CFA - Anyone burn their Schweser books and just learn from the Videos??!??!

CFA Monkeys - Curious to hear your experiences with Schweser Videos or videos from any of the other companies?

Helpful? Better than the books or just use them as supplementary to the books?

47 Comments
 

Joke? You need the books man. I would only use the videos to brush up on concepts your unsure of. The audio notes are the trick. Whenever your doing something mindless it helps to throw on your ipod and hammer home each LOS you just read.

Here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, you are the sucker.
 
bullbythehornsJoke? You need the books man. I would only use the videos to brush up on concepts your unsure of. The audio notes are the trick. Whenever your doing something mindless it helps to throw on your ipod and hammer home each LOS you just read.

I was really digging the idea of not reading and just note taking behind the videos... I guess theres a reason why each units an hour long in the vids and takes longer than that to read through it

Any idea where I can cop the audio notes??

 

Yeah, a little confused by how integral the "new" packages are to actually passing. They have June 14 L I-III packages out already and the registry for that exam isn't even open yet.

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme."
 

L1 curriculum is always 100% the same between June and December of the same year. At most they'll have fixed some errata in the new prints, but just check their webpage to find those.

 

This 100% will not work. The videos are fine, but they are really just a resource to reinforce concepts. The secret sauce doesn't cover enough material for you to pass.

You are already going into this with the wrong mindset.

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 

I'm currently studying off the secret sauce book but I'll also be reviewing the CFA assigned reading. I'll let you know in a few months if they helped.

 

The way you pass Level 1 is by doing hundreds and thousands of questions. Schweser give you around 4,000, do them all. Then do as many past papers as you can get your hands on (minimum of 10 really, 1x morning and 1x afternoon = 2 papers).

Just sitting there watching videos or even just going through all the textbooks will not get you a pass. You will be spending far more than 30-40 hours studying and revising.

Those videos are brutally boring. Def good to do when your brain is fried from reading but they're only really useful for reiterating concepts youre weak on.

I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold. I'll be fine once I get it
 

@duffmt6 makes a great point. You shouldn't go into CFA exams trying to minimise the amount of work you have to do. This won't work. You should assume you need to learn everything and find ways to do this more efficiently (schedules, regular breaks, topic reviews etc.) You can't half-ass your way through.

UnclePanda

Hi All

Has anyone used these as a study material? Is it possible only to watch the videos and pass the CFA. There is something like 30-40 hours of material covered.

Cheers

Read the notes, don't have to watch the videos.

For level 1, it is all about the amount of problems that you have done, you don't have to read the book, but the end of session problems are high recommended. Do them, understand them, look at the answers and explanations even you got the questions right.

 

Any L2s using the Schweser books? I feel the questions aren't up to scratch, but obviously I haven't taken the exam yet (only done the mock). Is this the common view?

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 

Cheers lads.

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 

Look your taking a test, not just learning. I would watch the videos and do a shit load of questions. You may not do well in the beginning but keep doing them for each section and the knowledge will naturally come. And if you don't understand a concept, read the Schweser book. And once you're done with going through all the material, read the Secret Sauce and know each section forward and backwards. And then answer more questions.

I read the books up until fixed income (I'm taking Level 1 too), and I found out my strategy was wrong. I wouldn't do well on the practice tests but I did alot better when I watched the videos and then went straight to the questions and did a minimum of 120 questions each section. And I have it so when it grades my exam as I go along so if I get something wrong, I can look over the right answer and learn that way too.

 

I used the videos as a refresher for LI and LII...that's really all they are worth though.

I'm not the type to do Q-bank, mostly out of laziness. The books are the most important for me, but everyone learns differently.

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 

I watched the Schweser videos as a starter and then augment with reading the Schweser books for where the video is a little light on certain concepts. Passed CFA level 2 on the first try with no experience working with financial statements. Videos are great (Jonathan Bone's British accent is a little tough for me) but you need to read the book to think through things.

 

Necro thread - anyways...

L1: All videos, all kaplan notes, Qbank, 3 mocks in final week before exam (in that order) L2: All videos, 1 week of Qbank, 1 week of mocks L3: All videos, all kaplan notes, like a million mock exams

If I could do L1 over again, I wouldnt do the videos or notes. I would just do Qbank, then jump to mocks in the last week or two.

(L3 results tomorrow morning; praying)

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