@Yuk Ngai Thank you for the thoughtful question. The answer is really for each individual to reflect on. In my experience, it can be hard to feel 100% confident and ready for the exam, because it is a difficult one (since the CFP(r) marks are so meaningful!).
What helped me was creating
structured study schedule. I followed the general recommendation of studying 10-15 hours per week, targeting a total of 200-250 hours of study as part of Exam Prep. One of the best pieces of advice I receive was to keep a log of study hours. Going into the exam, seeing that log and total # of hours spent studying is part of what helped me feel ready. Just from my experience, I would suggest for candidates preparing for July, taking a note of how many hours you've studied so far and map out how it can work to target the needed # of hours into your schedule between now and then.
Ultimately there are so many other factors that go into exam readiness, but I think mapping out that structured study schedule and working backwards from a target # of total study hours, that will help determine the right date for each candidate to take the exam!
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Alise Kraus
Regional Managing Director
Mariner Wealth Advisors
Livermore CA
(925)341-9686
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2022 13:59
From: Yuk Ngai
Subject: Ask the Expert Event, Staying Motivated with Exam Prep
@Haley Ellis,@Alise Kraus, If by July a candidate does not feel confident about taking the exam, would you recommend he/she still takes it for an opportunity or experience? or would it be more advisable to defer and reschedule the exam?
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Yuk Ngai
Financial Analyst
Sycamore Financial Planning LLC
Durham NC
(919)308-6388
Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2022 13:53
From: Haley Tolitsky
Subject: Ask the Expert Event, Staying Motivated with Exam Prep
@Rebekah Horsting @Alise Kraus My format was very similar to Alise's. I used the question banks each day to study. I always say take as many practice questions as you can before the exam! For the mock exam, I treated it exactly as if I was taking the real exam. I got up early, timed myself and took it on a Saturday, so I wouldn't have any distractions.
I took my first mock exam about 2 weeks before the actual exam and another the week before. This gave me time to study the questions I got wrong.
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Haley Tolitsky, CFP®
Financial Planner
Cooke Capital
Wilmington, NC
htolitsky@cookecapital.com
Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2022 13:45
From: Alise Kraus
Subject: Ask the Expert Event, Staying Motivated with Exam Prep
I remember using question banks almost daily to study, at least as the exam was near. I used the question banks for the purpose of studying/learning/remembering and getting used to the exam format, and I used mock exams as a dress rehearsal and to help gauge where I was from an exam readiness perspective.
With the mock exam, I planned to take that on a weekend day, and I went through my exam day routine. I knew I was taking the exam in the morning, so I'd plan to start the mock exam around the same time. I'd wake up, take a walk, eat breakfast, and sit down as if I were in the exam room. Made it as real as possible with a bottle of water and a calculator and scratch paper, etc.
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Alise Kraus
Regional Managing Director
Mariner Wealth Advisors
Livermore CA
(925)341-9686
Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2022 13:35
From: Rebekah Horsting
Subject: Ask the Expert Event, Staying Motivated with Exam Prep
@Haley Tolitsky, ,@Alise Kraus, How did you decide when to take a full-length mock exam vs. just using question banks?
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Rebekah Horsting
Community Manager
CFP Board
candidateforum@cfpboard.org
Original Message:
Sent: 03-09-2022 17:31
From: Rebekah Horsting
Subject: Ask the Expert Event, Staying Motivated with Exam Prep
Hello everyone,
Mark your calendars for our next Ask the Expert event, Staying Motivated with Exam Prep, on March 30 from 1-2:30pm ET.
Our experts will be available to answer your questions related to CFP® exam preparation, tips/tricks to staying on track, study strategy, staying motivated throughout the study process, dealing with work/life balance, and more!
Experts:
@Haley Tolitsky, CFP®
@Alise Kraus, CFP®
We welcome you to drop in during the live event to ask questions, follow the discussion, and/or provide your own input on this topic! Our experts will be using @mentions in the discussion, so when you ask a question, you will receive a notice from the @mention when you get a response.
Download the event to your calendar here.
Get your questions ready, we are looking forward to answering them!
#asktheexpert
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Rebekah Horsting
Community Manager
CFP Board
candidateforum@cfpboard.org
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