CFA CFA Level 2 Taking time off work?

Taking time off work?

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    • Avatar of CaptainKinnardCaptainKinnard
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        • CFA Level 2
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        Is anyone taking time off work in the final week or two before the exam – if so, how much and when?

        I was thinking it might make more sense to taper off studying in the final week and work normally, but take a few days off in the penultimate week to put in as many CFA hours as possible – thoughts?

      • Avatar of MarcMarc
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          • CFA Charterholder
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          @CaptainKinnard The short answer is that I highly recommend that anyone writing a CFA exam at any level take the week before off work. Stay tuned for the longer answer in a forthcoming post.

        • Avatar of mitch895mitch895
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            • CFA Charterholder
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            If you can afford to take some time off, do it.  Not only might it save you another year’s study to re-sit the exam, but it will likely reduce your stress going into it.  

            Going into last year’s exam it was a particularly busy period for my company, so my final preparation for exams was crammed into the late hours of night and early mornings.  Come exam day I was exhausted.  My brain felt like it was operating at maybe 60%-70% capacity.  As a result there were questions on the exam where although I knew the material, my brain was slow to retrieve the required information.  

            Consequentially I completed the exams with the expectation that I was probably a borderline pass/fail, but very disappointed that I had “dropped the ball” so close to the finish line.  

            Result was that I passed, but I am still not happy with my performance on the day.

          • Avatar of googs1484googs1484
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              • CFA Level 3
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              I take the week before the exam off.

            • Avatar of googs1484googs1484
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                • CFA Level 3
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                Studies show the majority of people cannot study for more than 4 hours a day productively. 

              • Avatar of ensenmasonensenmason
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                  • CFA Level 2
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                  Last week off and half days for the two weeks before that. The problem then for me becomes balance.  I can’t seem to study 8 hours straight with any retention.  The exact formula for max retention is one I still don’t know…

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                  I’m taking time off but this time I am doing it differently. Instead of taking the last two weeks off like I did for FRM exams. I am taking two days off each each for all of May and the last week of April. 
                  So far I am finding it is working for me. When I am exhausted of studying 8 – 10 hours a day I can look forward to going back to work. 

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