While the age-old philosophical quote “know thyself” has many applications, it has important implications for students and the learning process. For our purposes, and the readers of our weekly blog, knowing thyself will help you in your preparation for the SIE Exam, the Series 7 Exam, and any others you may have to take.
So, let’s talk about you.
How Do You Know How Long You Should Study?
If you’ve made it this far in your career, then you’ve probably already taken many exams. Whether those were in college or in high school, you likely found something that worked in your study process. And, most people taking the FINRA exams have been out of school for a while. That said, don’t let some pushy salesman at an exam prep course tell you that their video courses, course material, and/or practice exams are perfect for you. There’s no way for them to know that. And, there is no one that knows better what study methods work best for you, other than you.
Since you know what’s best, then also be careful not to compare yourself to others. What probably worked for you in high school, or college, will work for you again here with these exams.
Rest assured that you will have coworkers, peers, and braggadocious bosses that downplay the exam. Many will tell you that they passed their exam in a mind bogglingly short amount of time.
Keep in mind, there are some instances where this actually happens. Some people may take as few as five days to study, and some only five hours. This is not the average experience.
Therefore, avoid comparison like the plague. Stick to what you know, and what you know about yourself.
What Do You Know?
When it comes to studying, there are a TONS of different ways to make things stick. Again here, everyone is different. Some people prefer flashcards, some people prefer study sheets, others like to make cheat sheets where they shove everything they can possibly think of onto one page.
Something that seems to be quite effective for every student we come across however, is going over practice questions. To really test what you know, practice questions are key, and important.
They not only help you view key concepts, but also show you how these concepts may be tested (and the wording that may be used).
Are You Ready?
Finally, don’t go into your exam when you’re not ready if you can help it. If you’ve thoroughly memorized answers to practice questions and are scoring 80% or lower, then you’re not ready.
If you’re not memorizing answers and scoring 55% or lower, then you’re not ready.
Studying is not easy, and it takes a lot of work. But, you will know when you’re ready when all the material seems to connect (and your scores start to reflect that!).
If you are able to decide when you take your exam, then be honest with yourself and where you’re at in your study process. There is no sense in fooling yourself. A little quote from the late physicist Richard Feynman has a good reminder for all of us on that one:
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.”
Good luck studying! If you need any help, you know where to find us!