June 2017 and the Level I, Level II and Level III CFA® exams will be here before you know it. It’s never too early to start thinking strategically about how you’ll spend your last month of study and final review. You need to  closely consider your study schedule and resources for the final weeks.

Here are some helpful tips…

DO:

  • At Least 5 Mock Exams – Ensure you can take at least one mock exam a week and ensure the exams you take are of the highest quality and mirror the real CFA exam experience. Spend as much time learning from your mocks as you do writing them. TIP: Add color coded sticky notes to typical tough questions by topic so you can refer back to questions easily.
  • Focus On Major Topics – Align your study sessions with how exam topics are weighted and the amount of review material and drill down on the fundamentals. You’ll see that you get the best return on topics like Ethics & Professional Standards.
  • CFA Institute Example/Past Problems – Question drills and practice exams are great but you have to ensure you’re using official CFA Institute example problems (found in the curriculum or pulled from past exams).
  • Memorize the Formulas! – People think they can take shortcuts on the formulas. Don’t fall into this trap! Instead, put heavy focus on memorizing the individual formulas and their use.
  • DON’T:

  • Cram During The Last Few Days – Take a break, clear your head and get plenty of good sleep and rest. You have a big task ahead of you and you have to be calm and focused.
  • Just Re-Read the CFA Material – Instead, do lots of practice questions and ensure they’re official CFA Institute questions, either from the curriculum or from past exams.
  • Expect To Know It All – You will undoubtedly be stumped on questions during the exam. Have a game plan for how you can make the best effort on the question. Remember: There is no negative scoring for guesses.

  • Stretch Yourself At Work Prior To The Exam – Most CFA candidates work full time. The days prior to the exams are the time to put some of your Paid Time Off to good use.
  • Step Up Your Final Review

    One of the biggest mistakes CFA candidates make when conducting their Final Review is underestimating the amount of study that’s required. You don’t want to leave anything to chance and go into your June exams less than fully prepared–that could make for a long six months before you get another shot at it. That’s why Wiley has a great CFA® 11th Hour Final Review Course Plus Test Bank bundle for CFA candidates that is far more robust, effective and affordable than Kaplan Schweser.