Anybody using these? Worth it?
I am. I’ve been playing them in my car for the last two weeks…will probably play them when I go to sleep as the exam approaches. So far, I like the mp3s…I like passive learning, and I tend to retain things better via the auditory learning method. I do feel that the price is a little ridiculous, but for me it seems to be worth it.
Cool. I visited the Schweser site, price was $249. However when I’m logged in, price is $179. I’m considering it, would probably listen to it at work and on the train as well. It may drill in some concepts, and I’ll take any help I can get. Will probably wait for a few others to chime in before making a decision.
I thought about it, but I’m concerned about the quality and the value added. Their videos are horribly boring and they basically just read from the notes. If the mp3s are of similar quality it’d be a waste of money for me.
I used mp3 for level 1. As I recall the guy reads word for word from the notes. The guys voice is mono tone and can be hard to take for some. My wife hated it! For me though, I thought it was a great way to reinforce concepts. I listened so many times that I memorized what he would say in some parts and that actually helped me on one question in the exam.
The $249 price is pretty outrageous when you think about it. For that much money, you could almost pay someone to read the notes to you. On the other hand, I used the MP3s for my Level III prep last year, and got more use out of them than I thought I would. Because one thing that MP3s have going for them is that they can be copied-to and played-by almost any electronic device you own. (They are not copy-protected). Here are 3 ways that I put these recordings to use: 1) In the car. Most/all car stereos can now play MP3 discs. Like Toobigtofail pointed out, these CDs are handy for studying while driving. Especially for long drives. 2) On my ipod. Some evenings I didn’t feel like studying. Going for an hour-long walk and listening to a couple of readings is much less painful. 3) On my phone. Smartphones can now easily hold and play a couple gigabytes of MP3s. If you remember headphones, you can plug-in and listen on the subway etc. Or if you’re lying in bed, you can turn on the phone’s speaker and listen to a reading or two. If you load the MP3s onto every electronic device you own (ipad tablet, work computer, etc), it’s not too hard to make it through the recordings 2 or 3 times in their entirety before the exam.
If you had to choose between the mp3s or the video lectures which would you pick and why?
I prefer the mp3s, because I’m already taking the weekly classes/doing WindsorWeek. I can’t really watch the videos in my car or at the gym.
I bought the mp3s and think they’re great. Indeed the guy basically reads the text verbatim, skipping a lot of the examples (it’s difficult to read a thorough numerical example and be able to understand it). I’d definitely prefer the mp3s over videos because I use mp3s when I can’t be watching something (like driving, going to sleep, listening in my headphones at work). If I were able to watch a video, I would just be reading or using the QBank instead. Also, asking whether it’s worth it is really a relative question (utility theory!). If you have endless money, of course it’s worth it. At this point, I’ll spend money on anything that would help me pass. Consider the cost/benefit of CFA exams and preparation materials vs. a graduate degree. The CFA path is far less expensive and very valuable in the end!