UWorld CFA® Review is one of the most popular prep courses for candidates pursuing a Certified Financial Analyst charter, and their reputation precedes them. It’s a difficult experience, so I knew I had a grind ahead of me, but UWorld had a unique approach I haven’t felt with other CFA courses.
In this guide, I’ll share my own experience alongside the facts. My goal? By the end of this quick article, I want you to know exactly whether or not UWorld is the right choice for your CFA exam prep.
Key Takeaways
- If you learn best by doing, choose UWorld because its questions force you to think the way the CFA exam does.
- If mobile-friendly studying matters, choose UWorld because the app makes it easy to stay consistent without friction.
- If you want challenging, exam-style practice that exposes weak areas early, choose UWorld because the difficulty is intentional and instructive.
- If you prefer heavy instructor involvement and constant live support, don’t choose UWorld because the experience is designed for independent study.
- If you want the largest possible question bank at the lowest price, don’t choose UWorld because it prioritizes question quality over volume.
UWorld CFA® Review: The Basics
UWorld CFA® Review was a unique experience in a number of ways. Namely, that I spent at least 50% of my time studying the materials on my phone. I really enjoyed being able to have something on TV while I worked through something that didn’t require as much attention, like flashcards or key terms. And the app worked seamlessly. Prep course apps can be pretty notoriously glitchy and slow, but I never had a problem with UWorld’s.
Further, I feel confident in saying UWorld has the best question bank for CFA prep. You may not be getting as many questions overall, but the difficulty made me really think about each answer, and the lengthy answer explanations—often paired with a graph or chart for visual learners—ensured I was actually learning from my mistakes.
Pros
- Live interactive events
- Mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Up to five mock exams
- Engaging lecture videos
- Top-tier question bank
Cons
- Expensive Elite package
UWorld CFA® Review
Course Package Options
UWorld CFA Core Package
For just the basics, Core is the best fit. Though the focus is only on digital textbooks, performance analytics, and practice questions, this could be enough to pass if you’re experienced in the industry or an outstanding test taker.
UWorld CFA Advanced Package
For the most balanced package (and in my opinion, the best bang for your buck), Advanced is a great choice. In addition to the basics from the Core bundle, students receive two mock exams (a must), video lectures, flashcards, a study planner, and formula sheets. This is the best fit for most CFA candidates, especially if you favor self-study strategies; you generally don’t want a package without mock exams.
UWorld CFA Elite Package
Finally, Elite is for the candidate who wants it all. You get everything in the past packages, plus three mock exams (for a total of five), physical textbooks, an “access until you pass” guarantee, a problem-solving masterclass, office hour-style Q&A, and a 2-day after-course summary bootcamp held live online. Elite is a better choice than Advanced for prospective CFAs valuing live support and additional peace of mind.
| Packages | Core | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 | $699 | $999 |
| Access | Until Exam | Until Exam | Access Until You Pass(Study Pass) |
| Mock Exams | 0 | 2 | Up to 5(Varies by Level) |
| Study Guides | Digital | Digital | Digital + Printed |
| Analytics+ Progress Tracking |  | | |
| Question Bank+ MyNotebook | | | |
| Android/Apple Apps | | | |
| Study Planner+ Formula Sheets |  | | |
| Video Lessons | | | |
| Digital Flashcards | | | |
| Expert MasterClass+ ExpertConnect | | | |
| Accelerate Bootcamp | | | |
Course Details
Layout and Organization
UWorld doesn’t look fancy, but it’s clean, polished, and easy to work with. Some prep courses feel like a maze, where I’ll randomly stumble across study materials I didn’t even know I’d purchased. UWorld, however, makes it very clear where everything is, which is more helpful than you might think. With the stress of studying for a life-changing exam, the last thing you want is to be stressing over where to find things and what to do next. With UWorld, it wasn’t a problem.
Practice Questions and Mock Exams
I don’t just test the courses myself; I also do research to see what other people think of the courses. After all, I’m just one person. I want to know what everyone thinks. And the resounding feedback was generally the same: UWorld is hard.
The practice questions were distinctly difficult compared to any other course I’ve tested (including AnalystPrep, Kaplan Schweser, Mark Meldrum, Bloomberg, and Salt Solutions, to name a few). It wasn’t the wording, it wasn’t the length; it was the depth. I’d be tested on trickier concepts, as well as difficult formulas, and more importantly, questions that combined multiple concepts. You’re not going to get any questions asking you to define a term in UWorld. And yes, that can be really tough. But this exchange on a Reddit thread really solidifies why challenging questions have a serious payoff:
And I love that quote: “Would you rather studying be hard, or the exam be hard?” You have to choose your hard, and UWorld doesn’t feel great. It’s frustrating. But if you have the grit to persevere through it, your brain will be a finely-sharpened blade once you complete the course. And, as I started to answer questions correctly, my confidence got a boost—a boost that wouldn’t have been earned if I had been answering them correctly from the beginning.
Video Lessons and Mobile App
UWorld’s video lectures were exactly what I’d expect from a prep provider of this level. Most of them were around 10 minutes long, which made slipping in a quick viewing session exceptionally easy. Plus, Peter Olinto is one of the best instructors; he always presents in such a clear way that it makes difficult subjects like fixed income, derivatives, and financial statement analysis feel obvious. He talked in a personable way that gave me a sense of comfort and familiarity while I watched the videos—which I definitely prefer over the bored daze some lecturers give me.
Even better? I got to watch them on my phone, which made it so much easier to watch a lecture while I was folding laundry, sweeping the floor, or prepping dinner. I really feel like a lot of thought went into UWorld to make it accessible for the average person, and that theory is most proven by the app.
Customer Service and Support
UWorld customer service is the only area where I wasn’t thrilled. It’s worth noting that I deal with a lot of top-tier prep courses, so I’m comparing them to 24-hour response times (sometimes just a few hours for some providers), so waiting closer to 48 hours for a response wasn’t my favorite. It was also difficult for me to find the contact information.
However, any doubts that customer service instilled were quickly alleviated by the support from live events, like the ExpertConnect and Accelerate BootCamp. The instructor-led sessions let me get to know the instructors a bit better, and I found them to be passionate, patient, and kind, willing to sit with students to make sure they understood the content. So while customer service isn’t perfect, I think the benefits of the practice tools, video lessons, interface, and mobile app far outweigh the minor negatives.
UWorld CFA vs. Top Competitors
UWorld CFA vs. AnalystPrep
AnalystPrep CFA focuses on flexibility and broad access, offering large question sets and tools that work well for candidates who want plenty of reps across CFA levels. UWorld emphasizes question quality and explanation depth, with practice designed to mirror exam logic more closely.
🆚 Choose AnalystPrep if you want high-volume practice and flexible, budget-friendly access.
🆚 Choose UWorld if you value deeper explanations and more exam-focused question design.
UWorld CFA vs. Kaplan Schweser
Kaplan Schweser takes a traditional, curriculum-driven approach built around structured readings and comprehensive coverage of CFA material. UWorld centers more on application, using exam-style questions and explanations to reinforce how concepts are tested.
🆚 Choose Kaplan Schweser if you prefer learning through readings and a clearly defined study roadmap.
🆚 Choose UWorld if you learn best by practicing questions and analyzing detailed explanations.
UWorld CFA vs. Mark Meldrum
Mark Meldrum is known for long-form video instruction and deep conceptual breakdowns, which appeal to candidates who want thorough explanations before practicing. UWorld places more emphasis on learning through challenging questions, supported by concise instruction and post-question analysis.
🆚 Choose Mark Meldrum if you rely heavily on in-depth lectures to learn new concepts.
🆚 Choose UWorld if you want to build understanding through exam-style practice and explanation-driven learning.
Bottom Line
UWorld is one of the best CFA review courses out there, and for me, there’s no question about it. From the best CFA practice questions to a mobile app that fits easily into any lifestyle, there’s a lot to get excited about. Admittedly, I didn’t love the customer service, but I do feel like every single other aspect of the course, from video lectures to digital flashcard sets, makes up for it.
Interested in learning more about UWorld CFA? Click below.
FAQs
Yes. UWorld is especially effective for Level I candidates who want to build strong foundations through exam-style practice and detailed explanations.
UWorld offers up to five mock exams depending on the package and exam level, with the most included in the Elite tier.
In my experience, many questions feel harder than the real exam, which can be frustrating but ultimately helpful for exam success.
Yes. UWorld updates its materials to align with the CFA Institute’s learning outcome statements and current exam format.
For disciplined, self-directed candidates, I think it can be. The practice quality and explanations are strong enough to carry most of the learning.
