Hello dear reader, welcome to another insightful article on CFA study materials.
In this session, you’ll learn about the different CFA exam preparation providers and the study tools they provide.
We’ll break down the topic into two:
Let’s get started right away!
Reliable Study Materials and Resources
There are many CFA study materials, some better than others.
And so, to kick off our discussion, we give you a snapshot of the best CFA exam study materials.
More details on these top players are only a click away.
Wiley CFA Program Exam Review: This CFA program is thorough, with stellar video lectures that are informative, engaging, and concise.
Candidates can choose between virtual or live classes.
Kaplan Schweser Study Material: Kaplan is known for its schweser notes.
With over 30 years in the CFA exam prep space, Kaplan provides a well-rounded curriculum with the best study materials, excellent video lessons, and comprehensive practice questions.
Bloomberg CFA Exam Prep: The platform uses adaptive technology, which makes candidates learning laser-focus.
Candidates track their learning, identify areas of weakness, and capitalize on them.
Bloomberg CFA exam prep has the highest number of question banks in the CFA exam prep space.
AnalystPrep CFA Study Materials: AnalystPrep CFA study materials are the definition of the best value for money.
The platform has high-quality study materials that include detailed study notes, insightful video lessons, and a dozen other study tools.
Apart from the above, there are several other CFA exam prep study materials that CFA candidates can leverage.
Let’s take a deep dive into the other providers and give you a comprehensive analysis of the other options in the CFA exam prep space.
CFA Institute Study Material
Since the CFA exams are administered by the CFA Institute, there’s no better way to prepare for the actual exam than using the CFA Institute’s exam prep materials.
The CFA Institute designs practice questions and mock exams for registered CFA candidates at all levels.
It also offers study plans, flashcards, test-taking strategies, learning games, and a discussion board to connect with other learners.
These exam materials are based on the CFA curriculum topics, depending on the exam level.
Once one has registered for the exam, one can access this array of learning tools without additional charges.
The mock exams mimic the actual exam in format, time per question, and topic area weight.
The CFA Institute ensures the format varies annually to keep things fresh.
It’s the closest it can get to the real exam.
Roughly two weeks before the exams, the Institute releases the mock exams per the different levels of the CFA exam.
The CFA study materials can be accessed through any device, plus some can be accessed even when one is offline.
This on-demand program is completely self-study.
The Princeton Review CFA Study Material
The Princeton Review is pretty new in the CFA prep field.
But despite being a newbie in this space, the Princeton Review has outdone itself.
They have one of the most extensive and robust CFA study materials for the level 1 exam.
And yes, they only offer Level I exam prep materials.
Levels II and III are in the pipeline.
The prep materials consist of over 50 video lectures led by CFA experts.
The prep course also contains 1,500 practice questions, flashcards, 900 slides of study notes, and four full-length mock exams.
The mock exams are a replica of the real exam, aiding candidates to familiarize themselves with the CFA exam’s content and format.
It’s also a great way for candidates to familiarize themselves with the exam before the due date and improve their test-taking strategies.
Princeton Review maintains that candidates can learn the important aspects of the CFA exam in 120 study hours.
This is significantly less than most CFA course providers that take 300 hours or more.
What really sets this course provider apart is their money-back guarantee.
If a CFA candidate has completed all the CFA course materials or passed the mock exam on the first attempt and still fails the CFA Level I exam, they’ll get a full refund of their money.
Suppose one has not met these requirements and fails the CFA exam.
They are allowed to retake the program for free.
The good news is that once registered one has full-year access to all the materials.
When it comes to pricing, there are two plans.
The essential plan costs $699 and gives students access to study notes, video lessons, and flashcards.
The ultimate plan costs $999 and includes live video instructions and practice tests besides the study tools the essential plan has.
This CFA Level 1 prep course has the best value for money.
FitchLearning CFA Exam Prep
FitchLearning has preparation courses for CFA levels I, II, and III.
Registered candidates can access the program through the portal and a mobile app.
The exam preparation materials include 120 hours of bite-size videos, over 3,000 questions (Level I has 3,000 practice questions, Level II 3700, and level III 2,200), study notes, and mock tests.
One can take a progress test, which helps determine one’s strengths and weaknesses.
The system keeps track of the progress report.
They also have electronic and hard-copy CFA curricula.
Another impressive aspect of FitchLearning CFA exam prep is the fact its portal uses adaptive technology.
One simply enters their start date, and the system optimizes their prep time and personal study schedule.
The system automatically allocates the right time for the topics to ensure all the essential areas are covered.
Even more important, registered candidates have 24/7 access to instructor support.
Not only that, but the instructors also reach out to students regularly to check their progress.
And just like Princeton Review, FitchLearning also has a money-back guarantee for CFA level 1 candidates if they fail the CFA exam, yet they met the specific requirements stipulated by the provider.
The prep course provider updates all the study materials annually.
The cost for this CFA prep course varies depending on the number of lessons one wants.
A 4 days virtual classroom course costs $475, while a 16 days course costs $995.
The 16 days course has four additional days to review the study materials for no extra cost.
Salt Solutions CFA Program Study Material
Though it’s new in the market, Salt Solutions is yet another CFA study material provider.
They have both CFA level I and II prep courses.
Salt Solution breaks down the CFA curriculum into small lessons between 10-30 minutes.
The exam prep course is self-study.
So, there’s flexibility in when to study.
Additionally, the Salt Solution study plan sets weekly goals to keep candidates focused and meet the study goals on time.
There are two study packages here.
One can choose the $129 plan if they want to focus on a specific area for a particular duration of time.
For those interested in the full exam prep course, the cost is $599.
IFT CFA Exam Prep Course
The IFT offers all three levels of CFA exams.
The study packages come in three plans, basic, basic plus, and premium, across all the three CFA exams.
The multiple plans have different costs depending on the level of the exam and the CFA study materials available.
The seven days trial period gives one a sneak peek of the course.
If it’s the right fit, they can go ahead and subscribe.
If not, they can hop out before the seven days period elapses.
There’s also a free plan that gives candidates limited access to some exam materials.
Their exam preparation packages include video lectures, lecture slides, qbanks, study notes, mock exams, practice problem videos, key facts, formula sheets, and Q & A with instructors.
One can also buy individual test prep materials such as practice questions which cost $100, three mock exams at $65, a live online course that comes with practice questions is $500, and study notes and video lecture slides cost $155.
The program has a money-back guarantee.
This exam review course is perfect for candidates on a budget but still needs guidance on the CFA exam.
UWorld Finance CFA Program Material
UWorld Finance is yet another prep course provider with comprehensive CFA study materials.
Their prices range from $199 to $299.
Registered candidates can access the study tools for a year.
In case this duration expires before one has passed the CFA exam, they can renew their registration for another 12 months.
The comprehensive study package, the elite plan, has over 1,100 practice quizzes that align with the real exam.
The practice quizzes are regularly updated to match the CFA program curriculum.
A unique feature of this program is that all the practice questions are accompanied by comprehensive answers that outline how the questions should be answered.
Moreover, the course comes with the ability to make flashcards and generate an unlimited number of practice exams.
Additionally, users can monitor their performance using the performance graph and put more effort into specific areas.
And lastly, UWorld Finance is the only chartered financial analyst exam prep provider where candidates can compare their results with those of other students taking the practice exams.
The only disadvantage of the UWorld Finance CFA prep program is that there is no money-back guarantee.
300 Hours CFA Exam Materials
To get CFA study materials, one must part with cash but not when using 300 Hours study materials.
The platform has loads of free CFA study materials.
First off, they have exam tips on what to expect, what to focus on, and how to prepare for all three levels of the CFA exam.
They also have practice questions and mock exams.
At level 1, one has 60 online practice test questions, with detailed answers and a performance report after completion.
The Level II mock exam also has 60 questions.
And just like level 1, a candidate gets instant access to the results.
The same goes for level III.
This platform has loads of free materials for CFA candidates interested in familiarizing themselves with the CFA exam but who don’t have the money to go for paid packages.
My Guru CFA Exam Prep
My Guru offers both in-person and online self-study.
Both programs are flexible.
With the online program, candidates can choose the number of sessions to buy.
When it comes to in-person classes, one can choose when and how the classes will be conducted.
Students have access to instructors who aid in creating a study plan, address areas of concern and guide candidates in making the most of the study materials available.
The beauty of My Guru is that students have personalized attention from the trainers.
My Guru study packages vary depending on the students’ needs.
It’s around $125 per hour.
If a student signs up for several hours of study sessions, they get a discount.
FinQuiz CFA Program Exam Prep
CFA candidates who are self-starters and are comfortable with self-study will find FinQuiz CFA program exam prep an excellent choice.
The program has six mock exams, question banks, a study plan, chapter notes, formula sheets, and smart summaries.
Their basic program goes for $299 and has mock exams and a question bank.
The premium package costs $599, and in addition to what the basic plan has, it contains smart summaries, a study plan, and formula sheets.
Important to note here is that the questions and mock tests are particularly challenging to test the depth of a candidate’s understanding.
Apart from the two plans, one can also buy any study materials independently.
The cost ranges from $59 to $249.
Illumeo’s CFA prep course is simple and straightforward.
The study materials are mostly videos that are easy to understand.
The CFA study materials are only for level I exams.
The plan goes for $199 and covers 11 courses.
Candidates can reach out to the instructor via email in case of any challenges along the way.
Conclusion
Earning the CFA charter calls for thorough preparation.
The CFA exam prep course providers have all the materials a candidate would need to ace the CFA exam the first time.
The candidate’s only challenge would be to select the right provider.
But that shouldn’t be a problem because whether you need in-person classes or self-study, you’ll get just the right course provider for you.
The good news?
Whichever provider you settle for, you’ll certainly get comprehensive CFA study materials to prepare you adequately for the exam day.
Happy CFA exam preparation!
And all the best as you choose that one CFA study material provider that will help you become a CFA charter holder.
