FRM STUDY STRATEGY
THE TYPICAL STUDY STRUCTURE
Study Entire Course → Complete Course → Begin Revision → Exam
The problem? The FRM curriculum is huge. By the time you finish the final topics, it may have been months since you studied the earlier ones. When you finally begin revising, you can end up feeling like you’re relearning concepts from scratch.
Instead, you should be revising throughout your FRM preparation, not just at the end. There are four principles to focus on:
01
Revise while you study
02
Revise at the Learning Objective level
03
Prioritise high-yield topics
04
Create your own formula sheet
The sheer size of the FRM curriculum means you cannot leave revision until the end. This is where the science-backed method of spaced repetition becomes extremely useful. By regularly revisiting information over time, you reinforce what you’ve learned, retain concepts for longer, and avoid having to relearn information from scratch.
A SIMPLE STARTING POINT
During a 2-hour study session: 80% → New material · 20% → Revision
The key is simple: don’t wait until you’ve finished the curriculum to start revising it.
Don’t just think about revision at the topic level. Instead of asking, “What chapter to revise in Quantitative Analysis?,” ask, “Which specific Learning Objectives within Quantitative Analysis do I actually need to revise?” Each Learning Objective in the FRM curriculum maps to a potential exam question.
If a topic has 8 LOs and you’re confident with 6 but consistently struggle with 2, you don’t need to revise the entire topic. Identify those two weak LOs and focus your time there.
Not every part of the FRM curriculum deserves exactly the same amount of your time. If you’re short on time, you need to know where your additional study time is likely to have the greatest impact.
Nobody knows exactly what will appear on your exam. High-yield lists should be used to prioritise your study time, not as a prediction of the exam.
For guidance on high-yield areas, Vardeez has videos that provide a useful breakdown:
Part 1: https://youtu.be/X60q9LZdY1U?si=ANq4GlR7wWjpMq7J
If you struggle with formulas, trying to cram them all into your head at the end of your preparation isn’t the best approach. Buying a formula sheet can be useful for having everything in one place, but looking at formulas isn’t the same as being able to recall and use them under exam conditions.
THE TWO-BOOK METHOD
Book 1: Formula → Equation
Book 2: Formula Name → Recall
Build your own formula sheet as you come across new formulas, then regularly practise active recall. This makes formula revision far more effective.
FINAL TAKEAWAY
It’s not the number of hours. It’s how effectively you use them.
Instead of studying everything, finishing the curriculum, and then revising everything, build revision into your preparation from the beginning:
Learn → Revise → Learn → Revise → Practice → Revise → Exam
Track progress, identify weak Learning Objectives, and structure spaced revision throughout your FRM preparation.