Schweser vs CFAI content size, is it adequate?

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I have both materials but when comparing them the topic lengths given each provider is hugely different. I was planning on using Schweser for Econ, Corporate Finance, Alternative Investments, and Portfolio Management because it’s over 1000 pages with the CFAI material and worth the lowest. However it’s only 542 pages for Schweser. I’ve never used Schweser and have read good things about it but almost 500 pages of content cut out does seem quite high. Does it skip certain parts or just explain it less? I’d hate to think I have a good grasp on it and come mocks find out that stuff was missing leading me to have to go the CFAI material last minute.
Sorry if this was addressed in prior posts, I did a search but it was just people asking which is better.
 
Did not use schwesr in L2 (using it in L3 now). L2 Wiley studynotes skip those “story-telling” parts and focus directly on the reading objectives, blue boxes, and EOC material. I get the same feeling in L3 schwesr, so L2 schwesr should probably be the same. For L2, no need to go thru the bulky CFA text, except for the EOCs. My strategy was, if i cant solve CFA EOCs using Wiley notes only, I read the CFA-version reading (or portion of it) which then fills the knowledge gap.
 
kevinsfl wrote:
Did not use schwesr in L2 (using it in L3 now). L2 Wiley studynotes skip those “story-telling” parts and focus directly on the reading objectives, blue boxes, and EOC material. I get the same feeling in L3 schwesr, so L2 schwesr should probably be the same. For L2, no need to go thru the bulky CFA text, except for the EOCs. My strategy was, if i cant solve CFA EOCs using Wiley notes only, I read the CFA-version reading (or portion of it) which then fills the knowledge gap.
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Thanks for the reply. I went through and did a comparison for a bunch of the readings and for the most part you are right. Some of the readings though just leave so much information out. An example was with a Portfolio Management reading, CFAI material was 81 pages compared to Schweser being 9. I went through the LOS and for those that applied to other SS I’m going to read the CFAI material to expand the knowledge that can be transferable but am doing Schweser then for the info exclusive to that reading. I’m going to try your strategy out though as I think that is the most effective gauge for topic knowledge. And thanks for the tip about Ethics, will do that.
 
About portfolio management, I actually used the CFA text last year because all the topics were new/revised relative to 2015. Despite using the CFA text, I didnt feel reading (and understanding) 81 pages was worth my time for only 5-10% weight. I think Schwser produced only 9 pages because the weight attributed to PM is so little… If I may give additional advice for L2, better focus on other topics other than PM (i.e. give “minimum” effort in PM) since it will be the primary focus of L3!
 
kevinsfl wrote:
About portfolio management, I actually used the CFA text last year because all the topics were new/revised relative to 2015. Despite using the CFA text, I didnt feel reading (and understanding) 81 pages was worth my time for only 5-10% weight. I think Schwser produced only 9 pages because the weight attributed to PM is so little… If I may give additional advice for L2, better focus on other topics other than PM (i.e. give “minimum” effort in PM) since it will be the primary focus of L3!
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Yeah I get that. It is one of the lowest weighted topics so I’m not focusing too much on it. Out of the 6 readings only 2 of them I am reading from the CFAI material because they had material which was pertinent to other topics. PM with the CFAI material seems kinda nuts, you’re right for only 5-10% there’s almost as many pages as FRA worth 15-20%. Not really worth the focus, but also can’t be ignored.
 
WILEY, Kaplan / Schweser & IFT all provide good third party study material for CFA Level 2. When you don’t understand something from one of those, then use CFA Institute Curriculum text books.
 
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