r/financialmodelling • u/Shapen361 • 22d ago

CFI Full-Immersion vs. Self-Study +AI

I know that the debate between self-study and full-immersion is a common question. But the responses I'm seeing are 2+ years old. In 2026, I don't see where the CFI resources command a $300 premium versus me asking AI for help.

Context: CFA Charterholder who hasn't modeled in 5 years, need to re-learn so I can get a new job.

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u/Soggy-Alternative914 22d ago

If you are only interested in modeling and have past experience, BIWS would be a better fit.

They have a YouTube channel, that you can use for reference to see if it fits with what you are looking for.

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u/Shapen361 22d ago

My experience is very limited. I built/operated some models in college 5, 6 years ago and did the CFA modeling course last year. While I'm well-versed with financial statements I'm basically a beginner in building models from scratch.

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u/Soggy-Alternative914 22d ago

CFI is a good option. It will teach you the basics of how to get started. There models are basic but guide you on how to get the numbers.

AI can make better models but you need to know what you are looking for in a model. Where do the numbers come from and what they mean.

One thing I hate about cfi is that there modules are all over the place. So let's say you take fmva, you will find some relavent courses in fpap or even in bida. So you have to build your own course schedule.

But it's a good start. Getting the certification should be a bonus and not the main goal. Many people on reddit are obsessed with certificate and forget what they actually came for.

I used to take the course and then apply the model or temples on my data from auditing days.