As recently as 2021, the pass rate for the CFA® Level 1 exam was just 28.8%, one of the lowest in its history. That means only 1 in 4 candidates walked out of the exam room with a passing score, while the other 3 would face a registration fee to retake the test.
Ouch.
Needless to say, becoming a CFA® is no walk in the park. What it is, however, is doable–particularly when you find a course that appeals to your learning style. AnalystPrep CFA® may offer the study tools, practice exams, and instructor support you need to pass all three levels on your first attempt… but there’s only one way to find out.
Read on to discover how AnalystPrep compares to other CFA® prep packages and which one could be the perfect fit for your exam success.
Key Takeaways
- Flexible Course Options: AnalystPrep offers individual courses for each CFA® level or a complete bundle for all three levels, providing students with multiple purchasing options.
- Engaging Instruction: Professor James Forjan, a CFA® charterholder with a PhD in finance, delivers clear, enjoyable lessons that break down complex topics.
- Massive Question Bank: AnalystPrep provides over 6,000 practice questions and mock exams, helping students to thoroughly prepare for the CFA® exams.
- Performance Tracking Tools: AnalystPrep’s advanced tracking system allows students to focus their studies on weaker areas, saving time and improving efficiency.
- Affordable Pricing: AnalystPrep is one of the more affordable CFA® exam prep courses, especially with frequent sales on both individual and bundle options.
AnalystPrep CFA® Review Course Options
AnalystPrep offers a course for each CFA® level (Level I, Level II, and Level III). However, you get the best deal when you purchase all three levels in a bundle.
Single-Level Course
Interested in studying for a single CFA® level? Candidates have the option to study each level of the CFA® exams individually. The statistics and features for each level vary slightly; this is what’s included in the first-level package.
Best For: Students who passed Level I and/or Level II and don’t need the entire package to pass.
Study Materials:
- 60 hours of video lectures
- 2,000 pages of study notes
- 4,000 practice questions
- 5 full-length mock exams
- Formula sheet
- Performance tracking resources
Support Resources:
- 1 year of course access
- 5 “Ask a Tutor” questions
- 24/7 tech support
CFA® Level I, II, and III Complete Course Bundle
Best For: Students who haven’t started their CFA® prep journey and who want to pass every exam on the first attempt with the same consistent teaching style and format.
Study Materials:
- 170 hours of video lectures
- ~3,000 pages of study notes
- 6,000+ practice questions
- 7+ full-length, computer-based testing mock exams
- Performance tracking resources for every level
Support Resources:
- Lifetime access and annual updates
- Unlimited “Ask a Tutor” questions
- 24/7 tech support
AnalystPrep CFA® Discount
Instruction with Professor James Forjan
One of the most appealing aspects of AnalystPrep CFA® review courses is the ability to learn from Professor James Forjan’s video lessons. A Chartered Financial Analyst® with a PhD in finance, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone better qualified to teach CFA® prep!
He sports a 4.4/5 on Rate My Professors, with one review from a York College of Pennsylvania student raving:
“Easily one of the best instructors I have ever had. He is clear, concise, and extremely knowledgable. Learned a lot. And to make it better, he made it interesting, and entertaining. You will laugh, and if you pay attention in his classes you will pass and take away a lot.”
A CFA® student from Reddit said:
“Jim is now currently recording L3 videos. I watched them while waiting for my L2 results. There are 40 so far. THESE are detail oriented. I mean they are really good. He’ll break readings up into 2 or 3 vids, each 45 minutes to an hour long. Anyone attempting L3 with the CFAI curriculum only should absolutely use these to supplement.”
In my own participation in his lectures, I found Prof. Forjan to be an utterly gifted instructor. He breaks down complex topics with perfect examples that make them instantly understandable. Plus, he has a level of excitement and energy that’s rare in academia.
(Remember “Bueller…? Bueller…?” He’s the opposite of that.)
Ultimately, he is kind, passionate about his work, passionate about helping students, and a fantastic instructor in a field often full of dry, uninspired teaching.
See AnalystPrep’s video series for CFA® Level I for yourself:
AnalystPrep CFA® Course Features and Study Materials
Naturally, the study materials are the most important thing in an exam prep course–particularly when it’s as difficult as the CFA® exam. So, let’s dig into what you’re getting with AnalystPrep.
Video Lessons
Summary: 170+ hours of engaging video content greatly ease the slog of exam prep
With the complete package featuring a ~60-hour video series for each CFA® level (and 170+ hours total), AnalystPrep is a great choice for visual and auditory learners. You’ll cover the whole syllabus of study material in depth but in a fun and engaging way, thanks to James Forjan’s instruction.
From wealth planning and risk management to portfolio management and ethics, every topic covered in the exam syllabus is covered in video lessons led by James Forjan.
One student says:
“AnalystPrep has really good resources. I used them in combination with the curriculum and the ecosystem to pass CFA® Level I. James Forjan is the man. He just makes learning the content a lot more fun.”
Study Notes
Summary: Study notes written by CFA® charterholders help reading/writing learners quickly understand complex topics.
AnalystPrep offers ~1,000 pages of study notes for each level of the CFA® exam. These notes cover Learning Outcome Statements (LOS) from the exam syllabus, as well as offering CFA® practice questions to help you better learn formulas and concepts.
All of the study notes are written by a Chartered Financial Analyst®, so you’ll learn from CFA® candidates who became charterholders.
High-Quality Questions and Mock Exams
Summary: AnalystPrep offers a massive question bank of over 6,000 entries and realistic mock exams to prepare students for test day
AnalystPrep’s question banks and mock exams make up the bulk of their other study materials. With over 6,000+ question bank entries, AnalystPrep has one of the largest collections of practice questions in the CFA® exam space. Further, AnalystPrep focuses only on examinable questions extracted from past CFA® exams and topics that align closely with the official curriculum. This ensures that students practice with relevant study material, giving them a better chance to succeed on exam day.
And, with customizable quizzes, you can focus on weak spots or take quizzes specific to the topic you’re currently learning.
AnalystPrep also helps students gain confidence with mock exams, which replicate the exams required to pass within the CFA® program. After all, the CFA Institute suggests that students who participate in mock exams and learn practice questions can be 2x as likely to pass. And, if you prefer the old pen-and-paper strategy, AnalystPrep offers printable mock exams.
Performance Tracking Tools
Summary: AnalystPrep helps you track and save time studying by identifying your strengths and weaknesses compared to other students
Study pressure can be high and heavy. Luckily, AnalystPrep’s modern technology helps students with a busy schedule stay on track.
By showing you your strengths and weaknesses, you’ll be able to spend more time studying the content you’re less knowledgeable about and waste less time studying content where you outperform other students. Further, if you’re underperforming your peers, you’ll know–and knowing means being able to adjust your study plan.
AnalystPrep
Pros
- Solid Instruction: Professor James Forjan offers amazing tutorials that simplify the often-complex world of finance. However, the best part about his instruction is his energy and excitement, so you can stay engaged and learn the content instead of falling asleep halfway through… and having to start over again.
- Massive, High-Quality Question Bank: With over 6,000 practice questions, AnalystPrep offers one of the best and biggest question banks in the CFA® prep world. Plus, you can create customizable quizzes to help you focus on the topic you’re currently studying.
- Resources for Every Learning Style: Whether you learn best from visual, auditory, reading, or kinesthetic resources, AnalystPrep has something that will work for you, from study notes written by CFA® charterholders to in-depth mock exams with detailed answer explanations.
- Unlimited Support: Have a topic you’re struggling to understand? Get personalized assistance and support with unlimited access to CFA® tutors via live chat in the premium package. This is perfect for students who thrive on personalized support and 1-on-1 interaction.
Cons
- Limited Access for Single-Level Courses: If you only purchase a course for a single exam level, you may find that 12-month access isn’t long enough, particularly if you have a busy schedule.
- Poor Choice for Beginners: If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in a finance niche, the instruction may go over your head. The instruction is engaging and easy to understand, but you definitely need to have some background in finance to keep up with the material.
- No Pass Guarantee: The CFA® exam has one of the lowest pass rates of any certification-style exam for bolstering your career. So, a pass guarantee would be nice. However, as a small business, I don’t think it’s tragic that AnalystPrep doesn’t have one.
AnalystPrep vs Competitors
It’s easy to buy a course when you view it from a vacuum. However, comparing AnalystPrep to other CFA® exam prep courses helps to prove its value.
AnalystPrep vs. UWorld CFA
UWorld is known for its strong practice questions and detailed explanations, and that carries over well into its CFA prep materials. The platform feels polished and intentional, with analytics and explanations that help candidates understand how questions are tested, not just whether an answer is right or wrong.
AnalystPrep stands out primarily for its affordability. It offers a solid set of practice questions at a lower price point, which can be appealing for candidates who are confident self-studiers or looking for a supplementary resource. However, compared to UWorld, AnalystPrep offers fewer built-in learning tools and less depth in its explanations, which may leave some candidates wanting more guidance as they progress.
Conclusion: AnalystPrep can be a good option for budget-conscious candidates or those seeking extra practice, but UWorld offers a more rounded CFA prep experience with stronger explanations and study tools. For most candidates, that added depth gives UWorld a slight edge overall.
AnalystPrep vs Mark Meldrum
Mark Meldrum is popular for his thorough explanations and his ability to make learning enjoyable.
However, James Forjan is known for the same benefits. The primary difference is that AnalystPrep only costs a little more for all three levels, while with Mark Meldrum, you’ll pay that price for each level.
Further, Mark Meldrum also offers live, online instruction, but that increases the price even further.
Conclusion: The quality is similar, but AnalystPrep is much more affordable. However, if you prefer live instruction and don’t mind paying more, Mark Meldrum may be worth considering.
AnalystPrep vs Kaplan Schweser
Kaplan is an education giant, and when they teamed up with Schweser to create CFA® prep courses, it became clear why they’re the industry standard for exam prep.
However, Kaplan Schweser CFA® has a lot of resources and personalized support–including a pass guarantee–and their price reflects that.
AnalystPrep is a fraction of the price. However, you lose out on resources like live classes, a pass guarantee, and additional study materials.
Conclusion: Kaplan gives you more, but the price reflects that, and it may be too expensive for the average CFA® candidate. Check our comparison of AnalystPrep vs Kaplan CFA® for more details.
AnalystPrep vs Chalk & Board
Unlike many competitors, Chalk & Board focuses solely on CFA® exam prep. This could be a pro or a con, depending on whether you’d like to obtain further certifications with the same company.
Nathan Ronen is the face of the company as a CFA® himself, and he at one time served as the Lead Program Instructor for Stalla Seminars, CFA Society New York, and Kaplan-Schweser. His namesake prep strategy, the Ronen Methodology, requires you to work directly with him to develop a personalized study plan and participate in workshops.
Ultimately, Chalk & Board offers more support, but if you’re an introvert or an independent learner, you’ll likely prefer AnalystPrep. Both are similar in price, so it’s really just a personal choice. Plus, you can check out free lessons from each to see which instruction style you prefer.
Conclusion: Chalk & Board offers more support, but introverts and independent learners may prefer AnalystPrep’s more hands-off, self-study approach.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, AnalystPrep has a lot going for it:
- A massive, high-quality bank of 6,000+ questions
- A fantastic, beloved instructor who makes learning fun and easy
- Unlimited support for students who purchase the complete course
And as a result, especially after having sampled some of James Forjan’s classes, I feel confident recommending them.
Their pricing is extremely reasonable, especially when their courses are on sale (which doesn’t seem rare). If you’re an independent learner who prefers self-study, AnalystPrep is an excellent choice, and I sincerely recommend it.
FAQs
If you purchase a single-level course, you have access for 1 year. However, if you purchase the complete bundle, you receive lifetime access with annual updates.
Professor James Forjan is a CFA® charterholder and a PhD in finance with years of teaching experience. He is highly regarded for his engaging, informative instruction style.
No, AnalystPrep does not offer a pass guarantee, but it provides robust study tools and resources designed to improve your chances of passing.
Yes, AnalystPrep offers “Ask a Tutor” services. Single-level courses include 5 tutor questions, while the full bundle provides unlimited access.
AnalystPrep is a better fit for students with a finance background. Beginners may find it challenging without prior knowledge of the subject.
