UFE Tips

Preparing for the UFE is an intensive process that requires a lot of planning, determination, and support. Here are some general tips on how to study for the UFE. These may not work for everyone, but they serve as a guideline for you when determining how to best tackle the UFE challenge. And remember the # 1 tip below – Listen to the professionals!

1. Don’t believe everything you hear – Ask yourself: What’s best for me?”

You will hear all sorts of advice from others about how to pass this exam, like your family and friends. Listen to the professionals, you need to do what’s right for you.

2. Take advantage of having a study buddy or anyone willing to help.

People volunteer to help you because they enjoy it and want you to succeed, so use them as much as possible, in whatever capacity you need help most (marking practice cases, helping with debriefing, learning technical, etc.)

3. Start early.

No one starts at the same base level of knowledge or learns at the same pace, so what works for one writer might not work for another. It’s important to start early and give yourself time to find your level.

4. Learn about what’s expected of you first by reviewing the Competency Map.

It’s difficult to write an exam without first knowing what’s expected of you; why should the UFE be any different? The Competency Map provides an overview of the specific professional competencies and proficiency levels that CA candidates are expected to demonstrate on the UFE. Make sure you take advantage and review it thoroughly.

5. Know your strengths and weaknesses.

To study your technical effectively, you need to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Once you have reviewed what it expected of you, make a list of the areas you commonly struggle with and those that come more easily to you. Focus on improving your weaknesses.

6. Practice writing cases… a lot!

You need to expose yourself to as many scenarios as possible so that when you get to the UFE, you feel prepared and will be less likely to be thrown off by new scenarios.

7. Practice coming up with effective "quants".

If you're going to measure and calculate something, ask yourself, "is this going to help?”

8. Debrief all cases properly.

Not only do you need to debrief all cases but you need do it correctly. In some cases this could mean re-writing your response to ensure you understand what is expected of you.

9. Manage you time wisely when writing Don’t go overboard with your response.

Remember that the UFE tests the skills and competencies of an entry-level CA. Don’t go overboard and spend your time constructing a response that goes well beyond what’s expected of an entry-level CA.

10. Have fun!

Don’t forget to take a break and relax. This is a stressful time and you will need to relieve some of that stress by having fun with friends and family.