We present here just one framwork for studying. Everyone learns differently, so find what works for you! Most candidates spend 250–400 hours preparing. Below is a study plan, the Dalton discount available to BYU students, and the resource BYU students use for content review.
The Study Plan
1. Base content review (about 30 to 40 hours)
Build broad familiarity with the material before going deeper. Open Exam Prep covers each topic in short videos and episodes you can work through during downtime. Beyond that, skim the textbooks without trying to read them in depth. In this stage focus on recognition and not mastery.
2. Work a question bank (the bulk of your study time) – doing REPS!
Most of your study time should go here. Work through a question bank at least twice. The first pass shows what you do not know and the second is where you close those gaps. Many BYU students use Dalton’s Question Bank because of the discount described below, but any reputable provider works. Track weak topics and keep returning to them. The more reps you do, the higher the chance you’ll have passing the exam.
3. Practice exams (near the end of your second question-bank pass)
Take both the official CFP Board practice exam and a full practice exam from Dalton or another prep provider as a final check before test day.
Readiness benchmarks
The CFP Board practice exam tends to run a little easier than the real thing, so scoring around 75% is a reasonable sign you are ready. Practice exams from Dalton or another provider tend to run a little harder, so 60 to 65% there is a comparable signal. These are not official cutoffs; they are patterns BYU students have noticed.
Dalton CFP® Exam Prep Discount
BYU students receive $400 off Dalton Education’s CFP® exam prep program, which brings it to roughly $1,250. This is Dalton’s exam prep program, not its live review course. Dalton is optional; BYU has arranged the discount, but students are welcome to use a different exam-prep provider.
How to claim it
Use discount code BYUREVIEW400 for $400 discount
The $200 Exam Fee
Separate from prep costs, CFP Board has been offering a flat $200 exam registration fee for candidates who graduate in 2026 from a CFP Board Registered Program, a savings of $625 to $825 off the standard fee, which runs $825 to $1,025 depending on when you register. It is not automatic and may not continue. Confirm the current amount and your eligibility with CFP Board when you register. Here is the information from our CFP(r) contact for the July 2026 exam – if the program continues, it should be similar going forward:
Hi Professor Brau,
I’m excited that so many of your students are preparing to sit for the July 2026 CFP® Exam using the $200 special price.
I’ve received a few questions about accessing the discount, so I’d like to share the process with you. If the student’s education records are updated, they can automatically apply the code JULDEGREE200 at checkout.
I’m available for pre-registration requests. In the event their records aren’t submitted, I will contact you to verify their eligibility, and one of our Candidate Advocates will manually register them over the phone at the discounted rate.
Let me know if you have any questions. I’ve followed up with each of your students who reached out individually, and we’ll get them registered.
Best,
Erika Matthews
Manager, student engagement
CFP BOARD OF STANDARDS
CFP BOARD CENTER FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING
Open Exam Prep
Open Exam Prep offers a free CFP® video course of 150 or more short lessons on YouTube, plus a companion podcast covering exam topics and the financial planning industry. Use it for the content review stage above.
Watch on YouTube, listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or browse all episodes.
Questions About Strategy or Prep?
Exam strategy and preparation
Spencer Dickinson
spenc354@byu.edu
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