Daniel Perlin
As someone who comes from a background in finance and law (JD/MBA education, and years working in securities and mergers & acquisitions), obtaining a CFA designation was always considered a valuable achievement to excel my career. Before I even took my Level 1 exam, everyone seemed to tell me the same story: “Level 1 is hard, and Level 2 is the hardest, but Level 3 is the easiest.” So when I passed Levels 1 and 2 on the first attempt back-to-back, I thought it was over and that Level 3 wouldn’t be difficult.
Once the Level 3 curriculum books arrived at my doorstep, however, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the notion of Level 3 as the easiest exam was actually a huge misconception. I tried to read the materials and tackle the practice questions on my own, but I quickly realized two things: I wasn’t studying nearly as efficiently as I was in Levels 1 and 2, and my answers to practice problems didn’t seem to improve in accuracy (particularly in the essay writing portion). More importantly, I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t able to improve, or what changes I needed to make in my approach to studying in order to help me improve. To say that all this was extremely frustrating would have been an understatement!
Fortunately, that all changed when Gurmeet reached out to me. Though I was quite skeptical, I decided to meet him anyway. After all, I figured I had nothing to lose by meeting him and just hearing him out. Right off the bat, he was open about how Level 3 is not a conventional exam that someone can successfully study for in the same way as the first two levels. Passing the Level 3 exam requires re-calibrating my approach to studying, and he gave me a glimpse into his process that would allow me to do just that. That process was about understanding not just what answers to write, but how to write them. There are certain nuances that the CFA exam graders look for in your writing, and it’s key to attack them head-on. His lectures went in-depth into the process early-on, and were structured in a way where we would repeat the process over and over again with practice exams that we would send in for him to grade. This really instilled the process as second-nature within us.
Moreover, his notes are structured in a way that once you read a section, you then immediately understand how to apply that reading to a particular example or question. I can’t stress how important this is, as reading notes without applying them immediately after is a waste of time. Gurmeet made sure that we could apply every component of his notes to relevant questions. He focused our attention on what material was important, and helped us avoid any material that was just a distraction. I immediately started to see a significant improvement in both my accuracy and efficiency.
Apart from his proven process, and the practicality and clarity of his notes, what I appreciated the most about Gurmeet is that he prides himself on the success of his students – in the most genuine sense. Many tutors are in this to make an extra dollar, and couldn’t care less about the success of their students. I can’t tell you how many times Gurmeet followed up with me, on his own accord, to see where I was at and where I needed to be. Moreover, he was always available to answer questions whenever they arose. If I was ever slacking, Gurmeet would get me back on track.
I urge all CFA Level 3 candidates to try this process, and give Gurmeet a shot. Make no mistake – this is a hard exam. But it is made much easier with Gurmeet’s know-how and attention to your specific needs and weaknesses, so that you can be setup for success. Once you give Gurmeet and his process a shot, you’ll see right away – as I did – that it just makes sense. I can confidently say that I wouldn’t have been able to pass without him.