How I Teach CFA Content - by Mark Meldrum, PhD.

[@fitnessfireball7861]

Hi Mark! I just want to say thank for being such an amazing teacher! I’m a mother of 3 small kids and I passed this year Cfa level 1 thanks to you 🙏💗 will definitely sign up for level 2 with your company again!

[@MarkMeldrum]

Congrats and welcome to Level II!

[@memalos1]

To contextualize how tough it is, consider that on L3, the most dedicated and able students sit and yet half of them they will fail!

[@Lolalai]

The explanation that you give at the beginning, of a business model vs an academic model in education, is a stroke of genius. That is so true, which is one of the reasons that encourages me to try the CFA

[@saqibmerchant1111]

Feels like I found a treasure... Great explanation as always. Thanks a lot :-)

[@nishantbatra433]

have never experienced such a great great explanations... will definitely help me a lot..

[@robertolino4746]

Best professor I have ever had!

[@gauravkapoor111111]

Never approached learning in this way. The closest I did was working with the book "lateral thinking" by Edward Bono. All I did at UG degree was to take exam and pass. That's what was required of us. I guess that's their business model as you said. Thank god for internet we can learn from you sir.

[@raymeester7883]

Amen to that.

[@Dhamee_nerd]

"teach and don't tell" that has to be my take away from this video, i am writing level 1 in December was down on not starting early enough as i am yet to hit full swing but i have no doubt your video has given a fresh light of confidence

[@andrepobis2540]

Thank you VM, Dr Mark!! Helped a lot on what we should actually learn.

[@Atharva_Sahu]

Hi Mark, I am not from finance background so I do not actually know anything about financial topics, I am thinking of giving my CFA in feb 2023 because I want to switch into finance. What I want to say is "will your course cover everything from basics"?. Thankyou your description was wonderful in the above video.

[@ayobkraima9853]

Hi Mark, Thank you for your help and explanation. I am a subscriber on your platform, CFA level 1 Dec 2020 candidate. I rely mainly on your videos, I like the way you explain and I follow your notes, I take the quizzes and watch the end of chapters videos and I am planning to do as many problems and mock exams as possible. I have a Master in finance and I know almost 70% of the material of CFA level 1. My question is, Can I skip reading the textbooks ( except for Ethics) and follow your videos and practice problems. I found the reading too much :( Thank you again

[@MarkMeldrum]

You can skip reading.

[@mahamousa2223]

30:19 You cracked me up :D .. In all seriousness though, everything you said makes sense!

[@mememicro-emprestimos3612]

Thank you Mark well done. Which software you are using to teach the content?

[@nqobilenyathi7699]

How can I kindly reach out to you. I want to purchase a kit for Level 1 May 2024?

[@nqobilenyathi7699]

Hi Mark thanks for the videos. How much are the CFA videos for Level 1 May 2024?

[@joshmatthews2031]

Hi Mark, I'm a recent subscriber to the content and am really liking the videos. I was wondering if you could clarify the most optimal sequence of material use. Right now I'm watching the lecture, doing the problems, watching the problem videos then watching the review video. Should I watch the review video before hitting the problems? Cheers

[@andykim9330]

Hello Mark, In your package, do you explain how to study the CFA using your materials? Also, does it have any kind of scheduler that will help candidates to keep track of their progress?

[@MarkMeldrum]

markmeldrum.selz.com/item/cfa-level-1-time-management-spreadsheet

[@dovrankuliyev2979]

Good afternoon Mark, my question is the following: I have taken and passed CFA level 1 a little over 10 years ago. Now I want to continue my CFA studies further by taking level 2 exam in 2019. Would you advise me to give a solid review of Level 1 material before starting on Level 2 curriculum or should I go ahead and start Level 2 curriculum right away? Thank you for your response.

[@MarkMeldrum]

Well, you can start level 2, and where you need review, drop back here to KZbin and review a section as needed. You may find you don't need to review everything.

[@isaacmarrufo7518]

I understand this is a relative question to each candidate; although, if would you please answer from the perspective for a weak-moderate reader (as far as retention goes). What is the cost/benefit of using your notes versus reading the CFAI material while using your full course? Is the candidate’s time best used answering more practice questions versus reading the CFAI material? Specifically, in regards to CFA Level 2.

[@MarkMeldrum]

I cover everything and I follow the books very closely. So if you skip the reading, and pick up the back end with more applied time in qbanks, it should balance out.

[@solomonshabat4542]

Sir I am undergraduate student in BA Economics,zero experience in Accounting and finance so please help me can I go for the CFA and how much time consuming for me as a beginner?Thanks.

[@sherifmostafa8460]

thanks a lot , Dr.Mark

[@mikletimes1]

Hello mark im getting ready for a level 1 attempt in november. I just wanted to know if i take your course do i pair it with schweser, wiley or cfai books? Is your course structured in light of these books or is it your own style and format? Just wanted to be sure about the books to use

[@MarkMeldrum]

You will only need what CFAI gives you in the learning ecosystem.

[@mikletimes1]

@@MarkMeldrum 🥲 I honestly didn’t expect you to reply in person sir. Thank you for the response. Excited to begin learning under your wing from June.

[@weirdbull]

when are you planning to write your l1@@mikletimes1

[@shivamsarswati528]

@ 7:12 you said, the way the most candidates approach the content is little bit wrong! What do you mean by that? Could you please throw some light on that?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Keep watching - I address that.

[@jancarlopariascacuba9445]

Hi Mark! thanks for your explanation and time, where I can found your quizzes? Thanks in advanced

[@MarkMeldrum]

Left menu on MM site, Quiz Builder.

[@systemtradingacademy7662]

Hi Mark, What software and tablet do you use to do these handwritten notes?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Cintiq 13D with Sketchbook by Autodesk.

[@ifuekoebomoyi9892]

Hi Mark, I want to purchase level 2 package. I’m a nursing mum, currently not working but will be going back to work in 3 months, so Im trying to make use of this “ not so free” time I have. Can you confirm if the level 2 videos are all done and ready? For June 2019? Also how would you suggest I tackle the readings? I’ve got an accounting and finance background but I’m not too good with calculations. Which ones do I start with first? Thx.

[@MarkMeldrum]

All updated to 2019 and ready to go. Once you register, in a folder called “Start Here”, the first video suggests two recommended sequences.

[@jameshunter-jones3633]

Hi Dr Mark, I have subscribed to your Level 3 Package and am planning to watch the videos first then tackling the books. Would you advise doing the EOC questions as I go through the videos or waiting until I read the CFAI books?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Do questions as you go through the readings. They are an integral part of reinforcing what you have learned. They also give you practice on how to answer a structured response question.

[@jameshunter-jones3633]

Mark Meldrum, sorry, I’m still not clear on that one, wait until I read the books, or as I go through the videos?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Once you are through a video, you should be able to do the EOC questions.

[@mingfeizhang6910]

prob of 3 in a row? passing rates are not IID...

[@higorrb]

Mr. Meldrum, would you think it is possible to leave the readings and get prepared only with the videos? Do your students proceed like this?

[@MarkMeldrum]

While I don't advise it, I have had many tell me that is all they did.

[@mahamousa2223]

When you say read then listen, you mean read the CFAI curriculum or your notes? Frankly, I find the curriculum to be very dull and lengthy, it consumes a lot of time to go through and sometimes I feel it contains a lot of blabbering, doesn't go straight to the point. I wonder, am i required to go through it or is it possible to make it by only depending on your notes, the videos and of course solving the end of chapter questions, quizzes, mocks etc..?

[@MarkMeldrum]

CFAI Content. My videos cover everything, LOS by LOS. However, it does help to have the books due to the exhibits, blue box examples, and end of chapter questions that are referenced. Plus, these are well written books - they will form a great reference library for your career.

[@saffronpin9586]

I need to know the percentage of questions we expect to see in exam which involves calculations. Is it different every exam? Or any tentative number we can think about?

[@MarkMeldrum]

At L1, about 20-25%

[@hugodiz]

Although I greatly appreciate almost everything that is said in this video (in the perspective of preparing a candidate as well as possible) as far as I can see: Universities have a fixed passing grade known in advance, so they calibrate the difficulty of final exams based on the perceived difficulty of the most recent midterm exams. To gauge difficulty, they look at both the professors' estimation and the results of midterm exams. They're deciding how difficult the final exam should be so that demanding a minimum (fixed) passing grade of say 50% equates to keeping the difficulty standard consistent over time. The problem arises when the calibration becomes too strong a function of the midterm exam results, coupled with a strong desire to have a relatively high passing rate at the cost of intellectual honesty. It is quite convenient to say that the midterms were unduly difficult and that's why people were failing, and so the faculty is merely fixing that miscalculation by designing an easier final exam, when in fact they could be lobbying towards their interest of having a high pass rate, for all the reasons Dr. Mark mentioned. The CFA Institute does not have a fixed passing grade known in advance (or ever disclosed, for that matter). They don't calibrate the difficulty of exams, instead they define the minimum passing grade for each exam as a function of the perceived difficulty of that very exam. To gauge difficulty, they look at CFA-holders' estimation, but they also look at the distribution of results for that exam. They're deciding how demanding they should be (in terms of the minimum passing grade requirement) so as to be reasonable to posit that the difficulty standard is being kept consistent over time. The problem arises, just like in University ,when the calibration becomes too strong a function of the exam's distribution of results, coupled with a strong desire to have a relatively low passing rate at the cost of intellectual honesty. It is quite convenient to say that a given exam was unduly easy, and so the CFA governors are simply compensating for that for the sake of fairness by raising the bar of the minimum passing grade, when in fact they could be lobbying towards their interest of having a low pass rate. A low pass rate increases their revenues by increasing the average number of required attempts to pass each exam, and more importantly it protects the investment of pre-existing CFA-holders by keeping their overall numbers sufficiently scarce so as to allow them to leverage higher salaries. This, in turn, means the current CFA-holders will be predisposed to paying a higher membership fee to remain a part of the "family". This is, by the way, how all successful syndicates operate. So you see, in both cases you could be intellectually honest or dishonest. The previous paragraphs are just hypothetical and I'm not accusing either Universities or the CFA Institute of being slaves to their business interests. But it sounds disingenuous to me to suggest (as is done in 11:15 11:30) that the CFA format is by design somehow more "honest" or detached from those business pressures, when their model is no less vulnerable to skewed incentives and they have an even better business reason for artificially lowering pass rates, than Universities have for increasing them.

[@nunekb]

Mark would you consider teaching FRM?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Level 1 FRM will be developed this Sep/Oct.

[@savockd]

I will be giving the level 1 exam in November hope your videos are done by September will definitely purchase them. Thank you Prof

[@ishmeetsingh3980]

Any update?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Considering the time required for this, I have decided to stick with just CFA.

[@noziphomnyandu4342]

@@savockd did you pass

[@saicharan2788]

I'm looking to sign up for L2, will I have access to 2019 content?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Yes you will.

[@akashsinghverma8442]

I'm signing up for his course as well. let me know if you stay in Hyderabad.

[@abor3edcod5]

Hi Mark, I have just started studying for CFA Dec-19'. I bought the section for Quant after watching one reading I do the schweser concept checks(these are the only question I have for concept checks) . Is this the right way to study or I'm missing something? Great notes! thanks for your work

[@MarkMeldrum]

Well, there are more questions. You can do the end-of-chapter questions. On our site, once you click on the reading you want, scroll down and you will find lots of quizzes. But basically, checking understanding after the reading is appropriate.

[@abor3edcod5]

Mark Meldrum just finished watching the part about how to study @ 33:40 After watchingfirst reading about quant then I did the concept check and got 15/20 and I have no Finance background is the active reading necessary?

[@MarkMeldrum]

That is up to you. Some concepts are rather easy and straightforward - more work would be redundant. However, you did get 5 wrong - that is 25% you don't know. That should concern you. Your goal is to be qualified, not just qualified enough.

[@j-fpilote1576]

Are the weekly questions and solutions in printable format ?

[@MarkMeldrum]

The questions I mention are questions we add to our site. They become part of our online quizzes. Not printable however, online only.

[@mihael1251]

I bought lvl 1 package videos from you and I planned use them with Wiley books(your videos first then Wiley book). Can you please give me an advice, I am passionate about finance and my goal is to learn first, I am worry about my use of Wiley books on lvl 1, not Curriculum, Can I miss some important information because of this? Will your videos plus this books be enough to cover everything important for learning? On lvl2 I will use only CFAI and your videos, but what do you think better to do now?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Once you register for the exam, in the Eco learning System, you will have the CFAI books.

[@mihael1251]

Mark Meldrum I know, I bought Wiley books in order to be more efficient(may be this was a mistake). What do you think I must do now? Switch to Curriculum, or continue in this format(your video + Wiley books)

[@MarkMeldrum]

I don’t think I can make that decision for you. Whatever is working for you I would say.

[@mihael1251]

Mark Meldrum Yes, my only question is can I miss something important for learning with such strategy on lvl1?

[@MarkMeldrum]

I am not familiar with the Wiley books, so I could not answer that. The exam is based on CFAI content only, nobody else's books.

[@microsoftmath]

what microphone do you use for your recording?

[@MarkMeldrum]

Blue Snowball

[@Afrocubic]

Hey Mark, is cost of getting hard copies for the syllabus worth it?

[@MarkMeldrum]

I don’t think so. I only use the digital copies in Bookshelf.

[@nihalshrestha4585]

Hey Mark, if I take your level II package, is your package valid for until I pass my level 2 exams or just until June 2019?

[@MarkMeldrum]

At $325 CAD - to June 2019.

[@motto2124]

Hi Mark.. I have a job which has daily 12-14 hours of work and total travelling of about 3 hours. M planning to write level 2 in June 2019... Will it be possible to do the preparation?

[@MarkMeldrum]

If you start now and put in about 10 hours a week, that would give you the required time. In Dec/Jan I will be making some audio only files for some readings at L2 - that would utilize your 3 hours travelling time better.

[@itshassanmahmood]

Hey Dr Meldrum, What if i just Actively listen to your videos and not read. Because i am a slow and poor reader of such long texts.

[@MarkMeldrum]

Give it a try.

[@adeniyiadebayo103]

Worked for me at level 1; so, give it a good go

[@kenbellinger874]

I’ve made it through 2 levels with minimal reading. I’d say this: know your learning style. For me, seeing followed by doing is my optimal style. This means videos followed by problems, problems, and more problems. It can be done, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. Know your style and follow it!

[@itshassanmahmood]

@@kenbellinger874 Thanks a lot for your input. I mean i do light reading when its absolutely necessary for the theoritical parts. But overall I feel its time consuming. I watch videos from multiple sources at times to stregthen my understanding.

[@alumi9818]

Are the questions for the level 1 free?

[@MarkMeldrum]

They are part of the level 1 subscription.

[@alumi9818]

@@MarkMeldrum how much does it cost?

[@MarkMeldrum]

280 CAD

[@alumi9818]

@@MarkMeldrum can you buy it only for macro and micro part of it

[@alumi9818]

I can't find an option to do so on your site, is it unavailable?

[@raz8772]

Hello Mark, Im registered for level 1 june 2020 and im yet to figure out how to tackle this exam and the strategy to use. So far i think im going to go through your videos for the material and read from the CFA curriculum on the website. Do you think extra resources are needed ? Like kaplan: & wiley books? And are the practice questions on the cfa curric. enough to test the knowledge? (Mock exams are not out until april) if not, what is a good source for getting extra practice questions? Preferrably easy to access/free. Thank you!!

[@MarkMeldrum]

Google should help you with that.

[@nqobilenyathi7699]

Hello good people. Anyone with an email or contacts for Mark Meldrum

[@MarkMeldrum]

Www.markmeldrum.com

[@ishikachakraborty4019]

Sir, i tried to purchase your level 1 2018 full package today but my payment was declined all five times due to paying with my Debi card. I do not have a credit card. Could there be any other way of paying? Could you please provide me your email address, I couldn't find it.

[@MarkMeldrum]

[e-mail]

[@ishikachakraborty4019]

I just sent an email but it said this email address doesn't exist.

[@MarkMeldrum]

Cut and paste - you may be typing it in wrong.

[@pranjalpandey4480]

Ur debit card may not be eligible for international payment.

[@ikice100]

You need to enable intl transaction on your card