Passing levels 1 and 2 in one go difficult, following, seniors, levels

ASSet_MANagemen

Wanted to ask the seniors if anyone had successfully passed Level 1 in Dec and then passed level 2 in the following June.

Is level 2 much more difficult than level 1?

bpdulog

I passed Level 1 in Dec, then 2 in June 2010. 34% pass rate and 39% pass respectively. It is doable. But you will want to hang yourself and gouge your own eyes out. I (foolishly) did not study until I saw my L1 pass result and bought the books. So effective study time was from Jan 28-June 4. Instead, Take the exam, assume you rockstared it, start studying for level 2 a week later with either someone's stuff or buy it on ebay or buy 3rd party (schweser, stella). Then study very hard.

My method that (thank the heavens) worked was this:

Study 7 days a week.
Read 40 to 60 pages or so a day (depends on difficulty/end of the section problems)
Do every single question, blue box, etc.
Underline everything I read that is important
Reread everything I underlined
Redo ever single question and blue box, no help or checking
Bought a schweser exam bank online - did 2,800 questions
Did every exam and mock exam offered by CFAI
Kicked open the door to the arena where the test was held, yelled "THIS IS SPARTA!" and rocked it like a hurricane*


(*sat quietly by myself, prayed, passed, did fist pump, gave thank-you to said prayer recipient)

Darien

I passed level 1 in Dec. 09 and and level 2 in June 2010 ... I would recommend starting on ethics today, that way if you passed you have a head-start at level 2, and if you failed you still have a head-start at re-taking level 1 since you'll have to study that anyway ...

ohai

newsuper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dal Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Wanted to ask the seniors if anyone had
> > successfully passed Level 1 in Dec and then
> passed
> > level 2 in the following June.
> >
> > Is level 2 much more difficult than level 1?
>
>
> Very common, though it does make it a bit tougher
> as the earliest you can start is about mid-Fed at
> best (it depends how long it takes to get the
> books etc).
>
> It is easier in one aspect in that all the LI
> material is still fresh, plus you are still in
> study mode from the Dec LI exam.
>
> And yes LII is way more difficult than LI,
> primarily due to the volume of the material.
>
> However, plenty of people have passed all three
> exams in a row from Dec -> June -> June (myself
> included and I'm no rocket scientist).

This. Hoping to do the same in June for l3.

_____________________________________________________
-My friend QQQbbe, we will never forget you.

Zestt

Passed L1 Dec 09, L2 June 10.

Level 1 i put the effort in and scored >70 in all sections.
Wasnt able to begin L2 revision until very late and i was convinced i flopped and thought i had failed for sure but scrapped through despite many 50-70 sections.

Its difficult to go from studying until dec for L1, then hitting the books in new year for L2 - but it is definitely doable!

I personally dont think studying more than 4 months before the exam works because its very easy to forget the material in a few days let alone 6 months!

Valores

L1 DEC 2006
L2 JUNE 2007
L3 JUNE 2008 (DIDN'T APPEAR FOR EXAM- DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK WAS GOING ON)
L3 JUNE 2009 (APPEARED, GOT HUMBLED REALIZED I STILL DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW)
L3 JUNE 2010 (GOT WISER, CRACKED IT FINALLY)

now feeling a lot better its all over.

nannan66

It get's more difficult each level. Each level takes much more time, effort, and focus.

Wait until Level 3.... with 1 and 2, lots of study and memorization will get you through. Level 3 tests your ability to understand and implement...which is infinitely more difficult than just memorization.

Level 1 separates those who have a chance from the general population.
Level 2 distinguishes who can really put in the sweat equity required.
Level 3 identifies who really knows what the heck they are talking about.

Wait until you are through the whole program to give your opinion of those statements...

former

iteracom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> you can't register for L2 without a undergrad
> degree in hand.


Yes, you can. You don't need a degree to pusue CFA designation.

infinitybenzo

I studied really hard for level 1, came out feeling so-so, ended up passing with flying colors.

For level 2 I used the exact same study methods and structure but the week before the test I started sweating bullets because I couldn't get my head around all the material. I burned myself out, stayed up till 4am the day of the test reading the ethics section which I left for last. I also literally took one half of one practice test the day before the exam as my only real question practice - I didn't want to sacrifice precious minutes learning content to get feedback on material I wouldn't have time to study anyway. I got to the test, the first ethics section was a topic I didn't review at all so I freaked out, guessed a lot. I fumbled through quant methods only to realize I burned almost half the test recalculating problems because I kept arriving at answers that weren't in the choices. My life flashed before my eyes, I had a hot flash, I thought I was done for, wasted hundreds of hours of my life! But I was able to pull it together, decided to salvage what I could, found my confidence and powered through the rest of the test.

I again passed with flying colors except quant methods where I was in the <50% group.

As far as takeaways go, it's really important to remember you can get a lot of questions wrong and still pass so allow yourself to let material go as you study. Can't remember the formula for how warrants impact accounting ratios? Skip it and find a dozen other things to skip to lighten the mental load. I freaked out and working myself into a delirious frenzy studying in the final hours because I didn't want to let material go. I would have crushed quant methods if I was well rested, the rest of the test probably would have gone the same as it did.

Unforseen

Thanks everyone, fingers crossed for level 1 results due on 25 Jan 2011. Hope its what I deserved for my effort.