General Exam Tips: Taking the Exams

 

Get to the Exam in the Right Frame of Mind

In the weeks leading up to the exam, make a dry run of the exam day experience to incorporate the actual exam schedule and to determine commuting time, parking availability, and public transportation schedules. Too often, candidates do not allow enough time on the morning of the exam and arrive at the exam center either late or very close to the starting time. Those candidates are not in a proper frame of mind to maximize their performance on exam day.

 

Go to the Right Location

Your admission ticket will list the location of the exam. Please go to that location. It is common for CFA Institute to use two or more venues in a city. You will not be admitted to the exam unless you have an admission ticket and a current and valid government-issued ID.

 

Know your Calculator

It is essential that you become very familiar with your financial calculator before exam day. Don’t waste precious time during the exam learning how to perform certain calculations because you haven’t practiced enough with the calculator. Read the calculator policy.

 

Rest up the Day Before

Don’t plan to study on the day before or early on the morning of the exam. Spend that time relaxing. Remember, the CFA exam is six hours. You need to be well rested to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed.

 

Focus Inward

Do not to talk to other candidates about the exam during the lunch break on exam day. Inevitably, you will focus on what you did not know during the morning session and this could lower your confidence for the afternoon session.

 

Last, but Not Least: Test Anxiety

Many candidates under perform (relative to their abilities) on the CFA exams because they suffer from test anxiety. Simply put, they place such importance on their performance that they panic on exam day. Candidates would be well advised to put the exam in perspective. That is, the worst thing that can happen to a candidate on exam day is that they fail.

 

Given the way the CFA Program is structured, any candidate who fails can register for the next exam administration and try again. Placing too much importance on your outcome can negatively affect your performance. Recognizing that if you fail you will have another chance can help lessen that anxiety.