When it comes to Series 7 study tactics, especially the second time around, we advise that you get more granular.
In this post, we detail what we see works. Specifically, with students that failed on their first attempt and then reached out to us. For a sneak-peek, those that stick to a disciplined and regimented approach tend to best.
Here we detail our recommendation for how to do that.
Series 7 Study Tactics…Get Granular
Assuming that you’ve been through one round of studying, there is no need to reread the textbook. That said, when it comes to practice questions, we recommend that you get very specific in your focus.
The unfortunate reality is that those who have scored somewhere below 62% or 63% face a tough road. While not insurmountable, they likely have a lot of gaps to fill in. Those over that threshold have the best chance for success the second time around.
With only a small gap to fill in for your knowledge, get a little more granular with your studying. Here’s what we suggest…
Practice, Practice, Game Day, Practice, Practice
Much like any person learning a sport, or an instrument, it requires plenty of practice. However, what you learn in practice must be regularly applied to something more comprehensive.
At Professional Exam Tutoring, we recommend you implement this strategy by first having the right resources. For the Series 7 Exam, Kaplan is our top recommendation. They are consistently the best at signaling to us who is ready to pass or who might not be (the signal, of course, is not always perfect).
What we see works includes taking three days to take questions from specific sub-topics. Targeting a small bit size amount of questions on one subtopic, and doing multiple per day, will really help you learn.
However this must be reinforced by review. By “review”, we mean you should take a simulated practice exam periodically. Once per week is the minimum we recommend.
For a more clear illustration, try the study schedule below:
Day 1 – 5 sets of 20 practice questions (100 questions total)
Day 2 – 5 sets of 20 practice questions
Day 3 – Simulated Exam
Day 4 – 5 sets of 20 practice questions
Each day that includes practice questions should include 20 questions from sub-topics (NOT broad topics). For instance, 20 questions should NOT be selected from all questions on Options but a subsection such as “Options Taxation.” This will ensure much more targeted studying. It will also reinforce a concept over and over to perfection (ideally).
What Else?
If you need more help, or want more clarity, practice makes perfect. While it’s always hard at first, it gets easier as you keep going. Seemingly unrelated dots start connecting. For a one-on-one discussion try one of our tutors and get serious Series 7 sessions. We’d be happy to help! Good luck!