luck!

dontknow1987

Just my experience so far:
I started 8 months before the exam with a 3 month intermediate financial accounting course through UCI's online extension program. I didn't have much accounting work in college (I was a Management Science major) and corporate accounting can be like an Arnold-Schwarzenegger-step-child of a mind-f***.

That took me to 6 months before the exam (this upcoming June test). Then I started with Stalla's live classes. Afterwards I spent this entire last month re-skimming all the study sessions in the Stalla study guide. You won't really feel the stress until a month or two out; at least that was my case.

This week has been somewhat calming as it has now become too late (at least for me) to really internalize any new, major principles. It's minor tweaking and refreshes of "trivial pursuit" information from here to judgement day.

leadcfa

Thanks Guys, appreciate the input!

chetan86

My approach was to go through all the material in order, do just the bare minimum on questions until I felt like I had basic understanding, figuring I'd have time to really nail everything down during review time. I started about six months ago. And what I wish I'd done - in hindsight - and what some people on here advised but I ignored - was to spend more time on questions from my study provider (Schweser) while I was learning, and not save the q-bank for the end. I think it would have helped with retention as I went along. Instead, once I hit review time I'd more or less forgotten a huge amount of material. The questions REALLY help with retention, and going back and doing some questions on a section you finished earlier is truly helpful. I just couldn't face it - was rushing along to try to finish everything once, but then I had a huge mountain to climb come review time.

I work in finance publishing and education, so I had a passing familiarity with some terminology, but I'm an editor. Humanities person - not a finance practitioner in any real sense. So most everything was new to me.