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AnalystPrep CFA Study Material
AnalystPrep CFA is a provider of affordable but quality CFA exam study materials. The company’s most comprehensive bundle has 3,000 sample questions and 40+ hours of video lessons. Thousands of candidates have found success with AnalystPrep CFA review and its modern approach to the CFA curriculum.
I’ve reviewed AnalystPrep’s materials, and this article shares my observations.
The CFA Exam
CFAI, the CFA Institute, grants the CFA certification. However, before you can sit for the CFA exam, you must join the CFAI and pay your annual dues.
Once you’re a CFAI member, you need to fulfill the requirements to take the exam. Unless you have other accounting credentials like the CPA, you only need a bachelor’s degree for the CFA. And your bachelor’s can be in any field, not just accounting. If you don’t have that much higher education, you can substitute 4 years of qualified experience.
Despite the relatively low education requirement, the 3-part CFA exam is known for its difficulty. In fact, of the candidates that take the Level 1 exam, only about 40-43% pass. CFAI asserts that successful candidates study an average of 300 hours per exam level. So for a 3-part exam, that adds up to about 900 hours. Therefore, the CFA exam requires a substantial commitment of time and effort.
Luckily, review providers like AnalystPrep can make studying easier and even more enjoyable.
Background of AnalystPrep
AnalystPrep has only been on the market since 2014. But in that time, they’ve already proven themselves against other competitors through their students’ success. The company’s first product was a question bank for Level 1 of the CFA exam. It was a big hit with CFA candidates. So, they created full CFA prep courses plus an AnalystPrep review for FRM candidates and students taking actuarial exams.
All of AnalystPrep’s courses are offered online and are intended for students who prefer self-study. The company believes in affordable learning, so its price point tends to be well below the market despite its high-quality offerings.
Overview of AnalystPrep CFA Review
AnalystPrep has several CFA prep materials:
- Video Lessons
- Study Notes
- Question Bank
- Customizable Quizzes
- Mock Exams
- Performance Analysis Tools
- Ask-a-Tutor Sessions
AnalystPrep has put together packages with different learning tools. Consult the chart below, and be sure to choose the package that meets your study needs and budget.
Video Lessons
The AnalystPrep CFA videos cover each CFA Institute LOS, or Learning Outcome Statement, for the CFA Level 1 exam. CFA professionals like Professor James Forjan explain critical concepts on the exam.
When watching online videos, your computer screen is split. On one side, you will see a recorded video of the instructor teaching the concepts. On the other side, you can read the written text that further reinforces the instructor’s lecture. When you both read and hear the material in this way, you’re more likely to remember it.
AnalystPrep updates the videos as needed. For example, they are updated to incorporate new LOS content. And AnalystPrep regularly revises the videos to include new examples of the most complex concepts.
Study Notes: CFA Books
The AnalystPrep Study Notes are similar to textbooks, although the material is presented in a different format. Each CFA exam LOS is explained in a study note. But instead of presenting the material in a textbook format, the information is broken down into a series of easy-to-read notes. Therefore, the study notes serve as study plans. For example, you should use all of the study notes in the Level 1 packages as a CFA Level 1 study guide.
AnalystPrep makes it easy to make your own flashcards as you read the study notes. Simply look for the flashcard function at the end of each note, type in your text, and the platform will automatically create flashcards for you. Very handy!
Question Bank
According to AnalystPrep, CFA candidates rate the AnalystPrep questions bank as the best Qbank on the market. The questions have a similar difficulty level as the ones you’re likely to encounter on the exam. The AnalystPrep question writers are all accounting professionals or academics with CFAs, FRMs, PhDs, or PhDs.
Customizable Quizzes
One of the best ways to study for the CFA exam is to quiz yourself on the material you haven’t yet mastered. AnalystPrep understands this, so the platform allows you to customize your quizzes by picking the material that a quiz will cover. That is, you could opt for quizzes that test multiple content areas. Or, you can narrow them down to only test the material you still need to learn.
CFA Mock Exam
If you go with the most comprehensive AnalystPrep bundle, you’ll get access to 8 mock exams with 120 questions. Answer explanations are given for the correct and incorrect responses to help you learn faster.
The exams are online, but you can print the questions and answers and study offline, too. So once you’re ready for a CFA Level 1 mock exam, you can study with your AnalystPrep materials anywhere with or without an internet connection.
Performance Analysis Tools
The AnalystPrep analytic tools allow you to compare your performance against other AnalystPrep users. Consider this: the CFA Level 1 pass rate is only about 40-43%. So if you’ve been working on the Level 1 questions and quizzes and you’re surpassing 90% of the other students, you’re probably ready to sit for that level of the CFA exam.
Ask-a-Tutor
When you can’t figure out a complicated problem in a self-study course, where will you turn to for help? AnalystPrep understands that personalized support can make the difference between a passing and failing CFA exam score. With the “Ask-a-Tutor” online chat function, you can chat with a live CFA holder. These professionals have been in your shoes and are ready to help when you need it.
Costs of AnalystPrep CFA Study Material
AnalystPrep offers several study packages depending on your needs and budget. The packages start at $149 for a year of access and increase from there. The question bank, mock exams, and performance tools are included with all packages. However, the base-level packages do not include the video lessons and study notes, which really add to their instruction depth. So if your budget allows, I would bump up to an all-inclusive package that includes their best CFA study material.
The chart below outlines the different AnalystPrep CFA packages, but here’s a quick summary:
- The “practice” bundles have limited study materials and don’t include videos or study notes. They come with access for one year.
- The “learn + practice” bundles do have the videos and study notes. Like the “practice” bundles, they also have one-year access.
- The “unlimited” bundles have lifetime access and are the best buy.
Level 1 of the CFA Exam: Practice Package
The Level 1 Practice Package includes the most basic materials you need to study for this section of the CFA exam. It comes with the question bank, mock exams, and performance tools. Plus, you get 5 Ask-a-Tutor sessions.
The annual cost of AnalystPrep’s Level 1 Practice Package is $149.
Level I of the CFA Exam: Learn + Practice Package
In addition to the CFA Level 1 study material in the Practice Package, the Learn + Practice Packages also comes with video lessons and study notes. Plus, you’ll get a printable ratios sheet and the AnalystPrep CFA level 1 formulas sheet.
AnalystPrep also includes the Essential Review Summary with this package. This CFA Level 1 study plan summarizes everything you need to understand before sitting for the first part of the CFA exam.
The annual cost of the Level 1 AnalystPrep CFA Learn + Practice Package is $249.
Level II of the CFA Exam: Practice Package
The Level II Practice Package is useful for the 200 sample cases. Each one includes 6 practice questions specifically focused on the types of scenarios you’ll see in Level II of the CFA exam. This package also comes with the CFA Level 2 mock exams and analytical tools. When you get stuck with a problem, you’ll have 5 Ask-a-Tutor sessions to help.
The annual cost of the Level 2 AnalystPrep CFA Practice Package is $129.
Level III of the CFA Exam: Practice Package
If you’ve already passed the first two levels of the CFA exam, the CFA Level 3 Practice Package could get you to the final finish line. The package comes with the Level 3 question bank, several writing samples, and printable mock exams. And like the other Practice Packages, it also has 5 Ask-a-Tutor sessions.
The annual cost of the Level 3 AnalystPrep CFA Practice Package is $99.
CFA Exam Unlimited – Levels II and III
AnalystPrep also has a bundle for CFA candidates who only need study materials for Levels II and III. This full package gives you lifetime access to all AnalystPrep materials for those levels, plus unlimited Ask-a-Tutor sessions.
The lifetime cost of the AnalystPrep CFA Unlimited package for Levels 2 and 3, which includes all updates, is $199.
CFA Exam Unlimited – Levels I, II, and III
The comprehensive, unlimited full package for CFA Levels I, II, and III is definitely the way to go if your budget allows it. It’s a great value because it gives you lifetime access to all CFA materials, including video lessons, question banks, mock exams, and study notes. And whenever the materials are updated online, you’ll get to access the updates, too.
For a lifetime of full access, the AnalystPrep cost is $449 and includes access to all 3 levels. When you consider the unlimited support via the Ask-a-Tutor function plus all of the other material, this is a good buy.
Expanding Your Access
If you pick a package that only comes with 5 Ask-a-Tutor sessions, you can upgrade to unlimited chat sessions with a tutor for an extra $30. I recommend this upgrade if your budget allows it. When you encounter a hard problem, it’s the easiest and fastest way to get help and move on with your studies.
Plus, if you chose a package that only comes with 12 months of access, you can bump up to unlimited lifetime access for another $40. Again, I recommend this upcharge if possible. The CFA exam is known for its difficulty, so this takes off some of the pressure to squeeze all of your studying into 12 months.
| Level I Practice | Learn + Practice: Level I | Practice: Level II | Level III Practice | Unlimited – Levels II & III | Unlimited – Levels I, II, & III | |
| Question Bank: Level I |  |
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| Video Lessons: Level I | |
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| Essential Review Summary: Level I | |
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| Level II Question Bank | |
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| Question Bank: Level III | |
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| Performance Tools | |
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| 5 Ask-a-Tutor Questions | |
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| Unlimited Ask-a-Tutor Questions | |
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| 12-Month Access | |
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| Lifetime Access + Curriculum Updates | |
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| Price | $149/year | $249/year | $129/year | $99/year | $199/lifetime | $449/lifetime |
Strengths of AnalystPrep CFA
- Ask-a-Tutor Sessions. As I’ve said before, the CFA exam questions are not easy. In fact, many previous candidates have complained about the CFA finance problems and the CFA Level 1 questions. So when you’re studying, don’t get discouraged if you need a little extra help, even if you have a strong background in accounting. The Ask-a-Tutor function is the simplest method of working through a hard problem.
- Ease of Use. As someone who grew up studying the old-fashioned way with textbooks and flashcards, I sometimes find modern platforms overly complicated. However, the AnalystPrep online platform is easy to follow. The navigation is intuitive to use, and it’s easy to find all of the course materials. Plus, I like how easy it is to create your own flashcards in the study notes.
- The costs of getting your CFA credential can add up, so I appreciate that AnalystPrep keeps its CFA study plans prices below market. The unlimited bundles are an excellent value and come with plenty of CFA sample questions and other CFA test materials to keep you studying.
Weaknesses of AnalystPrep CFA
- No Mobile App. I’ve found that a lot of CFA candidates want the ability to study on the go. We all have busy lives, so it’s nice to have the option of studying whenever—and wherever—you have a few extra minutes.
Therefore, some exam prep providers have developed mobile apps, but AnalystPrep does not yet have one. However, the platform is available online and works well on tablets or smartphones as long as you have an internet connection. Plus, many of the most popular study materials like study notes and mock exams are printable. You can print them with you, put them in your bag, and pull them out to study whenever you have a few extra minutes.
FAQs
How to study for CFA exams with AnalystPrep?
First, I would read all of the study notes. Create flashcards as you read the study notes to reinforce the content. Then, watch the videos. Follow along with the instructors as they work out problems. Then, start testing yourself with the question bank, customizable quizzes, and mock exams. Use the performance tools to analyze your progress. Identify your weak areas and go back and review them. Keep quizzing yourself until you’re confident you’ve mastered the material.
What’s the AnalystPrep CFA Pass Rate?
AnalystPrep doesn’t make their students’ pass rate on the CFA exam public. However, the company asserts that 84% of its students do not ask for a refund via their pass guarantee. Although this isn’t quite a pass rate, it might imply that most of the students are pleased with their study materials.
Does AnalystPrep have a free trial?
Yes. If you click here, then click “Register for free”, you get access to a limited trial of the AnalystPrep test bank with 150 exam-style questions.
Does AnalystPrep have CFA Level 1 Books?
The AnalystPrep courses come with “study notes” instead of textbooks. The content is the same, but the study notes break down the material into small learning units.
Which AnalystPrep package is the best?
If it fits your budget, I definitely think the CFA Exam Unlimited package is the best buy. Not only does it include materials like videos, lots of sample questions, study notes, and CFA mock exams, but it also has unlimited Ask-a-Tutor sessions. And you get lifetime access, which means you can come back to it even after getting your CFA credential.
How hard is the CFA Exam? Do I really need a review course?
The CFA exam is a challenging 3-part test. You have to pass Level I before you can move on to Levels II and III. Plus, the CFA pass rates for Level 1 hover around 40-43%. That means that less than half of the CFA candidates can’t even move on to the second exam because they failed the first.
So yes, I think the CFA exam is hard. And yes, it’s best to study with a review course. Candidates who study with a professional review provider tend to have much higher chances of passing the exam on their first try.
The right CFA study material makes your path to becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst much easier. When you use a CFA course and follow a CFA study guide, you’ll probably study better than going it alone. And you could reduce your overall study time, too.
Can I Pass the CFA Exam with AnalystPrep?
Yes, if you take full advantage of all they have to offer, I believe you can pass the CFA exam with AnalystPrep. However, I urge you to purchase a package that includes video lessons and study notes to increase your passing chances. When you think you might be ready, take the CFA practice exams and use the performance tools to compare your readiness against other candidates.
AnalystPrep Promo Code
Searching for an AnalystPrep promo code, AnalystPrep Cyber Monday discount, or AnalystPrep Black Friday code? We can help! AnalystPrep is a very affordable course, and as a result, AnalystPrep does not offer promo codes. However, here is the best AnalystPrep pricing available.
Looking for AnalystPrep CFA discounts? AnalystPrep is our #1 rated CFA prep course! You’ll get the best price on AnalystPrep here!
AnalystPrep CFA Discounts
Best Price on AnalystPrep
Where can I find more information about the CFA requirements?
If you’re looking for information about how to become a CFA, CFA requirements, CFA exam dates, and more, check out the articles in my blog.
My Recommendation
AnalystPrep offers a quality online self-study CFA prep course at a below-market price. Therefore, you’re someone who learns best from drilling questions, you’ll enjoy the AnalystPrep test bank, printable mock exams, and customizable quizzes. Plus, professional help is just a chat session away if you choose a package with unlimited Ask-a-Tutor sessions. If you stick to your study plan and get the most out of your AnalystPrep bundle, it could help you pass the CFA exam.
