Which Kaplan Schweser package for CFA level 1

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ScipioAfricanus

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Planning on taking the CFA exams in December. I have worked in accountancy for a couple of years and want to take the CFA to brighten my horizons lol.
Would like your opinions on which Kaplan Schweser self study package to go for.
Is the essential package worth the extra over the study notes package?
Is anyone else from the UK preparing to take level 1 in December?
Thanks in advance,
Scipio
 
I just looked up the two packages to give you a more informed answer and my answer to your question is Yes, the essential package is worth the $150 more than the study notes. Essential comes with qBank and 6 full-length practice exams. I’d say that’s worth it.
To me the most useful items I have from Schweser are the Study Notes, the qBank, and the practice exams and I also have the video and secret sauce. So if I were to buy anything it would be the Essentials package.
 
I can’t remember the name of it, but the $999 one. I think it’s called the Premium. It has all you need to pass in it, and I highly recommend using it. It contains:
  • Videos (good for “mile-high” view of the subject)
  • Schweser Notes (good for diving deep into the subject)
  • Q-Bank (good for burning the information into your brain)
  • Practice exams (good for the final push right before the exam)
Personally, I don’t find flash cards, “ask-an-instructor” or “final reviews” to be very helpful. That’s just me.
 
I personally feel you can do without the videos. They were helpful for one or two sections as far as being able to explain something I couldn’t get through my head through reading. Other than that, they’d be good for reviewing a topic quickly through explanation. I don’t know that it’s necessary though, so if cost is an issue, I’d stick to the Essential it’s got everything Greenman listed but the videos.
 
Just get the notes package. Between the CFA texts and EOCs, blue box examples, the Schweser notes and practice exams, you should have more than enough to pass the exams.
 
qbank is a must have. videos are nice depending on your learning style.
 
When I studied for the exams, I used Schweser Notes for the readings and would supplement with the CFA Texts and I would do the Blue Box examples and and End of Chapter questions in the CFA textbooks several times over. This was always enough to keep my busy up until the very end. If I had to do it all over again, I would take that very same approach.
 
Yea, Palacio, the only problem with that is that you feel like you don’t have enough practice problems to work with. Let’s say you go through the readings and then complete the EOC questions and BlueBox questions through each reading. When you’re done with all the reading and you want to review, you’re left with questions you’ve already answered. Definitely not like they’re in your memory and it’s still surprisingly difficult in some instances, but after you do all the EOC and BlueBoxes and you want more practice problems, say for one specific area of weakness or just to take a mini comprehensive quiz or w/e, qBank is incredibly versatile and gives you comfort knowing you can exhaust almost all possible questions for a section if need be.
Videos aren’t really worth it, I say qBank is a good addition, especially since they’ll throw in 6 full-length practice exams. You want the Essential package, for sure.
 
Thanks for all the responses guys, I think I will go for the essential package.
 
If I had a limited budget, I’d just get these 2:
Videos
Qbank
Watch videos, take notes while you watch, and jump straight to Qbank.. don’t worry if you score poorly at first.. keep doing problems till you understand and go back to the videos if you still don’t.
 
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