hi steve
I read your csc experience on Facebook recently, and found it helpful…wish i had read it earlier, because i recently did my first attempt on the csc vol 1, and failed…i was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to pass it this time…i found it really hard, and i know u wrote it while ago, but if u remember anything about it that could help me it would be greatly appreciated
cheers
Don’t be discouraged by your results. Most candidates typically under-estimate the difficulty of the CSC. A lot of the forums regarding the CSC led candidates to believe it requires minimal effort ant attention. This is particularly true for those who go on to take certifications and designations such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program. Don’t be fooled by those comparisons! The best advice I can give you is repetition in the form of cue cards and lots of practice questions. Everyone learns differently, so use your own judgement on what works best for you. The CSC itself is a more qualitative exam then it is quantitative, so take that into consideration in your studies.
Furthermore, focus on the instruments and how they work. Don’t memorize lists!!! Rather, spend time understanding how mutual funds work, or how the equity market operates. Remember, employers don’t care how many times you took to write and pass the exam. They just want to know you have the course.
A couple essential strategies I used to pass were:
- Making a formula “cheat sheet”
- Doing ALL the online activities
- Writing and reviewing flash cards (replaces conventional note taking, forces you to summarize)
- Leave yourself at least 50 hours of study time if you are new to the material, otherwise 25 hours is a good minimum.
- Get a good night sleep before the exam
Every candidate differs in how they retain material, so it’s best to try a few methods. There is no substitute to learning the material and learning it well. Good luck on your studies.
I took the CSC course a few years back and failed. I know there is two volumes to this course but is there one test for the two volumes or is there a test after each volume?
Hi Donna,
You are correct there are two volumes and two tests. Typically candidates study Volume 1 and then write the Volume 1 test and then move on two Volume 2.
I found this site pretty useful, there’s a lot of practice example CSC questions that helped me pass the exam.
http://www.dayonbay.ca/index.php/beyond-the-textbook/writing-the-csc.html
Please advise if there s one or two tests for Volume 1 and 2 of the CSC
I work at an investment firm and have just started studying in the last 2 weeks to write the CSC and found See Why Learning which is sort of like the cliff notes of the CSI book with tons of practice exams and flashcards. The people I work with are impressed with what they’ve seen in the book as far as helping you understand and one person used the practice exams and flashcards to help her pass one of the more advanced exams. PLUS – THERE’S A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE – It’s worth checking out – http://www.seewhylearing.com
See Why Learning is an Alternative Study Product. I haven’t heard much about these products, but if your going to spend THAT much money I would go with CSI’s official stuff (see: https://www.csi.ca/student/en_ca/courses/csi/csc.xhtml#tabview=tab4)
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Hi,
I am scheduled to take CSC Level 1 in a week’s time. I was just wondering whether it matters what score/percentage I am able to get in the exam? I was advised by someone to target a 90 plus percentage on the exam but I am not sure if its worth the trouble.
DayOnBay has a great review on how to prepare and successfully pass the CSC exam. Here’s the article. http://www.dayonbay.ca/index.php/beyond-the-textbook/writing-the-csc.html
Hey Steve,
Just wondering if you’ve every written the WME case study exam? I’m enrolled in the CIM and CFP programs with CSI and I’m just mapping out the study time….
I’ve heard mixed reviews on the difficulty level – which I guess is subjective to begin with.
Any feedback is appreciated.
Hello there, do you think it is important to purchase CSC Check 2011 at the price of $120? I find it very unreasonably priced for package of multiple questions, costing more than textbook. But again multiple questions practices are very good way to practice for the exam. Please share your thoughts.
DayOnBay has some pretty good insights on the exam as well as the CSC Check. I thought it was pretty helpful, they also have some really good practice questions on there as well!
http://www.dayonbay.ca/index.php/beyond-the-textbook/writing-the-csc.html