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!
Exam Alert: FINRA revises Series 7 outline, effective November 7
The FINRA General Securities Representative Series 7 exam is about to change and the passing score will increase from 70 to 72! While the exam outline is longer (47 pages vs. the current 40) and is divided into five major categories, rather than the current seven, it appears that the most significant change may be the increase in the passing score. These changes will take effect for anyone taking the exam on or after November 7, 2011.
Jeremy Solomon, President of Solomon Exam Prep, recommends that "anyone considering taking the Series 7 do so ASAP, before the changes take effect and, like the Series 63, 66 and 65 last year, it becomes more difficult to pass this important securities licensing exam."
To look at FINRA's newly published outline for the Series 7 to take effect on November 7, 2011, please click here!
Exam Alert: Delayed results for new Series 99 exam candidates
FINRA announced last week that if you take the Series 99 within the first 60 days of October 17, 2011, your exam result will not be provided to you the day of the test. Instead, candidates will be notified of their results on or shortly after December 16, 2011. This delay is to give FINRA a chance to review the effectiveness of the exam, which will include analyzing candidates' performance during this initial period. Those who fail the exam during this initial 60 days will be allowed to re-take the exam at no additional charge.
Find more details about the Series 99 exam from FINRA by clicking here.
Exam Alert: The New Series 99 Exam for Operations Professionals
The SEC recently adopted FINRA's proposal to create a new Operations Professional Exam to be called the Series 99 exam. This exam will affect people involved in back office functions such as recordkeeping, trade confirmation and transaction settlement. Importantly, it will not be required for those who are already licensed under the Series 6 or 7 exams. This new rule goes into effect on October 17, 2011.
Exam Alert: proposed exam for Operations Professionals will focus on basics
On March 4, 2011, FINRA filed documents with the SEC that describe the content covered by the proposed exam for Operations Professionals. The exam will focus on ethics and basic knowledge of the securities industry regarding products, markets, and broker-dealer activities. An Operations Professional would not be held to the same standard of knowledge about a product as a product specialist or representative selling the product.
FINRA rule filing: http://www.finra.org/Industry/Regulation/RuleFilings/2011/P123267
Analysis by the Securities Technology Monitor: http://www.securitiestechnologymonitor.com/news/-27324-1.html
Exam Alert: SEC to nationalize exam program
According to the Wall Street Journal, the SEC is putting the finishing touches on a new uniform manual for its examiners. The WSJ states that the SEC expects that the new manual will nationalize the agency's examination program, allowing for uniform processes and procedures across all regional offices. The SEC intends to distribute the manual to examiners in 30 to 60 days and to the public in 30 to 90 days (as of 2/8/11), according to the WSJ.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704364004576132231587877342.html
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.