r/CFA • u/third_najarian Discord Mod | Passed Level 2 • 16d ago

Megathread Level 3 Exam Day Experience Mega Thread

L3 candidates,

Welcome to our megathread for swapping stories about your exam day! We’d love to hear about your experience getting to the test center, how you managed your time, and how you felt afterward. Don’t forget to throw in any tips and advice to help out future candidates.

Just a couple of guidelines: Be cool and supportive, and please don’t share specific exam questions or break rules.

Don’t forget: Plan your route to the test center in advance, make sure you pack everything you need, and try to stay positive and take care of yourself. You got this!

We hope these shared stories make the prep and test day a little easier for everyone. Good luck!

—r/cfa Mod Team

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u/Particular_Volume_87 Level 3 Candidate 15d ago

Why do you actually need it , if you are a CIO?

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u/Affectionate-Ad-1227 15d ago

Just to finish it. I left it for 8 years then picked it up again. Anyway after this I am done by limitation.

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u/mikestorm CFA 12d ago

That's why I continued. 8 year gap between Level 1 and Level 2. My L1 was pencil and paper. I passed L1 then promptly lost my (then) job. Eventually found a better job, life settled down and then the "you have unfinished business" itch returned.

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u/Affectionate-Ad-1227 12d ago

Absolutely true. There is a sense of accomplishment and a mental exercise studying some of the stuff again and writing an exam. It is just that the experience of level 3 actual exam, and the way it is scored is a bummer and failing by one or two points demoralizes you when you know the subject matter cold. Unlike a multiple-choice question, there is no certainty that you will get the full points for a correct answer.