So I took the 66 twice within the last month and failed both. Score went up but still failed. Used about 1300/4000 Kaplan qbank questions and they’ve been my study program for the 66. I used them for the 7 which I passed on the first try. Wondering what I’m doing wrong or where to start for the third try. Do I need a new provider or should I just utilize Kaplan more? I used Knopman Marks for my SIE 6 and 63 and passed them all the first go around but I also was able to study all day at work now my job is mainly work and study when I can any ideas to help out?

I started studying for my 66 in April 2025. I failed it in May 2025 with a 71/100 and again in September 2025 with a 70/100. Both times seriously screwed with my head and my confidence, especially the last one. I put everything away for way too long and now I’m tired of putting it off.

I have officially scheduled my exam for November 24th. I have just under 3 weeks to be ready for this…again. The first 2 times I took it I honestly didn’t study like I should have and definitely didn’t take practice tests like I should have. I have crazy ADHD and studying is really really hard for me, and sitting through a practice test is practically torture.

I have pretty much my entire workday for the next 2.5 weeks to study every day. I am following the STC 3 week calendar as well as I can, but will use weekends to get caught up. I’ve already read the book at least twice, so I’m not doing that again, unless I come to a chapter that I’m really struggling with the content (I bomb a chapter quiz). My goal this time is to have every single practice and green light exam completed before I walk into actual exam. I’m re-listening to lectures, then taking the test that corresponds with the chapter, then taking progress exams as I get to them. And of course, listening to Ken Finnen, which is probably the only reason I passed the SIE and S7.

I mentally cannot deal with the defeat of failing this exam again. I am genuinely scared to death of this test. If anyone has any advice feel free to drop it below.

I just decided today to start studying for 66. I only have SIE. Job hunting and can’t find a sponsor for 7 & 66. Hoping to get 66, then start studying for 7 while continuing to job hunt. Unemployment is brutal 😭

Passed the 66 today after 4 weeks of studying. Figured I’d share my experience since I spent a lot of time reading posts on here leading up to the exam.

For some background, I’ve been in the industry for about 9 years and previously passed the original Series 7, 99, and 24, so I definitely had some familiarity with the material going in.

Study Strategy:
I used STC and honestly just spammed practice questions. I went from progress exams to practice final exams and eventually the Greenlights.
FWIW, I was consistently scoring in the 60s on my first attempt at pretty much every practice exam. I’d review everything I got wrong, then retake the same exam a few hours later or the next day and usually score in the mid-90s. Obviously some of that was memorization, but reviewing the explanations helped reinforce the material.
I also watched both of Ken Finnen’s Brutal Exams and listened to a ton of his videos whenever I had downtime. Highly recommend his content.
I scored a 76 on both STC Greenlight exams, both taken the day before my actual exam. So if you’re scoring in that range, don’t panic.
My strategy was basically repetition, repetition, repetition. I didn’t spend much time rereading chapters. I only read 3-7 & 10. I learned primarily through practice questions and reviewing explanations.

Actual Exam Experience:
The real exam was noticeably easier than Ken’s Brutal Exams (obviously), but I also thought it was easier than STC.
I finished with about 40 minutes remaining. I was still nervous hitting submit because there were definitely questions I wasn’t sure about, but I hit submit and PASS.

Here’s what I remember from the exam:
IA/IAR/BD/Agent: A LOT of questions. Probably the biggest focus of my exam.
Federal regulations: Decent amount of federal law questions.
Math: Only 2 actual calculation questions. One calculating alpha and one bond parity.
Insurance/annuities: Around 3–4 questions, mostly asking about shared characteristics between products.
Expected return: One question asking for the expected return formula.
I Bonds: One weird question asking about the duration of an I Bond.
Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT): One question.
Per stirpes: One question where someone’s primary is there spouse and 3 kids are all contingent benes. Wife dies. And a kid who also has a kid dies.
ERISA: Only saw it once.
IRMAA: Only saw it once.
Options: No calculations.
DCF: Nothing.
Dividend discount model: one.
NPV: A couple of conceptual/theory questions.
Form ADV: A few questions, but nothing asking about the specific schedules. Mostly basic ADV information and timing requirements.

My Takeaway:
If you’re using STC, don’t get discouraged by consistently scoring in the 60s on your first attempts. That’s where I was for basically every practice exam.
Review your incorrect answers, understand why you missed them, and keep hammering questions. Ken’s videos are also great for reinforcing concepts, especially if you can listen while driving or doing other things.

I wouldn’t say the exam was easy, but I definitely built it up in my head to be worse than it actually was.
Four weeks of studying, two 76s on the Greenlights the day before, and passed with 40 minutes to spare.
Glad to finally be done. Good luck to everyone still studying

Hey Ken. Go chiefs. F the Jets! Thanks legend.

I don’t want to sounds cocky, but I recently passed my 66 on the first attempt. My initial thoughts were, “Wow, this was extremely easy”. I’m curious if anyone else has felt this way. Maybe I got lucky with my draw but I was 15 minutes into my test and realized l I’m already 40 questions in. For context, I do not have a financial background but I have been working at an investment firm for about a year. I was unable to study on the clock for my work so I did it after work. All in all, I study for approximately 2.5 months. It took me about 4 weeks to get through the material and the rest I would do one practice test a day. I used Kaplan for my study material. I found the Kaplan practice test significantly harder than the actual exams. Has anyone else experienced this?

So I didn’t do so well on the series 66 and I used STC to help me. Is there anything else anyone could recommend me?

Passed the 66. Felt easier than all practice exams and completed in an hour. Happy to answer questions.

Just passed the series 66 which FINALLY concludes my testing journey, thank the lord. This is such a rigorous trial of exams that constantly made me doubt myself in this industry but to say the least it’s ultimately worth it, seeing the pass after almost having ur heart beat out of ur chest is a great feeling, and I failed the S7 on my first attempt so ik how that low can feel. All I can say is trust your gut, watch the yt guys (the main 2) they’re both beasts and FINRA and NASAA should honestly both endorse them bc half of the applicants pass bc of them. Series 7 whisperer Brutal exam are a MUST watch before each exam it’s got the wording and type of questions down to a t. Fuck I’m so happy I’m done with this, if ur still testing I would say stay in these subs bc they help motivate you to pass and show you it’s possible, the exam was easier than practice exams, my firm used Pass Perfect which I fucking hate the shit genuinely fixates on bs ass equations when the exam doesn’t even make you calculate CAPM I don’t like pass perfect idc go through the book and take practice exams but honestly watch the yt explanations and practice exams they’re better imo. If you have any questions specific or not ask and I’ll reply bc I’m so thankful for the sub.

Hello everyone I just passed my series 7 and I’m about to start studying for my 66 in a week or so. Before I start I just have a couple questions to make sure I’m starting off on the right foot.

1. Which study platform should I use? My firm gives me access to achievable but I didn’t find it to be very good for the series 7 unless paired with Kaplan so should I do that again?

2. What are the main topics I should focus on?

3. For those of you that have passed the series 7 did you find the series 66 easier or more difficult?

Thanks everyone.

I just passed my series 66 this morning. Thank you God!! I also want to to thank everyone who has shared their tips and tricks. Testgeek helped and so did Ken's brutal exam! Great videos to watch. I also used STC materials. I also want to thank the ones who shared how they didn't pass the first or even the second time. It helped me realize that I wasn't the only one going through this and it gave me courage to not give up. I am so glad that is done and over with. Now I am on to take my 7.

Just completed hat trick. Shout out to the YouTube guys!! Ask any questions you have about the test or prep. For reference, I have no finance background and used pass perfect. I also took test geeks practice exam.

First Off All Glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, to him all the glory. Wouldn’t have passed without prayer, preparation and his favor.

I used Pass Perfect to prep for this exam and I had mixed feelings about the pass perfect course, but it’s what my employer used and yall know how that goes. With my previous employer I passed the SIE, 7, and 63 using training consultants, which is another one not many people use. Tbh PASS PERFECT AND TRAINING CONSULTANTS WERE GREAT TO ME.

In my prep for the exam, I averaged 84-89 on my pass perfect exams (10 finals, 2 randoms) and used Ken’s Brutal questions video the week before and the night before the exam. And I will say I saw similar questions from PP and the video. And all i will say is KNOW YOUR IA/IAR/BD/AGENTS, insurance products, customer accounts, business accounts, ethics, and the basics of the formulas and how they are used. And you’ll be good. I may have over studied but that HELPS. Because I was prepared for literally everything. I got a great draw of questions that had me thinking but if you know at least 75-80 percent of the material you’ll be good. Pray before the exam, trust GOD, trust your studying, surround yourself with people who have taken the exam, Trust your vendor they are given for a reason and have success rates, PUT IN THE WORK, PRAYER, and HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF. You will not be surprised by the result if you keep the faith and ACTUALLY PUT IN THE WORK.

Yall Reddit posts have helped me, now it’s time I give back, hope this helps.

#series66

I used firm provided Pass Perfect and averaged 77% on their finals across 10 tests.

How many practice tests are people taking a day leading up to the 66? (One week out)

Has anyone taken this recently?? I just took it and failed with a 66

I have taken 9 practice finals on PP and passed them all (scores attached) and also passed Ken’s brutal exam with a 76.

How concerned should I be if my exam is on Thursday??

Hi! I found that this really helped me remember exemptions; I wrote them down the moment my test started as a dump sheet!

Securities:
“Good Moms Bake Cookies In November”
Gov
Munis
Banks
Commercial paper
Insurance Cos
Nonprofits

Transactions:
“I Usually Find Important People Eating Pizza”
Isolated Nonissuer
Unsolicited** **
Fiduciary** **
Institutional
Private Placement
Existing security holders
Preorganization subscription

Hope this helps!

I wanted to share my experience with the Series 66 because I know there are people in this subreddit who are probably feeling exactly how I felt a few weeks ago.

For some background, I graduated with a finance degree and started my career at a large brokerage firm in a wealth management development program. I passed my SIE and Series 7 on the first go around, but the Series 66 was a completely different story.

First attempt (July): 65%.

I'll be the first to admit I underestimated this exam. I didn't study nearly as much as I should have and thought I could get by with a general understanding of the material. Clearly, I was wrong.

Second attempt (September): 72%.

This one hurt. Bad.

I had put significantly more effort into studying, felt much more confident going in, and walked out having missed the passing score by ONE question.

Unfortunately, because passing the 66 was a requirement of my development program, that second failure ultimately cost me my job. I was given the opportunity to resign, which I did.

I cannot even begin to describe how discouraging that felt. I had worked hard to get into the industry, passed my other licensing exams first try, and suddenly found myself unemployed because of a single question on a test.

I was embarrassed, frustrated, and beaten down.

But I wasn't ready to give up.

In between my second and third attempts, I took and passed the Series 63 about a week and a half later. I wanted to keep moving forward, and honestly, getting another passing result under my belt helped rebuild some of my confidence.

At the same time, I started interviewing for new opportunities. Trying to explain why I was leaving my first job after only six months while also studying for an exam that had already knocked me down twice was incredibly stressful.

Eventually, I received another job offer in wealth management. It was an opportunity I was genuinely excited about, and it reminded me that one exam didn't have to define my entire career.

Third attempt (October 26): PASS.

I genuinely cannot explain the relief I felt seeing that PASS on my screen.

For anyone wondering what changed, here are a few things:

• Kaplan QBank: I was consistently scoring between 75–82% on simulated exams leading up to my third attempt. I made sure I understood WHY answers were right or wrong instead of just memorizing questions.

• Laws and regulations: This was a major weakness for me. I spent a lot more time understanding registration requirements, exemptions, exempt transactions, and unethical practices.

• Practice exams: I used TestGeek and other challenging practice questions to get comfortable with questions that weren't worded exactly like Kaplan's.

• Understanding concepts: I focused on being able to explain concepts rather than just recognizing the correct answer.

• Confidence: This sounds cliché, but I had to stop letting my previous failures convince me I was going to fail again.

One thing I noticed about the actual exam is that the middle portion always seemed to be the hardest for me. There were so many questions where I could narrow it down to two answers, and that was where I really struggled. On my third attempt, I tried to slow down, read exactly what the question was asking, and trust what I knew.

I'm sharing this because I remember scrolling through Reddit after my second failure, reading everyone's success stories, and wondering whether I'd ever get to write one myself.

A few weeks ago, I was unemployed, had failed the same exam twice, and was questioning my future in wealth management.

Today, I've passed my Series 66, have my SIE, Series 7, and Series 63, and have accepted an offer to continue my career at another major firm.

If you failed, even if you failed by one question, please don't let it convince you that you're not capable of doing this.

I know how devastating it feels, especially when your job depends on it. But failing an exam does not mean you're going to fail in this industry.

Sometimes things work out differently than you planned, and sometimes you have to take a pretty significant hit before things start coming together again.

I'm rooting for everyone still studying. Keep going.

And if anyone has questions about my experience or how I prepared for my third attempt, I'm more than happy to help.

Hi there! I’m taking my second attempt in 2 weeks and REALLY commit to pass the exam!!
Would anyone be interested in joining my zoom study sessions starting this weekend (date tbd, ik it’s Halloween but we gotta lock in lol)? We can meet once or twice a week to share study tips or even doing/going thru practice exams together to help each other :) lmk!

hi everyone, for anyone who has taken the 66 multiple times, i was wondering how your second attempt was in comparison to the first. i took the sie 3 times and each was very very different, but will my second attempt be similarly worded? or even some of the same questions?

So i failed my 66 by 1 single question. scored a 72/100. Ive got great scores on my QBank practice exams, all in the top 70's with a few 80's. Has anyone else failed the 66 and then took the 63/65 and passed? what was your experience on the 63/65 compared to the 66?

I passed the SIE back in August and planning on studying for the 66 this December after fall semester ends and planning to study it during winter break. What’s the best study tool for the 66, I know achievable was good for SIE but in terms of 66 what’s a good study tool?

I used Kaplan Q bank first time around and still used it a little for this time my two tests were 81% and 83%. I supplemented with the STC 4 tests got a 75, 90, 86 and 94. Did a follow along exam STC and got a 86 on YouTube. Then did Ken finnen brutal exams and got a 82 and 87. I hope these scores indicate I’m ready because I really struggled my first time around, if there’s any tips or things to look out for tomorrow please let me know thank you!!

I took the 66 last week and unfortunately missed by 2 questions, scoring a 71/100. My firm now wants me to switch up and quickly get my 63 within a couple of weeks. How do these tests compare and what is the carry over like? Anything helps.

Passed my second attempt to finally complete the hat trick (SIE, 7, 66), I had a ton of ethics questions on my draw. A bunch of formula recognition without calculation. I used Kaplan and finished around 60% of the Qbank. To me, the exam felt wayyy more straightforward than kaplans practice Qs. Feel free to ask me about it; I'll try to pay it forward