CF5 Advice

Aegis

Myrmidon_J wrote: »

Aren't you the lucky one?
Hope you passed.

I think exams are, to an extent, a bit of a lottery...

Post your result!
(In seventeen months time... How long does it take to mark a paper? :mad:)

I hope I passed too!

My view of the system as it stands is that CF5 seems to be one of the most annoying papers out there because of exactly what you've already mentioned: CII's tendency to give stupidly high marks on obscure elements of the syllabus. A friend of mine who really knew his stuff quite well had to resit the paper because they did something exactly like you describe and he therefore lost out on a large number of marks in two obscure questions.

Still, you sound confident that you did ok, so best of luck!

December for results... Is it me or does a two month waiting period seem excessive?

laura982

I sat the CF5 exam yesterday as well...I thought the results were available on 13th November though?!

If you do have to resit, which of course I hope you don't, make sure you get the three past papers available from the cii's revision mate website and also the book of 16 cases studies. All of the questions on the exam yesterday were covered in these, luckily including the Children's Bonus Bond question!! I wouldn't have had a clue on that one otherwise.

I found the investment portfolio part really challenging, was hoping for a growth rather than income question, and for a single person rather than a couple...guess I was hoping for too much there!

Myrmidon_J

Aegis wrote:

My view of the system as it stands is that CF5 seems to be one of the most annoying papers out there because of exactly what you've already mentioned: CII's tendency to give stupidly high marks on obscure elements of the syllabus.

Yes... Not quite sure how relevant Children's Bonus Bonds are to the majority of clients for whom I might conduct financial planning; a question on ISAs or IPI might have been more appropriate. Still!

December for results... Is it me or does a two month waiting period seem excessive?

laura982 wrote:

I thought the results were available on 13th November though?!

I think the results for CF5 are available earlier than for J06. This is (obviously) because we're more important than Aegis.

Gutted that I didn't get the case studies book. I've now sat three exams in a month, though (CF3 & CF4), so maybe it slipped my mind! If I fail, I'll definitely get it for next time.

I thought the portfolio part was slightly easier than some of the ones I've seen... It nicely excluded entire tax wrappers and had a low income requirement.

Might have got caught out by the ISA limits, though. I used £10,200, which is technically correct (for over 50s), but only since early October! I bet they penalise me, even though I spent ten minutes writing an 'option two', if the limit was just £7,200.

Gah.

Good luck to all who took the exam, though!

Aegis

Myrmidon_J wrote: »

I think the results for CF5 are available earlier than for J06. This is (obviously) because we're more important than Aegis.

They'll spend most of that 2 month period trying to decipher my handwriting! It was rubbish before I started using computers exclusively, it's only deteriorated since then.

Myrmidon_J

Aegis wrote:

They'll spend most of that 2 month period trying to decipher my handwriting! It was rubbish before I started using computers exclusively, it's only deteriorated since then.

My handwriting was rubbish at 10:00, when I started writing; by noon, it was probably illegible. It tends to get all slanty when I'm running out of time...

Myrmidon_J

dunstonh wrote:

Myrmidon_J wrote:

Thanks for your advice. (Or is it for discussion purposes only? )

Depends if you pass

Well... I passed!

All I know (so far) is that my name has a beautiful, pixelated 'P' next to it online.
'P' is for 'Pass'. But that's good enough for me!

How'd the rest of you get on?
laura982?

Aegis

Myrmidon_J wrote: »

Well... I passed!

All I know (so far) is that my name has a beautiful, pixelated 'P' next to it online.
'P' is for 'Pass'. But that's good enough for me!

How'd the rest of you get on?
laura982?

Congrats!

Still over a month before my results become available...

Myrmidon_J

Aegis wrote:

Congrats!

Thanks very much!

Still over a month before my results become available...

I know, what's that about?

My boss took two exams at the same time as me; hopefully, he (and you) will get an early Christmas present on December 18th! (Is that right?)

Aegis

Myrmidon_J wrote: »

Thanks very much!

I know, what's that about?

My boss took two exams at the same time as me; hopefully, he (and you) will get an early Christmas present on December 18th! (Is that right?)

I think it might even be later than that...

Robbenismyhero

I too woke up to a glorious 'P' as I logged in yesterday

I also got stumped on the NS&I Children's Bonus Bonds so have been stressing recently!