Grace Period for MSRB Principal Exams Ends December 27th

The MSRB has announced the end of a COVID-related grace period allowing municipal principals to delay taking their qualification exams. Continue reading

The MSRB has announced the end of a COVID-related grace period allowing municipal principals to delay taking their qualification exams.

When testing centers closed at the start of the COVID pandemic, the MSRB granted temporary relief from the exam requirement for Municipal Securities Principals (Series 53), Municipal Fund Securities Limited Principals (Series 51), and Municipal Securities Sales Principals (Series 9/10). Representatives with at least 18 months’ relevant experience could be promoted to one of these principal positions while deferring their principal exams.

With the ending of the grace period, municipal principals must pass their principal exams by December 27th in order to continue functioning as principals.

A similar grace period for Municipal Advisor Principals (Series 54) ended late last year. Read Solomon’s August 2, 2021 blog post to learn more.

Solomon Exam Prep has helped hundreds pass MSRB exams, including the Series 51 and Series 53. Explore Solomon’s innovative exam prep materials by clicking the link below.

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Mask Policy Change at Prometric Test Centers

Prometric will no longer require test candidates and test center staff to wear masks at test centers, effective May 1, 2022. Continue reading

Prometric, the testing vendor for several securities licensing exams, has announced a change to one of its COVID-19-related policies. Beginning May 1, 2022, Prometric will no longer require people to wear masks at its testing centers, unless required to do so by building management or local government mandates.

This policy change applies to both candidates and test center personnel. However, Prometric encourages anyone who would like to wear a mask at a test center to do so. The choice to wear a mask or not is up to the individual, regardless of vaccination status.

According to Prometric, this policy change is in response to current trends and guidance from world health organizations. Prometric will continue to follow guidance from local government and health officials in determining its COVID-19 policies. For more information, visit Prometric’s COVID-19 Update page and COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions.

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NASAA Ending Most Online Testing for Series 63, 65, and 66 Exams

If you’re planning to take the Series 63, Series 65, or Series 66 exam after March 31, 2022, testing online will not be available for most candidates. Continue reading

Starting April 1, 2022, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) will no longer offer the option to take the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 exams online. Online testing for these exams will only be available for candidates who provide medical proof that they cannot take exams in testing centers.

If you’re currently scheduled to take a NASAA exam online on or before March 31, 2022, then this announcement does not apply to you.

However, if you have an online appointment for any dates after March 31, it will be canceled. In this case, you can either submit an accommodation request to FINRA or schedule a new appointment at a Prometric testing center. To learn more about submitting a request for testing accommodations, visit the FINRA Testing Accommodations page.

You can find more information about enrolling for and scheduling the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 exams on the FINRA Test Enrollment Services System.

  

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Know What to Expect: Testing Online with ProProctor from Prometric

FINRA partner Prometric has developed ProProctor for online, remote test taking. Here are some takeaways about the process. Continue reading

Lucas Rumpeltes of Solomon Exam Prep passed the SIE Exam with ProProctor

Updated May 26, 2022

In person licensing exams have been a staple in the securities industry for decades, but with the novel Coronavirus COVID-19, FINRA has been tasked with providing a safer method for testing. Given this, FINRA partner Prometric has developed a new product titled ProProctor for online, remote test taking. Prometric is a giant in the testing industry, and operates hundreds of testing centers.

With all this as the backdrop, one month ago I was tasked with studying for and taking the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam as a junior associate at Solomon Exam Prep. Using the ProProctor product seemed like the most convenient way to take the exam, and proved easy enough. However, for the benefit of Solomon exam takers, I would like to share some takeaways about the process.

Before Exam Day

Signing up for the exam

I registered for the test three weeks ahead of time on the Prometric website. There were still many time slots available, but the most convenient ones had been taken. The most feasible slot for me ended up being at 7:45 AM, so if you prefer to test later in the day, register ahead of time!

I immediately received a confirmation email detailing all of the procedures that I would need to follow for test day. It was a lengthy email. This is due to Prometric’s desire to avoid cheating and duplication of the test, so they are rightfully cautious. This ProProctor user guide contains all the procedures. That being said, there are a few procedures that are very important to understand ahead of time.

Preparing for exam day

First is your testing environment. Ideally one is able to test in a bare, white room, at a desk, with no decorations of any kind. However, this is not always possible, so it is helpful to have a bed sheet or tarp on hand to cover anything that your proctor determines to be unacceptable. Furthermore, you cannot have any interruptions during the test, so it is imperative to notify your office mates!

Prometric also recommends having a mirror on hand for the check in process. Ultimately, this is simply for the purpose of inspecting your computer keyboard and screen if you cannot remove your webcam, so a medium-sized mirror is fine. The more easily you can position it in front of your screen the better (I did not take my own advice here and had a giant mirror, which was tough to position so that my proctor could see my keyboard).

Leading up to the exam day, you should do one of Prometric’s system readiness checks, test your microphone specifically, and download and install their application.

On Exam Day

Getting started

On exam day, you will follow a unique web link in your confirmation email to launch your exam. Once there, you will input user specific information, and it will automatically launch the application. Be warned, once you launch the exam application, you cannot access any other settings or applications on your computer, so adjust your volume or microphone controls ahead of time. Once there, you will be asked to photograph yourself and take a picture of your photo ID. Then you’ll be sent to the security proctor.

Ultimately two different proctors will communicate with you. The process for meeting with them is seamless, and they will answer any questions you may have.

Security checks

The first proctor will conduct the security checks, and you will have a webcam view of them. The security checks are detailed on the ProProctor website, as well as in the confirmation email, but here are a few tips. I wore pants with lots of pockets, which was a mistake. Wearing as few items of clothing as possible, with as few pockets as possible, is helpful because they will ask you to empty them. Additionally, they advise no jewelry. Ideally, the only things in the testing room are you, your photo ID, and your computer. There is nothing else allowed (with the exception of tests that have certified testing materials).

The security checks also include room checks, which necessitates either an external webcam or an easily portable laptop. The fewer furniture items in the room, the easier the check will be. Finally, the security proctor will detail their break policy. I did not use the break, and it should ultimately be seen as an emergency asset. The test time does not stop while you take it, and you will have to redo all security checks upon returning.

Taking the exam

Once all of the security protocol is over with, your security proctor will pass you on to another proctor. The new proctor will greet you via the application chat, but you will not see them on screen. They will, however, see your video and hear your audio. Additionally, they prohibit you from speaking out loud during the exam. You may mouth or whisper the words, but they do not allow you to speak.

Once the exam starts, it’s straightforward. There is a calculator in the application, as well as a “scratch pad” where you may type things. Be warned, you may not go back to questions once you move on. EDIT: As of September 28, 2020, candidates are able to go back to questions and change answers.

Trouble-shooting

When I was taking the SIE, I felt confident once I got to this point, since I was mostly worried about complying with the security checks. However, there is protocol from Prometric should you be disconnected from the application for any reason. I was disconnected with just six questions left (!), so it would have been helpful to know this ahead of time. Needless to say, I panicked. Prometric recommends a wired internet connection for this reason, but I gambled with wifi. Ultimately this was not the reason I was disconnected (my internet connection was fine), but the application automatically closed and I was forced to consult the FAQ.

From here, Prometric recommended that I check my internet connection, wait three minutes, restart my computer, and relaunch the exam. This proved to be perfect advice, and I was readmitted to the system. I had to re-do the entire security check with a new set of proctors, but my test time was paused and my progress had been saved. I finished my last six questions without a hitch. In other words, if you are disconnected, do not panic and simply follow their directions on the FAQ. If the issue persists, they recommend that you contact support.

As with the in-person exams, my preliminary results were shown at the conclusion of the exam, and I was free to continue with my work day. All in all, the process was relatively user-friendly, and well worth it since I was able to avoid going to a testing center.