Passed!

Took Exam FM/2 today and passed! Of the 35 questions, I was very confident in 30 of my answers, totally guessed on 4 answers, and there was 1 question that I kept getting two different answers depending on how I approached it. Both were possible answers, so I just chose one of them.

I found the exam itself not quite as difficult as practice exams I encountered. Having gone over the material and practice questions over and over, the 30 questions I felt comfortable with were well within what I had studied, and in fact many were almost TOO easy. I'm not saying the exam was easy, but there were a lot of questions where I got an answer very easily and reread the question slowly 4 or 5 more times to make sure I took in all of it. Good thing I did, as there were two or three times I changed an answer due to a detail in the question (interest v discount, beginning v end of period, etc).

I'm not sure which exam I am going to attack next at this point. I will keep you posted!

8/20/10 - T minus 3

Since the last post, I have managed to get back in the studying groove a bit. I haven't been able to get anywhere near the focus or energy I had for Exam P, but I've been putting in a few hours every day. I'm really not sure how I feel about the exam or my chances overall at this point. I have at least a small measure of confidence in every section of the material, so I should have at least a fighting chance at every question. Oh the other hand, I find myself getting tripped up or doing things incorrectly more often than I would like. I am going to put in a solid effort over the next 3 nights and go into the exam just looking to do my best. I know that sounds like I should be doing that anyway, but I guess what I mean is I'm going to try not to put any pressure on myself. Sure, I want to pass, and in the moment I will feel some pressure I am sure, but I also know I can only do what I can do.

Ok, that last paragraph was really rambling! I am still pretty exhausted from the summer, from the past year, etc. I need a break! I will try to give myself a week or two before tackling my next project.

My confidence in passing is at about a 4 right now.

8/11/10 T minus 11

Long time no post. It has been a rough month for studying. The two trips I took turned out to be really exhausting. I guess all travel is, but I'm not usually studying for an exam so perhaps I don't notice as much! My job has been very taxing during the last month as well. If I had thought about it, August is one of my busiest months and not the time to try to study on the side. That being said, I would have scheduled the exam anyway to see how it went.

So, in the past month I have tried to keep up the studying as much as I can, but I just don't find the new material I need to know sticking. I find myself exhausted still, and just can't focus in the evenings when I sit down to study. My motivation and drive is pretty low right now as well. Needless to say, my studying hasn't gone well. I'm not confident at all of being able to pass this exam in 11 days. With exam P, I had a clear path and was able to focus on it. With this exam, I know the stuff I still need to learn, but I just don't have a great structure for it.

My confidence in passing right now is at about a 1.5.