Great Features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course

In my pursuit of the CFA designation I decided that it would be in my best interest to purchase CFA exam study and review materials. After looking around and comparing several different packages from various providers, I decided that Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course had everything I was looking for, and then some.  In this article I will cover several great features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course that have been super useful throughout my studies.

If you are currently a candidate in the CFA program and are considering purchasing study materials, be sure to look into everything Wiley has to offer, specifically their Level I CFA Gold Course. 

For a general overview of this package, be sure to check out this article.  If you would like to take a look at the three main components of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course that I think make them stand out above all other study guide providers, visit this article.

If at any point you are convinced that you would like to purchase this package be sure to head over to Wiley’s site and use the promo code DAILY20 for a 20% discount. Wiley is also offering a free trial of their great CFA packages – for more information check out this link!

So, what are the great features of this study package?

Test Bank

The best way to ensure that you will pass any level of the CFA exams is to make sure that you can effectively and efficiently read the questions that are asked of you on the exam. Not only do you need to read the question in its entirety, but also pick out imperative information and key words, making sure you are doing so in a timely manner.

You will only be able to be successful at this on the exam if you work through practice questions. Wiley knows this – and that is why they have created thousands of practices questions for you to take.  Included in Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course are over 5,000 questions that you can work through as many times as you would like.

These questions are formatted very similarly to the actual CFA exam questions, and include detailed explanations for the correct and incorrect answers.

Wiley doesn’t just stop there.  You are also able to create your own customized study tests and choose the number of questions you would like to be on it.  You can select the questions by topic, study session, and even individual reading.

Out of all of the great features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course the test bank may be my favorite.

Virtual Classroom

Everyone learns differently, and Wiley took this into consideration when they were creating their study materials. One of the great features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course is their virtual classroom.

The virtual classroom offers an intensive weekly review of the most important topics in the entire curriculum. Each review session lasts around 3-4 hours and is hosted by one of their CFA tutors. These video sessions offer a ton of helpful content, including a thorough review of core concepts and realistic examples of how to apply your knowledge. 

Wiley instructors also hold open office hours which gives you the opportunity to work through problematic concepts with a true expert.

Worried that you will have a conflict on the day that the virtual session is held? No problem – each one is recorded giving you access to it anytime.

Flash Card Bank

Another great way to reinforce reading topics, questions, and formulas is by using flash cards. With Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course, gone are the days of buying and writing out hundreds of index cards by hand.

In this study package Wiley has created a virtual flash card bank.  These flash cards include the most important concepts, vocabulary words, and formulas that will be sure to lead you to a passing score on exam day.  The flash card bank also has a session timer to show you just how much time you have been studying them.

In my previous studies I would spend hours creating flash cards and then group them together based on their general subject. Wiley does this for you and enables you to create ‘decks’ of cards based on different subjects.

For instance, say you want to just look at corporate finance and derivative pricing related flash cards.  All you have to do is select these topics and the number of flash cards you want to see, and it’s done.

One of the biggest advantages of having Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course package create the flash cards for you is that you don’t have to worry about not being able to read your own handwriting!

Metrics

Something that you should be doing throughout your CFA studies is tracking your progress. I don’t only mean tracking which subjects you have already covered and which you still need to tackle. You should also be looking back over previous assessments and practice tests to see which subjects might need a little more of your time.

Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course makes this very easy. They have developed a portion of their site dedicated solely to displaying personal study metrics. Here you can see your average grade, highest grade, and lowest grade on your last several assessments.  You also are given the ability to review study time by session, reading, and lesson. Plus you can view how much time you have spent studying on each reading and lesson.

Not only can you view all of this data in various charts, tables, and graphs, but you can also export the raw data and do some digging on your own.

The metrics section is truly one of the great features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course.  This tool just shows you how much Wiley cares about making sure you have everything you need to pass the CFA exams.

Calculator Tips

For some this might sound boring, but one of the great features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course is all of the calculator tips.

Today, in the age of excel and online time value of money (TVM) calculators, many of us are not used to using a physical calculator. Specifically, we are not used to using the CFA Institute approved Texas Instruments BA II Plus or the Hewlett Packard 12C calculators.

Luckily for us, Wiley incorporates calculator tips in their readings, videos, and answer explanations. To be more specific, Wiley teaches you how to use the calculator as efficiently as you can so you have one less thing to worry about on exam day.

Thanks to these tips and instructions I am now able to calculate internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), and the future and present value of cash flows (including annuities and annuities due) in no time.

When you are taking any of the CFA exams, every second and minute counts. The less time you spend fumbling around on your calculator, the more time you can spend making sure you are thoroughly reading the question and reviewing your work.

Although it might not seem like it all of the calculator tips included in Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course make this package stand out.   

Great Features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course – Summary

While there are other CFA study materials available for sale, none can compare to just how much Wiley offers with their Level I CFA Gold Course.  Not only does Wiley cover all the basics, but they go above and beyond by offering tools such as a massive test bank, a virtual classroom, a flashcard bank, an entire metrics section, as well as useful calculator tips.

I hope this article detailing the great features of Wiley’s Level I CFA Gold Course was helpful to you in your journey of obtaining the CFA designation. If you are looking for more information on this package, check out the other articles about it on our site here.

If you are looking for a comprehensive overview of the package, head over to Wiley’s site for everything you need to know. Don’t forget, Wiley is offering a 20% discount off their packages – all you have to do is enter the promo code DAILY20 at checkout. They are also offering a free trial of their great CFA packages – for more information check out this link!

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them below.