How to Revise CFA Level 1 Alongside Kaplan Schweser, UWorld or AnalystPrep
By CFA Master Team · Updated
Short answer: Keep learning from your main provider (CFA Institute curriculum, Kaplan Schweser, UWorld, AnalystPrep or a class). After each learning module, capture the key concepts, formulas and traps in one place, then test yourself on that module the same week. Before the exam you revise from your own condensed notes, not from 2,000+ pages. CFA Master is built for that second part: a revision companion with a cheat sheet, mind map, flashcards and quiz for each of its 59 study modules, which cover all 10 Level 1 subjects. It does not replace your course.
Most Level 1 candidates do not fail because they never saw a topic. They fail because, by exam week, they cannot recall what they studied two months earlier. A prep provider teaches the material. A revision system makes it stick.
Who this is for
- You already study with the CFA Institute curriculum or a prep provider (Kaplan Schweser, UWorld, AnalystPrep, Mark Meldrum, Salt Solutions or a local class).
- You want a lighter way to revise each module after you have learned it.
- You want your notes, formulas and mnemonics in one place you can review on your phone.
If you have not started learning the syllabus yet, start with a full course first. A revision tool is not enough on its own.
The workflow: learn → capture → test → revise
| Step | When | What you do | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Learn | Each learning module | Read or watch the module in your main course | Your prep provider or the CFA Institute curriculum |
| 2. Capture | Same day | Write down the 5–10 concepts, formulas and traps you need to remember | A cheat sheet per module (CFA Master's are editable) |
| 3. Test | Same week | Answer a short module quiz; review every wrong answer | Module quiz with explanations |
| 4. Space it | 1 week and 1 month later | Flip the flashcards for that module | Flashcards per module |
| 5. Revise | Last 3–4 weeks | Revise from your captured notes and formula sheet, then sit full mocks | Your notes + the official mocks |
The point of step 2 is that your notes become your revision repository, built module by module. By the end you have one short, personal summary per module instead of a stack of books.
How each part fits next to your course
Your prep provider stays the place where you learn: full readings or videos, worked examples and the large question bank. Use its questions for volume.
A module cheat sheet is where you capture what matters. In CFA Master each of its 59 study modules has a cheat sheet you can edit: key concepts, formulas, decision rules and common pitfalls. Add the mnemonics and examples your instructor used.
A mind map shows how a module's ideas connect, which helps for Ethics standards and for Fixed Income and Equity topics where several formulas share inputs.
Flashcards are for spaced recall: 725 cards across the curriculum, built from the cheat sheets and quizzes.
A module quiz checks the module right after you study it: 190 questions across its 59 study modules, each with an explanation. Use your provider's bank for volume and the module quiz as a quick check.
A formula sheet for the final weeks: the CFA Level 1 formula sheet lists 83 formulas by subject, and the Top 27 are free to read online. For concepts and decision rules, the CFA Level 1 cheat sheets cover all 10 subjects module by module.
A weekly rhythm that works with any provider
| Day | Main course | Revision |
|---|---|---|
| Mon–Thu | 1 learning module per evening | 10 minutes: capture that module's cheat sheet |
| Fri | Provider questions on the week's modules | Module quiz for each one; note what you got wrong |
| Sat | Catch-up | Flashcards for last week's and last month's modules |
| Sun | Rest or a mock section | Read your cheat sheets for the weakest subject |
Order your revision by exam weight. The CFA Level 1 topic weights page shows which subjects carry the most marks.
What to keep where
| Keep in your prep provider | Keep in your revision companion |
|---|---|
| Full explanations and worked examples | The 5–10 points per module you must recall |
| Large question bank for practice volume | A short quiz per module to check retention |
| Provider mock exams | Your formula sheet and mnemonics |
| Video lectures | Flashcards for spaced review |
Try it on one module, free
The first module, Rates and Returns, is fully open with no account: open the free module and use its cheat sheet, mind map, flashcards and quiz after you study the same module in your course. If the workflow helps, use it for the next module. You can also read the free CFA Level 1 notes for every subject online, no sign-up.
FAQ
Can I pass CFA Level 1 with only a revision tool?
No. A revision tool assumes you have learned the material from the CFA Institute curriculum or a prep provider. Use it to remember and practise what you have learned.
Does CFA Master replace Kaplan Schweser, UWorld or AnalystPrep?
No. CFA Master is a revision companion used alongside them. It does not have video lectures or a full-length textbook.
Which curriculum does it follow?
The content follows the 2026 CFA Level 1 curriculum (93 official learning modules, grouped into 59 study modules). The 2027 curriculum has 102 learning modules; the CFA Level 1 syllabus page lists both.
When should I start revising?
From the first module. Capture and quiz each module the week you learn it, then spend the last 3–4 weeks revising from your notes and sitting full mocks. See the final 3 weeks revision plan.
Disclosure: CFA Master is our own product. Kaplan Schweser, UWorld, AnalystPrep, Mark Meldrum and Salt Solutions are named only to describe where a revision companion fits; they are trademarks of their owners and are not affiliated with CFA Master.
CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute. CFA Master is not affiliated with or endorsed by CFA Institute.