▲ 1 r/CFA

Level 3 Class

Hey guys

I just passed L2 in May and I want to give Feb 2027.

Which class is best for the pathway private markets and is not really too overpriced. Would love to hear your suggestions.

Have been doing the last 2 levels without class and figured it was time to get one.

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u/Ok-Language-5560 — 10 days ago
▲ 1 r/CFA

Is Feb 2027 too risky with a Mon-Sat PE job?

I passed the May 2026 CFA Level 2 exam and I’m ready to lock in for Level 3. I already know my direction: I'm planning to take the new Private Markets Pathway.

However, I need some realistic advice on my timeline, prep providers, and study materials given my current workload. I currently work as a Private Equity Analyst at a startup. My hours are intense, and I work Monday to Saturday. Starting right now gives me roughly 7.5 months. Given that I only have Sundays for dedicated, deep-dive study sessions and have to squeeze in weekday reading around startup hours, is February 2027 realistic? Or is it too high-risk given the brutal work schedule? Should I just target August 2027 instead?

I used IMS Proschool for L1 and Fintree for L2. To be completely honest, I did not have a great experience with either and absolutely want to avoid them for L3. Who are the go-to prep providers for Level 3 right now, especially ones that handle the core portfolio management well and ideally have good resources for the Private Markets specialized track?

Since I am starting fresh now, what is the best strategy for the books? Should I stick strictly to the official CFAI Curriculum, rely solely on Schweser, or is it a "buy both" situation where I read Schweser but use CFAI for end-of-chapter (EOC) questions and the specialized pathway material?

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u/Ok-Language-5560 — 10 days ago

Best Sport to watch

Am I the only person that thinks that Valorant Esports is one of the most entertaining and fun sports/esports to watch.

Football is the main contender ngl but other sports like cricket and F1 dont stand a chance. Valo is too fast paced with a game done in under 45 mins which is much appealing to a generation with a short attention span like myself.

Like a good masters champions or emea amer pac regions have such good talent and casting and quality of games, that its so entertaining and addicting to see

Let me know if you guys agree with me in the comments or not

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u/Ok-Language-5560 — 10 days ago

Best tools to find founder/owner contact info from just a company name?

We get lists of companies, name, address, sometimes website. That's it.

Need to find the actual decision maker (founder, owner, CEO) and a way to reach them, email ideally, phone is a bonus.

Mostly US companies but would love something that works globally too.

What are you using? Free tools preferred but open to paid if it's actually worth it.

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u/Ok-Language-5560 — 11 days ago

Best free (or cheap) tools to find founder/owner contact info from just a company name?

We get lists of companies, name, address, sometimes website. That's it.

Need to find the actual decision maker (founder, owner, CEO) and a way to reach them, email ideally, phone is a bonus.

Mostly US companies but would love something that works globally too.

What are you using? Free tools preferred but open to paid if it's actually worth it.

reddit.com
u/Ok-Language-5560 — 11 days ago
▲ 3 r/CFA

May '26 L2 waiter planning for Feb '27 L3: Is Private Markets the right pathway for a PE Analyst?

Hey everyone,

I sat for Level II in May, and with results coming out in a few days (🤞), I’m trying to map out my next steps. Assuming I pass, I’m targeting the February 2027 window for Level III.

For context, I'm currently working as a Private Equity Analyst at a startup. I work about 8 hours a day, Monday to Saturday (around 48 hours a week), but since it’s a startup, the schedule is relatively flexible.

I have a couple of questions for those who have taken L3 or are navigating the new pathways:

  1. Pathway Selection: Given my current role, is the Private Markets pathway a no-brainer? Has anyone dived into the PM materials yet, and how relevant are they to actual day-to-day PE/deals work compared to the traditional Portfolio Management route?
  2. Work/Study Balance: Is a Feb 2027 timeline realistic with a 6-day workweek? I’ll basically have Sundays for heavy lifting and whatever I can squeeze in during the week.
  3. Prep Providers: Since the specialized pathways are still relatively new, which prep providers are hitting the mark for the Private Markets content?

Any advice or reality checks would be massively appreciated. Good luck to everyone else waiting on May results!

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u/Ok-Language-5560 — 13 days ago