Yes – for 9 out of 10 candidates.
Here is the breakdown of when it is better:
When the original curriculum is better:
If you are preparing for the CFA Level 1 exam in 2024, you have likely encountered a critical fork in the road: Should you read the 3,000+ page official CFA Institute curriculum, or should you invest in the SchweserNotes? cfa level 1 2024 schweser notes pdf better
The search query “cfa level 1 2024 schweser notes pdf better” is trending for a reason. Candidates are looking for efficiency, portability, and clarity. In this deep-dive article, we will analyze whether the 2024 Schweser Notes PDF is genuinely better than the original source material, what “better” actually means in the context of exam preparation, and how to use the PDF version to maximize your chances of passing.
Simply reading a PDF on a laptop is passive. To make the Schweser Notes PDF “better” than the curriculum, you need an active study system:
Ethics is the highest-weighted topic. Schweser covers it well, but the official curriculum’s examples are better. Download the free CFA Program Curriculum Ethics Volume (PDF) or use the Learning Ecosystem. For Ethics only, the original is “better.” Yes – for 9 out of 10 candidates
We analyzed 100+ Reddit (r/CFA) and AnalystForum posts from candidates who passed Level 1 in 2023. Here is the consensus:
“I used only Schweser PDF + CFAI Q-Bank. Never opened the core books. Passed above 90th percentile.” – u/quant_hopeful
“Schweser fixed income is way clearer than CFAI. But for Derivatives, I had to read the original. Still, 80% of my study was the PDF.” – Forum user “MilanCFA” When the original curriculum is better:
“The search function in the PDF saved me hours. You can’t do that with physical books.” – Candidate A.
The 80/20 Rule: 80% of candidates find Schweser Notes PDF better for 80% of the curriculum. For the remaining 20% (complex accounting nuances, obscure derivative strategies), refer to the official curriculum.
While finding a "free" version might seem like a win for your wallet, it often comes with hidden costs that can hurt your exam score:
There is a reason Kaplan Schweser is the most popular third-party prep provider. For many, the official CFA Institute books are simply too verbose.
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