🎉 I PASSED the CFP Exam on November 10, 2025! 🎉

This is my personal study repository that helped me pass the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam on my second attempt. After failing in November 2024, I rebuilt my study approach using AI-powered guided learning with Claude Code - and it made all the difference.

Thanks to AI and Claude Code, I went from a failed attempt to 82% mastery (60/73 topics) across 23 focused study sessions, ultimately passing the exam.

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chenran818

Final Exam Stats:

• Exam Date: November 10, 2025 ✅ PASSED
• Final Progress: 82% (60/73 CFP topics mastered)
• Study Sessions: 23 sessions (Oct 11 - Nov 7, 2025)
• Study Materials: 1,088 pages (2024 Dalton Review slides)

This repository uses Claude Code as an interactive CFP exam tutor that:

• Teaches using the Socratic method (asking what you know first)
• Provides concise (~200 word) explanations
• Verifies your understanding with follow-up questions
• Adapts teaching style based on your responses
• Tracks every learning session to personalize your study experience

/sessions/                    # 23 daily learning sessions documented
  /2025-10-11/               # One folder per study day
  /2025-10-17/               # Sessions from Oct 11 - Nov 7
  /2025-11-07/
  SESSION-TEMPLATE.md        # Template for documenting sessions

/progress/                    # Single source of truth for exam prep
  cfp-study-tracker.md       # Comprehensive tracker with:
                             # - All 73 CFP topics mapped
                             # - Topics mastered (60/73)
                             # - Knowledge gaps identified
                             # - Study plan for remaining days

/2024 Slides/                 # Complete 2024 Dalton Review materials
  2024 TDR Estate slides.pdf
  2024 TDR Fundamentals slides.pdf
  2024 TDR Insurance slides.pdf
  2024 TDR Investments slides.pdf
  2024 TDR Retirement slides.pdf
  2024 TDR Tax slides.pdf

CLAUDE.md                     # AI tutor instructions (Socratic method)
README.md                     # This file

1. Open Claude Code in this repository
2. Ask questions about CFP topics naturally - just like talking to a tutor
3. Answer the comprehension check questions Claude asks
4. After each session, Claude will automatically document:
   • What you learned
   • What you struggled with
   • What you mastered
   • What to review next

When you want to review, simply ask Claude:

• "Let's review topics I've struggled with"
• "What should I focus on today?"
• "Quiz me on my weak areas"
• "Show me my progress"

Claude will read your session history and create a personalized review based on your past performance.

View your comprehensive study tracker at /progress/cfp-study-tracker.md to see:

• Overall exam readiness (currently 82%)
• Which domains are complete (4 major domains ✅)
• Remaining knowledge gaps
• Prioritized study plan for exam day

Guided Learning Approach:

• Conversational and judgment-free
• Builds on your existing knowledge
• Checks understanding before moving forward
• Adapts to your learning style
• Focuses on deep understanding, not just memorization

2024 Dalton Review Slides (1,088 pages total):

• Estate Planning (200 pages)
• Fundamentals (90 pages)
• Insurance (188 pages)
• Investments (188 pages)
• Retirement (182 pages)
• Tax (150 pages)

All materials have been thoroughly mapped to the 73 CFP exam topics.

In addition to the Dalton Review materials, here are some excellent free resources that can supplement your CFP exam prep:

Podcasts & Audio:

• Open Exam Prep Podcast - Free CFP exam prep podcast on Spotify
• Financial Planning Essentials Playlist - Study music playlist on Spotify

Video Content:

• Open Exam Prep YouTube - Free video content covering CFP exam topics

Website:

• open-exam-prep.com - Additional free resources and study materials

These free resources are great for passive learning during commutes, workouts, or downtime.

Personalized Learning:

• 23 documented study sessions with detailed notes
• Socratic teaching method (builds on what you already know)
• Adaptive explanations based on your responses
• Practice problems tailored to your weak areas

Comprehensive Tracking:

• Every session automatically documented
• Knowledge gaps identified and tracked
• Topics mastered with confidence levels
• Progress measured against exam weights

Evidence-Based Approach:

• All answers verified with authoritative sources (IRS.gov, CFP Board)
• No guessing on technical questions
• Citations provided for complex rules
• Focus on understanding "why" not just "what"

Want to use this AI-powered study system for your own CFP exam preparation? It's simple:

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/chenran818/CFP-Study.git
   cd CFP-Study

2. Clear my study history (start fresh):

   rm -rf progress/ sessions/

3. Run Claude Code:

   claude-code

4. That's it! Start asking CFP questions and Claude will:

   • Teach you using the Socratic method
   • Create new progress/ and sessions/ folders automatically
   • Track your learning journey just like it did for me
   • Adapt to your learning style

The CLAUDE.md file contains all the instructions for how Claude should tutor you. The 2024 Slides/ folder has all the study materials already mapped to CFP topics. It works magically!

Just start a conversation with Claude Code and ask your first CFP question. Claude will guide you from there while automatically tracking your progress.

After failing the CFP exam in November 2024, I knew I needed a different approach. Traditional study methods weren't working for me. Using Claude Code as my AI study partner transformed my preparation - the Socratic teaching method, personalized feedback, and systematic progress tracking made complex financial planning concepts finally click.

If you're preparing for the CFP exam or any professional certification, I hope this repository inspires you to leverage AI tools in your learning journey.

Connect with me: linkedin.com/in/chenran818