Chalk & Board Review

Hi all,

Wanted to pass along feedback about Chalk and Board after receiving results yesterday. For background, this was my first attempt at Level I, and I do not have a background in finance but have been in the industry for over three years now. I used Nathan Ronen’s Chalk & Board videos and mock exam, coupled with the Kaplan books. Pursuant to Nathan’s guidance, I took 8 practice exams between Kaplan, C&B, and the CFA website, retaking the first two exams for a total of 10 practice exams prior to sitting for the exam.

I could not have passed without Nathan’s guidance, study schedule, and accessibility. His videos are time-intensive, but I scored highest on the sections for which I most diligently followed his methods. His practice exam was hard, but it was a good test to see where I stood on content three weeks prior to the exam. Nathan triangulates between the CFA material, prep provider books, and his own methodology; by the time I sat for the actual exam, I didn’t have to memorize a single formula - following Nathan’s guidance was enough to actually understand and synthesize the material.

For many of us, it’s impossible to make classes that meet in person. Albeit time-intensive, Nathan’s videos were really all I needed in conjunction with reading the written materials. He readily answered any questions via call, text, or email, and that kind of guidance was really important to me without an educational background in finance or asset management.

I will definitely be using Chalk and Board again and will probably scrap the Kaplan materials altogether for Level II. I highly, highly recommend Nathan to anyone looking to balance studying and stick to a framework on top of working full time. He really kept me on track and made sure I understood the content, rather than just memorized it.

Although I am not looking forward to buckling down to study again, I do look forward to working with Nathan again. Happy to answer any questions or provide honest feedback.