How many CFA Level 1 mocks should I take and when?

Three to four full-length timed mocks in the final 30 days, plus topic-level practice tests throughout the schedule.

Recommended placement:

• Mock 1 at four weeks out. This is your diagnostic. The score will probably be lower than you hope. Do not panic. The mock's job is to surface weak topics.
• Mock 2 at three weeks out. Use a different question source than Mock 1 so you encounter unfamiliar wording. The official CFA Institute mock fits well here.
• Mock 3 at one and a half weeks out. This shows whether your post-Mock-1 fixes are working.
• Mock 4 (optional) at six days out, only if you feel undertested. Otherwise, skip the fourth full mock and spend the time on weak-topic drills.

For each mock, the review matters more than the score. Tag every missed question by topic and error type (conceptual gap, careless error, timing pressure, unfamiliar wording). Each error type has a different fix.

Do not do mock exams in the first three months. Item-level practice questions and end-of-chapter problems are better in the early phases. Mocks before you have covered the syllabus produce low scores that demotivate without diagnostic value.