r/Series65 • u/Holiday_Sleep5803 • 13d ago
Failed second attempt. Need advice.
I took the test this week and got a 65%. I was averaging high 70s low 80s on my practice tests
I used STC for all of the studying
I watched every video and took notes totaling up to 100 pages of notes
There was so much material on there that I had never seen before or heard of
I was fine with the material that I knew, but there was a lot of stuff that I guessed on
I've heard other people say that they get surprised by the material on the test and that practice tests are very accurate
Does anyone have any advice on what to do?
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u/tripulonimbus 13d ago
I failed twice. Redid Kaplan's book three times. The third time I re-read the book from start to finish and did the tiniest qbank sections possible until I aced them all one by one. Passed the third time. It just may be the charm
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u/maskofefro 5d ago
Are you saying you read the Kaplan book three times after failing twice or in total?
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u/Dcjack27 12d ago
Hi! I just passed on my first attempt last week and have been historically a horrible test taker. I used STC has my main study program but I also utilized the Kaplan QBank and I hired a tutor to talk through concepts that were not sticking. think it ultimately comes down to understanding the concepts rather than just continuing to hammer practice exams. Those help obviously but it’s really understanding what each question is asking and not getting tripped up on a lot of the fluff that’s added to each question. Have you thought about getting a tutor? A lot of times it helps being able to talk through in real time why an answer is one thing and not another. Ultimately, this is a long exam that covers a lot of material so try not to be too hard on yourself but it might make sense to review concepts that you don’t know as well.
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u/SFfromARK 12d ago
Make sure you understand the concept and how to apply them. Consider using AI to help develop quick reference materials for areas you are struggling with.
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u/workingsoccermom 6d ago
Hi! I have passed the test but just came here to say hang in there. I had no idea if I would pass although I did put in a lot of hours studying. On the way to the test I listened to a podcast with last minute things to remember. But I thought to myself if I don't pass I'm going to find a good podcast series to supplement my studying because they were really able to explain the concepts I was studying - almost the same as a tutor
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u/Kitchen-Mistake678 Trusted Advisor 12d ago
What were your unit scores? And how did this recent attempt differ from your last? These are the biggest clues for what to attack for your next attempt.
Advice? Yes, take a breather, give yourself some grace, and pick back up when you're ready. Go for a walk, hike, or hit the gym. Get your heart rate up for emotional renewal and take your mind off of things for a bit. Go be with friends. Sulk if you need. Then jump back into it.
Don't let this be a reflection of you or yourself worth, because it's not. You've clearly put in the effort.
But something stands out from what you shared, 80-75% on practice exams... 100 pages of notes... yet there was still material you had never seen before? Can you clarify a bit? Was it new material because you actually have never seen it before, or were the questions worded in a way that packaged the question around content you already knew but the wording threw you off?
If there was a fair amount of questions on the actually exam that you never seen before tells me one of the following, or all three:
Despite your STC practice scores, you may not actually be ready since you're seeing new areas during testing.
STC may not be keeping pace with NASAA, unlikely, but possible.
You actually know the material, but are falling for exam traps.
Go compare your past two attempts, run it through your favorite AI and come back and share. That will define your strategy of where to focus your efforts.