AnalystPrep has quickly become a leading provider of CFA and FRM exam prep courses and study material in the past couple of years. Founded in 2014, AnalystPrep is based out of Montreal with the following mission statement:
- “Our mission is to spread financial knowledge through a combination of innovative learning technology and futuristic study tools”
The products offered by AnalystPrep are for those preparing to take the following exams:
- Certified Financial Analyst (CFA)
- Financial Risk Manager (FRM)
- Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
- Actuarial Exams (SOA)
The distinct features of AnalystPrep are its modern course platform, and a significant amount of content (study notes, video lessons, practice questions, mock exams), at a fraction of the price offered by more established providers.
While more budget-friendly, the question we’ll attempt to answer in our review is how the quality of the material compares to other offerings available in the market.
AnalystPrep Course Quality
AnalystPrep designed its exam prep packages with four core components:
- Study Notes and Video Lessons
- Question Banks
- Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Mock Exams
- Customizable Quizzes
AnalystPrep User Experience
The modern platform of AnalystPrep certainly sets it apart from many of the more established providers, which are more outdated and reliant on PDFs. By contrast, AnalystPrep’s study material is up-to-date, with high engagement within the community and from the support team.
But that leads to one criticism of AnalystPrep, which is the significant number of grammatical errors found within the material. Considering AnalystPrep is a relatively newer provider in the market, we’re sure those mistakes should be corrected over time, however, the errors can be distracting at times.
The user interface is simple and easy to navigate, with the main dashboard to move around the site’s tabs easily, and the presentation of the written study notes is unique stylistically, similar to a notepad, which makes them slightly less mundane.
The writing, ignoring the occasional typos, is concise and easy to read, even for the more complex topics.
But compared to the industry standard, Kaplan Schweser notes, the depth of the information can be a bit lacking at times, in which you’ll want further clarification on some concepts. On the flip side, Schweser does tend to make simple concepts more complex than they need to be and can be exhausting to read through.
As for the video lessons, they are on the lengthier side, as with most CFA/FRM videos, but they do supplement the written notes well and can be useful for visual learners, but the written notes should be enough for candidates constrained on time.
The question bank, typically the most important part of any course provider as you actually practice the knowledge you learned, consists of a significant number of questions.
At times, the questions can test redundant concepts, but certain topics do need constant repetition to drill them down into your memory. The answer explanations can be lacking in depth, however, but we can give them a pass in that regard given the number of questions.
Conclusion: 4/5 Review
The test questions are where AnalystPrep truly stands out, as the platform is modern and generates customer quizzes based on the weak points of the user, as well as user-specific feedback.
AnalystPrep also offers multiple full-length mock online exams, which is impressive given how time-consuming it must have been to produce these.
In summary, AnalystPrep is thus a great option for those preparing for the CFA or FRM exam, as the curriculum is up-to-date with modern tools to increase your understanding.
FAQ
How much do Analyst Prep’s packages cost?
- A major factor in the reputation of AnalystPrep, other than their modern platform, is the affordable pricing. For the most recent pricing data and discounts, we recommend checking the site. But as an example, here is the pricing of the CFA Level l packages.
Is AnalystPrep worth it?
- AnalystPrep is certainly worth the price, which is among the lowest in the market.
- The library of content is very in-depth and much more than what you might expect given the low price point.
Does AnalystPrep offer live instruction?
- AnalystPrep is a less established provider that does not offer any live classes or virtual instruction (only self-paced learning).
- But as long as that is not an issue, AnalystPrep is well worth the price for the value received.
Is AnalystPrep the best CFA provider?
- Following our detailed review, we rank AnalystPrep near the top of the ranking of providers. While the platform is clearly better than Wiley or Kaplan’s, the study material and question banks have some room for improvement.
- For our ranking of the top CFA providers, see the following post: BEST CFA PREP COURSE AND STUDY MATERIAL