Solomon Exam Prep Introduces Series 82 Online Exam Simulator
Solomon Exam Prep is pleased to announce our industry-leading online exam simulator for the Series 82!
If you have to take the FINRA Series 82 Private Securities Offerings exam, and want as much practice as possible before you do, then the Solomon Exam Prep online exam simulator is right for you.
The Exam Simulator features an unlimited number of randomly-generated section quizzes as well as full-length exams, both in timed and untimed modes. New questions are added regularly to the Solomon Exam Prep Series 82 question database, so that you get the best experience possible in this fast-changing industry.
Studies have shown that self-testing is a powerful tool for learning. It just goes to show that the old saying is true: practice really does make perfect.
Begin practicing for your Series 82 exam with the Solomon Exam Prep Series 82 Online Exam Simulator today!
Exam Alert: New passing score for the Series 99 is 68%
First off, congratulations to all of our students who have passed the Series 99: FINRA Operations Professional Exam! We know many of you were anxious about this brand new exam (and brand new experience with standardized testing for many of you). But your hard work paid off, so well done!
As our students let us know they've passed, they've also told us that the current passing score for the Series 99 is 68%. Don't let that low score fool you - this exam will still require hard work and diligent studying to pass. We continue to monitor this brand new exam and will keep you updated to any changes to the passing score or to the exam. Be sure to subscribe to our Blog and regularly check our Exam FAQs and Exam Updates pages to keep current with exam information!
Exam Alert: FINRA changes guidelines for books and records rules
On December 5, 2011, new FINRA rules regarding books and records took effect. These changes affect recordkeeping time limits, customer account information, customer complaints, order information and arbitration agreements.
Recordkeeping - the default time limit for keeping records is six years. This means that if FINRA requires a firm to keep a record but does not specify how long the record must be kept, it must be kept for six years. If a change is made to an account and documentation is required to make that change, the documentation must be preserved for six years after the change. If the account is closed, the firm must maintain the most current information about the account for six years after the account closes.
Account information - When opening an account, the signature of the registered representative opening the account is no longer needed. Instead, FINRA requires the signatures of all persons who are responsible for the account. Additionally, discretionary accounts no longer require the age of the person with discretionary authorization. Instead, an acknowledgment that said person is over 18-years-old, without a specific age, is sufficient.
Customer complaints - Firms must now keep records of customer complaints for four years, not three.
Order information - Previously, firms were allowed to accept block orders from an investment adviser for customer accounts if the firm received the specific account names and designations by the end of the business day. Now, firms are allowed to accept orders from an investment adviser for customer accounts if the order involves more than one customer and the firm receives the specific account names and designations by noon of the next business day.
Pre-dispute arbitration agreements - The disclosure language for pre-dispute arbitration agreements has been updated to include that arbitrators are required to explain their decision in eligible cases if all parties involved file a joint request 20 days before the first scheduled hearing date.
To read Regulatory Notice 11-19 where FINRA outlines these changes in more detail, please click here. Additionally, we have included a summary of these changes on our Exam Updates page, where we include updates to the exams on a regular basis. You may want to brush up on these rules if you're taking the Series 7, 6, 24, 26, 62, 99 and 79!
Sign-up for our NEW live, online Series 62 class today
Solomon Exam Prep's line of study materials for the Series 62 exam is growing. We are excited to announce our new live, interactive online classes for the FINRA Series 62 Corporate Securities Limited Representative Qualification Exam!
Studying for the Series 62 can be a daunting task: the 50-page FINRA outline is long enough to intimidate even the best of test takers! Let Professor Karen Solomon, Ph.D. guide you through the intricacies of corporate securities including corporate bonds, rights, warrants, money-market funds and REITS. Professor Solomon will give you the best need-to-know information in four 2-hour sessions. This live, online class will feature practice questions mixed throughout the easy-to-understand lectures. And your questions are not just allowed, but encouraged! If you miss some or all of the sessions, not to worry: with your purchase, you will also enjoy 15 days access to your recorded class!
Our next class starts Monday, January 30, 2012. Visit our website or give us a call at (503) 601-0212 to sign-up today!
Practice makes perfect: Study for the Series 55 Equity Trader Exam with the new Solomon Series 55 Online Exam Simulator
Test your knowledge about piggybacking, pink sheets and MPIDs with our industry-leading online exam simulator for the FINRA Series 55 exam. Take short topic quizzes, full-length exams with immediate feedback or simulate the real thing by taking full-length timed exams. New questions are added regularly to the Solomon Exam Prep Series 55 question database so the product stays current in this fast-changing industry.
In a 2011 study, published in the journal Science, two Purdue University Psychologists showed that practicing memory retrieval via testing is the best strategy for learning. For more information about the landmark study, click here.
The old saying is true: Practice makes perfect … so start practicing for the Series 55 by clicking here!
Study Alert: New memory retention study finds reading hard copy is better than reading online
A University of Oregon study shows that readers of the printed New York Times "remember significantly more news stories than online news readers." Additionally, the study shows that print readers "remember significantly more topics than online newsreaders" and that print readers remembered "more main points of news stories."
For anyone studying for an exam and thinking about what type of study material to use, this study from Arthur D. Santana, Randall Livingstone and Yoon Cho is something to be aware of. Click on the following link below for the full article:
Napping Increases Learning
A new study at the University of California, Berkeley found that a nap increased the brain's ability to learn and remember names and faces. The study tested volunteers on name and face recognition twice, once at noon and once at 6 pm. The subjects who napped between sessions raised their scores by 10% on average, the subjects who didn't nap actually scored 10% lower, on average, on the second test. Sleep helps the brain "like a dry sponge, to absorb new information" according to Professor Mathew P. Walker, the lead investigator, quoted in the New York Times. "You need to sleep before learning, to prepare your brain."
Take this to heart and if you can, take a break from your study routine and nap between learning sessions.
Can listening to audio books during sleep improve exam scores?
Research at Northwestern University, published in the journal Science, suggests that playing a reinforcing audio while sleeping might improve retention of information already learned.
Study and Test-taking Tips From Memory Research
Research shows that time spent studying is a very important factor in how much you learn. For example, it has been shown that simply reading material twice, rather than once, greatly improves memory retention. However, time is not the only factor in learning and in preparing for an exam. The quality of time spent studying is also critically important. For example, rather than trying to learn something all at once, try to pace your learning over a longer period of time and take breaks. So called “spaced” or “distributed” learning is much more effective than “cramming” at the last minute. Testing yourself has also been shown to substantially increase long-term recall which means that the more quizzes and practice questions you do, the better prepared you will be for your exam. Finally, studies show that mnemonics help, especially those that create a mental image.
One last word of wisdom: avoid overconfidence at all costs! Studies show it is among the top reasons people do poorly on exams.