While it’s possible to pass using only the official CFA Institute curriculum books, most candidates leverage third-party prep providers or condensed study materials to complement their efforts.

The official CFA curriculum is comprehensive and the basis for exam questions. It provides depth, examples, and practice problems written in CFA style. The downside is volume – ~3,000 pages – which can be time-consuming. 

If you can’t read it all, prioritize certain areas: Ethics (always use the CFA text for Ethics and GIPS, since questions often hinge on subtle details), and any topics you find especially difficult or unfamiliar (the curriculum’s explanation might clarify where summaries don’t). 

At minimum, do the end-of-chapter questions and blue-box examples in the curriculum – these are invaluable for understanding how concepts may be tested.

What to take advantage of in the official material:

Learning Outcome Statements (LOS)

Every reading has explicit LOS that begin with verbs like “Calculate,” “Describe,” “Compare.” Let these guide you: they literally outline what you need to be able to do. 

For instance, if an LOS says “Calculate and interpret the Sharpe ratio,” ensure you can not only compute it given returns and standard deviation, but also interpret what a higher or lower Sharpe means. 

If an LOS says “Explain biases in behavioral finance,” be ready to define each bias and give an example. Structuring your notes around LOS can ensure you don’t stray beyond scope or miss something essential.

CFA online Learning Ecosystem 

As a registered candidate, you have access to the CFA Institute’s question bank and a mock exam. Use them! The question bank lets you practice by topic at first, then in mixed sets. 

The interface simulates the exam computer environment. 

The mock exam provided is a full-length realistic exam – take it seriously as a dress rehearsal (preferably about 2–3 weeks before the exam).

​​Third-Party Study Material

​​Third-party study notes and videos can save time by focusing on exam-relevant points and simplifying language. They are great for building a foundation, especially in quantitative-heavy or formula-heavy topics.

Below, we provide a comparison of major CFA Level I prep providers – Kinnu, Kaplan Schweser, Wiley Efficient Learning, Bloomberg Exam Prep, Salt Solutions, and AnalystPrep – including their offerings, approximate costs, and pros/cons. 

All of these are well-known in the CFA community, and the “best” choice depends on your learning style and budget.

Comparison Table:

Provider	Price Range (Level I, approx.)	Pros	Cons
Kinnu !!	TBD??	** Awesome things about what Kinnu will do. Woo hoo **	** Very minor drawbacks, of no concern to anyone **
Kaplan Schweser	$399 (basic QBank) – $1,499 (Ultimate). Discounts 10–15% common.	The most established provider, with materials used by many charterholders. SchweserNotes condense the curriculum into smaller volumes (physical copies included). Packages typically include six mock exams and a large QBank. Classes and videos are available, and instructors are experienced.	Higher cost if you want full packages with classes. SchweserNotes are efficient but can skip nuance; candidates sometimes need to consult the CFA curriculum for tricky areas.
Wiley Efficient Learning	$399 (basic) – $999 (Platinum).	Video-first approach with well-known instructors. Lessons are modular, which suits short study sessions. The QBank is large. The 11th Hour Guide is used as a concise review tool. Access does not expire until you pass.	Platform has had reliability issues in the past. The written study text can be almost as long as CFAI curriculum, which may not save much time. Physical books cost extra. Pricing is similar to Kaplan, so it is not a low-cost alternative.
Bloomberg Exam Prep	$699 (Essential) – $1,999 (Ultimate with tutoring).	Emphasises adaptive technology: an initial diagnostic test tailors a study plan to weak areas. The interface is modern and the QBank is large (8,000+ questions). Higher tiers include one-to-one tutoring with charterholders. Performance tracking shows estimated exam readiness.	More expensive than most competitors. Entirely digital, with no printed notes. The program is newer, so it has less of a track record or community compared with Kaplan or Wiley.
Salt Solutions	Around $599 (sometimes discounted). One all-inclusive package.	Offers text, videos, QBank, and mocks in a single package. Materials are closely aligned with CFA Institute (Salt helped build the official Learning Ecosystem). Refund guarantee if you fail.	Self-study only: no live classes or tutoring. Newer provider without a long track record. Materials are only digital; candidates wanting printed notes need to create their own.
AnalystPrep	$249–$399 per level. Lifetime all-levels bundle often <$600.	The lowest-cost option, covering all basics: notes, videos, QBank, and mocks. Includes performance tracking and, unusually, some tutoring hours even in cheaper packages.	Interface is less polished than premium providers. Coverage is adequate but less detailed than Kaplan/Wiley. Smaller reputation and community presence, so fewer peer resources.

Using AI as a Supplementary Resource

While your primary study materials should always be the CFA Institute curriculum and official practice questions, AI tools can serve as a useful supplement when you hit a roadblock. One example is Kinnu’s Lara chatbot, which has been specifically trained on the CFA curriculum. Unlike a general chatbot, Lara is designed to explain CFA concepts, generate practice questions, and test your reasoning in a way that mirrors the exam.

Clarifying difficult material

You might use a chatbot when a passage in the curriculum is difficult to digest. For instance, if you are struggling with deferred tax assets in Financial Reporting, you could paste in the section and ask Lara to give you a plain-language summary with an example. 

It might respond by walking you through how accelerated tax depreciation creates a temporary difference that leads to a deferred tax liability.

This does not replace reading the curriculum — but it helps you return to the text with the concept already clarified.

Testing your explanations

Another way to use a chatbot is to check whether you can explain a topic properly. 

Suppose you write out your understanding of the CAPM formula. A chatbot can confirm what you have right and point out what is missing, such as the formal definition of beta as the covariance of the asset with the market divided by the variance of the market. 

This back-and-forth forces you to test your knowledge rather than assume you “get it.”

Practising Ethics scenarios

Ethics scenarios are an area where a chatbot can be particularly valuable. You can describe a case — for example, “An analyst accepts tickets to a football match from a company he covers” — and ask whether it breaches the Standards. 

Lara will probe the key detail (was it disclosed to the employer?) and explain how failure to disclose would violate Independence and Objectivity. 

By running several variations of such cases, you can practise applying the Standards in the way the exam demands.

Online Communities and Forums

Platform	What you’ll find	Best use	Watch-outs
r/CFA (Reddit)	Large, active community; daily Q&A, study logs, “exam day/results” megathreads; FAQ with rules, resources, and Discord link.	Fast answers, morale boosts, logistics intel (e.g., test-center tips), links to study groups.	No posting of live exam content; quality varies—verify technical claims against CFAI/your notes.
AnalystForum	Long-running CFA forum with Level I sub-boards by topic (Ethics, FSA, Econ, Derivatives, etc.). Threaded, searchable archives.	Deeper, topic-specific threads; troubleshooting tricky items; historical discussions of strategies and pitfalls.	Older posts may reflect outdated curricula/weights—cross-check with current syllabus.
300Hours (Forum & Blog)	Forum for all levels; blog posts with updated pass-rate trackers, study-hour benchmarks, MPS analyses, deadlines.	Data-driven planning (hours, timelines), keeping up with changes (weights, dates), sense-check on expectations.	Community answers can be opinionated; treat MPS estimates as estimates, not official.
Wall Street Oasis (WSO)	Finance-career forum with CFA threads; candid takes on providers, study tactics, opportunity cost.	Real-world perspectives on whether/when CFA helps, provider comparisons from practitioners.	Not CFA-specific; advice can be blunt or anecdotal—validate against CFAI guidance.
Soleadea	Study planner & blog (not a forum). Offers a personalised CFA study planner, topic weight explainers, syllabus overviews, blog updates, and some videos/QBank/mocks.	Best for structuring a 3–6 month plan and staying current on weights/dates.	Useful planning tool, but not a substitute for core CFAI materials and heavy question practice.