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In Vitalsource on a Mac you can download the documents to PDF. You accomplish this by ‘Printing’ the document, but instead of printing to a printer, you print it to a PDF document.

Now you can use any PDF reader you wish on any device you want. Full flexibility.

I have a very firm opinion of VItalSUX… and I think I just provided it. 🙂

(FYI – This does not work an Win-ugh computers…) two opinions for the price of one today! (Do I get a badge for that?)

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@microeconmist
Gotta agree with Zee… that’s very specific! Did you find Allan to be very good? I have heard they are not so great at certain topics.

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I am actually going through Creighton University, but I see that as mainly for the Master degree, not to prepare for being a Charterholder. My main focus is via Schweser, which I already have. I might also use Elan also. The videos on Schweser could turn an insomniac into a narcoleptic! I find the Elan videos are much better and keep you more focused. FYI, there are free videos for Quant and FRA on their website, if you just make an account at no cost. I just do not have feedback yet on the Elan quizzes and other offerings.

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Hey, @JayR –
Where in Florida? There are a few of studying for CFA Level 1 in the Tampa area.

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Just completed my PTO (Paid Time Off) schedule for next year and I have the whole week prior to the exam off! WAHOO!!! I won’t have to worry about work for a week. No phone calls or e-mails. Just take it easy and do some last minute mental calisthenics to keep my CFA Level 1 candidate ninja-brain in gear. #:-S Hopefully on the day of the exam I won’t look like this =P~ or ~X( or worse :-&

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Hi @greenem –
Best of luck in your studies. I too am hitting the CFA Level 1 candidate books as well as going for a Master degree (not so easy when you also have a family).

Just wanted to wish you well on your studies and all the best as you prep for the Dec exam! In final stages, make sure you go to the exam analyzer to see what others have gone through at our level vs how you have been doing in your studies.

Again, all the best and go get ’em!

– Peter

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Thanks, @Sophie!

I tend to be a major worrier over exams where you have to wait such a long time to do the re-take. I compensate by doing vastly too much and starting much earlier than most.

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Thank you @Sarah for this methodology. It reminded me of some exam-test taking skills I had forgotten about! I am curious about something and wondered if anyone can shed some light as I am starting my prep for Level 1.

I am taking the Creighton University MSAPM course (though I am heavily considering dropping it, see another post). I also have the Schweser PremiumPlus package for Level 1. I downloaded TimePrep to create a study schedule.

1. When should I do my first practice test? (Do the Schweser Practice Tests differ vastly from the Mock one via CFAI? This really concerns me.)
2. Is the TimePrep app better than Schweser’s Study Planner?
3. I’m getting a little nervous since the Schweser material for 2014 is not out yet. (Even though I got the 2014 CFAI books from Creighton back in August via VitalSource) I bought a download of previous Schweser 2013 material via eBay ($19.99 :-O )which has been helpful (especially QBank)….. Am I at overkill level with the materials I have at this point? Would getting Elan’s question bank be a good addition?

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Actually, it isn’t all of SS3 which is killing me, just Reading 11 and then some of the dispersion / probability areas. Grrr… can’t stand statistics. 8-}

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Thank God! QUANT SS 3 is killing me! Hopefully, just being an ace at qbank basic questions will be sufficient (to build enough points for that section) by June 2014. So much to learn, so little time! *ONLY* 249 days left. Yikes!

I am considering dropping Creighton and just plow on with Schweser… I ended up buying the CFA ‘SuperSize me’ package. I also have a lot of the other apps, as well as TimePrep. I am finding all the discussion board requirements for the MSA at Creighton to be a real drain on my reading and learning.

Odd huh, a university course is not helping me study. It almost sounds oxymoron-ic. Oxymoron-ish? Dunno, but I know one thing… it’s way late here in Florida and I have to be up in a few hours!

Any thoughts on just going the Schweser + TimePrep + apps route? Kind of curious at this point.

All the best,
Peter the Insomniac ~O) + I-) = 😀 or :-SS

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Hi, @jaz0020 –
I am kind of halfway in finance. I am on the personal side of financial advisement, but have no institutional background. So for me this is pretty new stuff, except for what I took in college 20+ years ago. (Thus it is all new).

I started by getting a general idea of what info I need to learn via the videos from test prep providers and their qbanks.

If you have an iPhone, just type in CFA on the app store. You’ll be shocked at how much is available.

One thing though, some of the firms’ qbanks *ONLY* work on PCs. So, make sure before you buy anythign you have what is needed to run it. Check your hardware specs and the type of system you have.

I have an old nettop Acer Aspire Revo… it is my qbank machine, “Schweser video home theater” and every online book I could find. I was lucky to stil have it as I was planning to sell it on eBay, but then I noted Schweser qbank ONLY works on PCs.

Well, it’s 1:34am…. I just finished doing more studying and resetting my study schedule.

Off to bed to get up in 5 hours.

g’night all!

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Dominique –
I’ve been doing a lot of examination of test systems and other helpful tools.

The following schedule should work very well with the Schweser QBank materials. I might go into Turbo mode and just use the Schweser Notes and not read the books at all, but still do ScreenCasts. If that’s the case Sat & Sun are just Schweser notes, DB postings and move up QBank by one day. Disclosures: Your Mileage May Vary, Caution as contents are hot, Be careful when handling live rounds.

Starting 09/14 & 09/15
Sat & Sun
– MSA – Read like a banshee. Plow thru as much material as possible and watch the ScreenCasts.
– MSA – Write the first discussion topic for each class on Saturday and then a reply one on Sunday

Monday
Testing items
– MSA – run thru the review questions posted to level set for each course
– Schweser – run thru QBank ‘Basic’ level testing on the Ethics for this week (25-50 questions) for as many LOS’s as possible
DB items
– Write at least one reply topic for each course (DB is DONE and it’s only Monday!)

Tuesday
Testing items
– Schweser – QBank only – Basic + Intermediate for each current class (total of 25-50 each class)
DB items
– MSA – do another DB to max points (I never want to get below max points on DB… I think I’ll need every one I can get!)

Wednesday
Testing items
– Schweser – QBank repeat of Tuesday
– MSA – redo the Monday practice questions and rewatch ScreenCasts

Thursday
Testing items
– Schweser – QBank – full throttle: Basic + Intermediate + Hard 50 questions each current class
– MSA – redo the Monday practice questions if need be or just go to 75 questions for each class on QBank

Friday
– Take the scored Quizzes
– Schweser – Level set all (cumulative) previous weeks info with only Basic questions starting from the beginning of the course
– Define weak areas from the Schweser exams

Saturday/Sunday 09/21 & 09/22
– MSA – Read like a banshee. Plow thru as much material as possible and watch the ScreenCasts.
– MSA – Write the first discussion topic for each class on Saturday and then a reply one on Sunday
– Schweser (Sunday) – Repeat Friday testing and build confidence and take more questions or level up to Intermediate.

Monday and Tuesday are the same.

Wednesday is the same except add a second QBank of all previous weeks’ material to build confidence like the recent Sunday.

Thursday is the same

Friday is the same except the Schweser test this time is going to increase the difficulty to use Basic + Intermediate questions

As weeks move on, we follow this pattern. The only difference is the cumulative Q Bank tests will start to get longer and have all three levels of difficulty.

I am also going to use TimePrep to keep me on track and adjust accordingly.

FYI – this is the same structure I have used to pass every other exam I have taken over the last few years. S7, S66, FL Life & Annuity, CRPC, GMAT, etc. The onyl difference is not just using a test prep system but also a university degree… so it took some work around.

Let me know what you think.

Have a good evening!
– Peter

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I’m 44 and starting. Go for it Mary!!!!

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Just a little determination…. and a whole lotta false motivation and sheer bravado!

I’m trying to get the others at Creighton over here as well. FYI it’s great for the Masters degree, but you really need a plan to attack the exam.

If I had any brain cells left after going through Reading 8 this past few days, I’d do a Covariance of the probability of passing L1 with Creighton vs Creighton + Schweser. Or a Bayes’ Formula since I went to Schweser after I decided on a study criteria based on Creighton.

Yeah, I gotta slow down or I’ll burn out by December! 8-} … Now where’s my TimePrep app? :-/ What there’s no more coffee!?!?!?!?!? :-w

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Hello –
I am a Level 1 Candidate and work for as a financial advisor. I have my CRPC, but wanted to do much more in the word of finance than just advisement. Thus I am pursuing (with zeal) the CFA. The Schweser program (Premius Plus) and also in the Creighton University MSAPM program.

I downloaded your studying spreadsheet, got Groove Track set (playing Classical selections) and added StayFocused (120min… who am I kidding, 10 min seriously!) to Chrome.

With all of the material here + Schweser + CU, I already feel a level of confidence I can be ready by June 2014. Unlike a lot of people, I really actually like studying and my family has been through many of the rigors of my past exams.

I am 44 now with a family and it will be interesting, but that is why I am giving myself 10 months… extra conservative compared to the 8-9 mentioned on the site.

So, HERE WE GO!!!

3:-O BTW low the Two Cows pict… made me crack up!!!

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Sophie / Zee
I have to thank you for all this wonderful information and help. I am just starting to study for the CFA. I am using Schweser and also going through Creighton University for their Master of Security Analysis & Portfolio Management. I figured the extra work couldn’t hurt by going through Creighton and I get a Master on top of it. Since I am a veteran, the Army pays for a chunk of it.

Again, thank you for all of your hard work! I do not think from what I have read thus far, you guys get enough street credit for what you have created.

All the best,
Peter S. Halpern
CFA Level 1 Candidate June 2014

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The derivatives comment is AWESOME!!! Made me laugh, which I needed since I just started studying as of this month.

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