Valuation Master Class vs CFI (Corporate Finance Institute)

CFI gives you the foundation. VMC gives you mastery.

CFI is one of the best platforms for building broad finance skills, financial modeling, credit analysis, data analytics, and more. Their 250+ courses and affordable pricing make it an excellent starting point for anyone entering finance.

Valuation Master Class picks up where CFI leaves off. If you’ve completed CFI’s FMVA or valuation courses and want to go from “I understand the concepts” to “I can value a real company and defend my analysis,” VMC is the natural next step.

Choose CFI if you’re building foundational finance knowledge across multiple disciplines. Choose VMC if you have the foundation and want to master valuation through hands-on practice with real companies. Do both if you want the most complete finance education path available.

What CFI Does Well?

Let’s be straightforward: CFI is an excellent platform, and we respect what they’ve built.

With 250+ courses covering everything from financial modeling to data analytics to commercial banking, CFI offers one of the most comprehensive finance education libraries available. At $348-$593/year for unlimited access, the value is hard to beat for foundational learning.

Here’s what makes CFI particularly strong:

• Breadth of coverage. Seven certifications spanning financial modeling, credit analysis, capital markets, business intelligence, and more. If you’re early in your career and still exploring which area of finance interests you, CFI lets you sample widely.
• Affordability. For roughly $1/day, you get access to their entire course library. With a 50% student discount, it’s even more accessible for university students and recent graduates.
• Self-paced flexibility. No fixed schedules, no prerequisites, no pressure. You learn at your own speed, which works well for professionals fitting education around a full-time job.
• Practical Excel focus. CFI’s courses emphasize hands-on Excel work, not just theory slides. Their financial modeling templates are genuinely useful for day-to-day finance work.
• Global recognition. NASBA-accredited for CPE credits, used by companies like Goldman Sachs and Deloitte for corporate training, available in 20+ languages.

If you haven’t yet built a solid foundation in financial concepts, modeling mechanics, and analytical frameworks, CFI is one of the best places to start.

Where the Journey Gets Stuck?

Here’s the challenge that many CFI graduates face, and it’s not a criticism of CFI; it’s just the nature of foundational courses:

You understand the concepts, but you can’t confidently apply them.

You’ve completed the FMVA. You can build a DCF model by following the steps. You know the formulas for WACC, terminal value, and enterprise value. You’ve passed the quizzes.

But then someone asks you: “So, what’s this company actually worth?”

And you hesitate. Because the real world doesn’t come with answer keys.

This is the gap between knowledge and capability:

Knowledge (What CFI Teaches)	Capability (What the Job Requires)
How to build a DCF model	What assumptions to make, and why
The formula for WACC	How to select the right discount rate for THIS company
What a comparable company analysis is	Which comps actually matter and how to adjust for differences
Financial statement mechanics	How to read between the lines of 10-K filings
Valuation theory	Defending your valuation in front of a portfolio manager or client

CFI gives you the left column. That’s essential, you can’t skip it. But employers, clients, and promotions require the right column.

What Valuation Master Class Is Built For?

Valuation Master Class exists to bridge exactly this gap.

VMC is a 12-week intensive Boot Camp led by Dr. Andrew Stotz, a former #1-ranked equity analyst with 30+ years of professional valuation experience. It’s not a library of video courses. It’s a structured program designed to transform your theoretical knowledge into applied expertise.

Here’s what makes VMC different from any course library:

You produce real work. Every VMC participant creates 4 professional equity research reports on real, publicly traded companies. Not practice exercises. Not template fill-ins. Actual investment analyses that you can show to employers, clients, or your boss.

You get daily expert feedback. Dr. Stotz reviews your work personally, every day, for 12 weeks. This isn’t AI-graded quizzes or automated feedback. It’s the kind of mentorship that used to require working alongside a senior analyst at a top firm.

You learn to think, not just model. VMC teaches valuation judgment, how to make assumptions under uncertainty, how to identify what drives a company’s value, and how to tell an investment story that stands up to scrutiny.

You build a portfolio, not a credential. The 4 research reports you produce during VMC are tangible proof of your ability. They demonstrate to employers exactly what you can do, far more effectively than a certificate of completion.

How the Programs Compare

Dimension	CFI	VMC
Focus	Broad finance education (7+ disciplines)	Deep valuation mastery
Format	Self-paced video courses	12-week intensive Boot Camp with live sessions
Duration	Flexible (typically 100-120 hrs per certification)	350 hours over 12 weeks
Instructor interaction	AI tutor + optional 1:1 (premium tier)	Daily personal feedback from Dr. Stotz
Output	Certificates and course completions	4 professional equity research reports
Assessment	Multiple-choice quizzes (retakable)	Real-world valuation projects reviewed by expert
Community	Members-only online community	Cohort-based learning with peers
Access model	Annual subscription ($348–$593/yr)	One-time payment ($2,900) with lifetime access
Best for	Building foundational knowledge	Applying and mastering valuation skills
Prerequisites	None	Basic finance knowledge recommended

The Ideal Learning Path: CFI Then VMC

We genuinely believe the strongest finance professionals are those who build a broad foundation first and then go deep where it matters most.

Here’s how that path looks:

Step 1: CFI (or similar foundational platform)

• • Complete the FMVA or relevant certification courses
  • Build your understanding of financial statements, modeling mechanics, and analytical frameworks
  • Get comfortable with Excel-based financial work
  • Explore different areas of finance to find your focus

• Timeline: 3-6 months, self-paced

Step 2: Valuation Master Class

• • Take your foundational skills and apply them to real company valuation
  • Produce 4 professional equity research reports under expert guidance
  • Learn valuation judgment, the “soft skills” that separate good analysts from great ones
  • Build a portfolio that proves your capabilities to employers

• Timeline: 12 weeks, intensive

Step 3: Career impact

• Enter the job market with both breadth (CFI) and depth (VMC)
• Show employers a credential AND a portfolio
• Have the confidence to value any company, not just follow a template

This isn’t an either/or decision. It’s a sequence.

Who Should Start with CFI?

CFI is the right choice right now if you:

• Are brand new to finance and haven’t yet learned basic financial concepts
• Want to explore multiple areas of finance before specializing
• Need CPE credits for professional certification maintenance
• Are on a tight budget and need the most content per dollar
• Prefer to learn at your own pace without time pressure
• Want a broad credential (FMVA, CBCA, etc.) to signal general competence

The ideal CFI learner is someone early in their finance journey who wants to build a strong, wide foundation before going deep.

Who’s Ready for VMC?

VMC is the right next step if you:

• Have completed CFI courses (or equivalent foundational training) and want to go deeper
• Can build a basic DCF or comparable analysis but lack confidence in your assumptions
• Want tangible proof of capability (a portfolio), not just another certificate
• Are ready to commit 3-5 hours/day for 12 weeks to intensive skill-building
• Want personal mentorship from a senior practitioner, not just video content
• Are targeting equity research, investment analysis, or valuation-specific roles

The ideal VMC participant has the foundation and is ready to transform knowledge into professional capability.

What VMC Participants Say About the Transition?

“The Boot Camp condensed my previous four years of finance education into only weeks.” — Kidakarn Srilawongseree

“A high-intensity, hands-on course that taught me uncertainty is part of finance.” — Alan O’Sullivan

“Significant turning point in my career transition.” — Peter Oguntoki (former teacher, now in finance)

VMC graduates have gone on to work at BCG, Citi, JPMorgan, and Barclays, often after completing foundational programs elsewhere first.

Pricing Comparison

	CFI (Self-Study)	CFI (Full-Immersion)	VMC Boot Camp
Price	$348/year	$593/year	$2,900 one-time
Access	1 year (renewable)	1 year (renewable)	Lifetime
What you get	250+ courses, certifications	+ AI tutor, 1:1 guidance, templates	12-week intensive, 4 research reports, daily mentorship
Installment option	Annual only	Annual only	$1,000/month × 3
Guarantee	Non-refundable	Non-refundable	7-day money-back
Scholarships	50% student discount	50% student discount	Women in Valuation (93% covered) + others

How to think about the investment:

CFI costs less because it’s self-study content at scale. VMC costs more because it’s intensive, personalized, and produces real output. They serve different purposes at different career stages.

If you’re building your foundation, CFI offers extraordinary value. If you’re ready to invest in mastery, VMC delivers outcomes that justify the higher price, a portfolio of work, and the skills to back it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I complete CFI before enrolling in VMC?

CFI or equivalent foundational training is recommended but not required. VMC is designed for people who have basic finance knowledge, whether from CFI, a university program, or work experience. If you understand financial statements and basic modeling concepts, you’re ready for VMC.

Is the FMVA certification enough for a valuation career?

The FMVA demonstrates foundational knowledge, and many employers recognize it as a signal of initiative. However, for valuation-specific roles in equity research, investment banking, or asset management, employers increasingly want to see demonstrated capability, not just certificates. VMC’s portfolio of 4 research reports provides exactly that proof.

Can I do both CFI and VMC at the same time?

We’d recommend doing them sequentially, not simultaneously. Complete your CFI courses first to build the foundation, then commit fully to VMC’s 12-week intensive. The VMC Boot Camp requires 3-5 hours daily, and you’ll get the most from it if you can focus entirely on the program.

What if I’ve already been working in finance for years?

Professional experience is the best foundation for VMC. If you’ve been working in finance but feel your valuation skills haven’t kept pace with your ambitions, VMC’s Advancer track is designed specifically for you. Many mid-career professionals find that VMC fills gaps their on-the-job training never addressed.

Is VMC just for equity research analysts?

While valuation is central to equity research, the skills apply broadly: investment banking (deal valuation), private equity (portfolio company analysis), corporate development (M&A evaluation), portfolio management (stock selection), and even corporate finance (capital allocation decisions). Anyone who needs to assess what a business is worth benefits from VMC.

Where can I learn valuation hands-on?

If you’re looking for guided, practical valuation training with real company analysis, the Valuation Master Class is built exactly for that. The 12-week Boot Camp includes daily mentorship from Dr. Andrew Stotz and produces 4 professional equity research reports you can use in your career.