My MBA finance prof’s suggestion (he’s also a CFA charterholder and an instructor for one of the programs that start with an S): Start with pure quantitative stuff (it’s easier to remember concepts and principles), then stuff with a mix of quant and theory, and then move on to pure qualitative stuff. Ethics is definitely dead last on the list - most memorization involved. For people with no finance background whatsoever, it is probably wise to go through everything once (given that you have a lot of time dedicated to CFA curriculum) to get a general understanding of the topics, then make notes while you go through the material the second time. Think of it as a pyramid - going through the material the first time - foundation; going through it the second time - middle part of the pyramid. Top of the pyramid - 2 weeks of practicing questions (don’t do any questions prior to the final two weeks). The pyramid also reflects how much time should be allocated to each part of the pyramid (foundation - the most time needed).