It can feel like an unrecoverable setback to spend six months of your life studying for a test just to find out that you failed. When you consider that you still have two more examinations to pass, two of which are much more difficult, it’s easy to see why you’d never want to do another practice question.

Before you call it a day on your quest to become a CFA charterholder, it’s critical to take a hard look at what might have gone wrong in your initial study plan. This essay looks at the main reasons why someone can fail the first level of the CFA exam and provides some perspective for how you might solve those concerns and successfully proceed down the difficult, yet ultimately rewarding path of becoming a CFA charterholder.

Don’t even consider it.

After failing such a difficult test, your natural reaction may be to over-analyze the reasons for your failure. Stop thinking about the exam and take a long break rather than grinding yourself into a toxic stew of self-doubt and self-criticism.

Most likely, you’ve spent the last six to eight months juggling the obligations of a full-time job while also trying to squeeze in an extra study session whenever a spare minute arose. That is a very draining and difficult way of life.

Allow yourself to relax. Take some time off. Take a trip to the beach. However, do something that isn’t related to the CFA exam or studying. If you give your mind a month off from the crazy pace you’ve been keeping, you’ll be shocked at how much clearer it becomes.

Make a sincere evaluation

It’s time to ask yourself some honest questions now that you’ve had some time to focus on more fun things and given your brain a break.

What motivated you to study for the CFA exam? Do you have a natural passion in the subject matter, or are you just looking for a means to make more money and advance in your career?

You already have a significant advantage in passing the CFA exam if you have a natural interest in any or all of the topics on the exam. The curriculum for the CFA Program is nearly 4,000 pages long. If you have a natural interest in any or all of that information, you’ll have an easier time memorizing it than someone who doesn’t.

What if you’re not interested in nature?

If you don’t have a strong interest in the content or are only studying because you believe it will help your job, you should seriously consider retaking the test.

No matter how hard you try, your subconscious will work against you since every minute you spend studying generates a small amount of internal anger that you have to devote so much of your own time to something you aren’t totally devoted to.

Is Natural Interest Necessary for Passing?

Unfortunately, a natural interest in the topics included on the CFA exam will not be enough to gain you a passing grade. What your natural interest may do for you is provide you with the motivation and stamina to keep learning even when you’d rather be doing anything else.

How did you fare against that timetable?

The first thing you should consider is how your actual study time compares to that of the example. If your total study time was less than 300 hours, the next question is how much less?

If you studied for less than half of the minimum 300 hours, you failed the CFA exam since you didn’t devote enough time to it. So, the question isn’t so much whether you’ll be able to pass the exam as it is whether you’ll be able to devote the time required to master it.

Not everyone can devote so much time to school while working full-time. If you have certain life obligations that you know will prevent you from preparing, the best option may be to postpone the exam for another year and retake it when your calendar is less hectic.

What if you spent more than 300 hours studying?

If you studied for the necessary amount of time but still failed the exam, it’s time to analyze your study methods and see if you can improve your study time in the future.

Should you follow the CFA Institute’s course?

The most typical issue new students ask is whether they should study with the original textbooks or whether they should use more efficient additional preparing materials. This is a crucial question because it determines how effectively you will use your study time. It’s also crucial to remember that everyone’s answer to this question is different, and it’s based on their individual learning styles and preferences.