The benefits to pursuing CFA certification are numerous. When it comes to a career in finance or accounting, focusing on becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst on top of a standard university education is the best course of action. With both CFA certification and a four-year degree under your belt, it becomes much easier to find a position at a reputable company and work your way up the corporate ladder.

However, it can be very difficult to accomplish this level of education in a short period of time. It can be even more difficult in situations where you still need to support yourself during your education. For these reasons, many individuals following the financial career path choose to obtain their CFA certification online. If you’re on the fence about using online resources for studying and obtaining CFA certification, the benefits listed below may help you come to a decision.

Flexible Scheduling

When studying to become a CFA, you may need to work around more immediate priorities. For instance, a student at a university supporting oneself with a part-time job will need to work around their shift schedules, as well as their lectures and exam dates. Pursuing further education on top of these pressing time commitments can be difficult, but technology has fortunately advanced to a point where the need for flexibility can be filled.

Many CFA online courses offer self-study, such as Wiley, AnalystPrep and AdaptPrep. These services, and many of their competitors, offer previously recorded video lectures and interactive quizzes that you can access at any time. This means that you can pursue your certification on a highly flexible schedule. If you have time to only watch lectures on your lunch break, and have to wait until late after classes are over to take the quiz, the option is available to you when pursuing online study for becoming a CFA.

Cutting-Edge Education

Despite there being many options for self-study when looking for online CFA materials, there is still the option to have a more traditional educational experience. If you are the type of person who learns best in an environment with a live instructor and fellow classmates, then online studying can still accommodate your learning style. Some programs that offer live instructors with scheduled lectures and office hours include Kaplan Schweser and Apptuto.

In fact, with the technology having advanced so far in wireless internet, long-distance data transfer and high-definition video streaming, online resources have become some of the most powerful tools for education available. Online education has advanced so far that many of the more traditional educational institutions feature extensive online portions of their programs, and a few economic theorists believe that it may be vital to achieving the political goal of free education. It’s entirely possible that pursuing an online CFA certification course will result in a better experience, as opposed to simply being a compromise if you are unable to take physical courses.

Varying Price Points

Another major hurdle to overcome when pursuing education is cost. In addition to the time and opportunity cost of taking classes, there is a price tag that comes along with any reputable CFA certification study course. The hard truth is that not every student will have the same budget for their education, meaning some will not be able to invest as much money into certain courses. Due to the high demand for flexible price points in study programs, and the open nature of the internet, many companies offer varying prices for their online CFA programs in order to meet the needs of different students.

Kaplan Schweser and Wiley are among the most expensive study programs, costing upwards of $1,000 dollars for a course. The benefits to this premium price point are access to a wide array of learning materials, such as the aforementioned live instructor sessions as well as options for self-study. A mid-range option can cost around $400 to $800, offered by companies such as Bloomberg and AnalystPrep. These programs may not have the live classroom features, but still offer robust learning materials and support for mobile devices. Cheaper offerings can be found with some searching, even some free study materials, although these may not be up to date or as effective as the most costly programs. Regardless, there are options available at every conceivable price point for pursuing CFA certification.

Crush the CFA is an online resource dedicated to helping professionals pass the CFA Exam on their first try. They provide reviews of CFA study materials and provide unmatched study strategies to fast track each student’s success. Learn more at crushthefinancialanalystexam.com.