Exam strategy

[higaurav]

David,

I was going through the exam schedule. It will be of 5 hrs, with a break after 2.5 hrs. How is the exam divided into 2.5 hrs each? Are there any time management tips that you would be sharing with us ?

It may be too early to ask this question , but as this thought popd up in my mind, I thought to ask you.

 

[David Harper CFA FRM]

Hi higaurav,

Yes, I will create an exam "tips" list nearer to the exam. As of now, GARP has not yet even started to write the exam; they will send out a list of topics to industry people (incl me, i will be among those who submit candidate questions) and as we get nearer, based what I learn thru my liason with GARP, I will try to offer tips. (i still want to seek some clarification with GARP about some issues with the AIMs; e.g., currently thirty or so Basel AIMs are missing, several AIMs are utterly untestable].

But frankly this will be of very limited help. See here for generic test taking thoughts. I don't feel i can add much value here.

Many do not full appreciate this about GARP with respect to other exams: it is not a standardized exam, it is almost impossible to game/technique your way thru the exam. The only winning strategy is to devote yourself to the material.

Aside from the regularly scheduled material (movies, notes, questions), i hope to give you a boost in two ways:

1) the cram sessions presentation/decks. They were frankly quite effective last year, and I am plan to make them *even better* this year.

2) I am building a list of core themes (e.g., cost of carry, first derivative, unexpected loss) with cross reference. So, I'd like to be able to point to the short list of absolute key themes, those ideas that touch on several AIMS like so many hot spots.

David

append: sorry, about the exam: assuming they continue historical practice, the questions will be mixed, not per discipline and not per any sequence

 

[higaurav]

Great, this was helpful.