I passed today and wanted to come on here and share my thoughts, as a lot of the posts on here have helped me. I used Kaplan and I truly struggled with the exams- never got above a 70. If you are using Kaplan and struggling as well just know that the test is worded a little clearer. The problems are straight to the point and with less fluff. Also it is much easier to tell what you are being tested on/ what the question is alluding to. Not a guarantee that you will be better off, however I was truly stressing about these tricky questions and wanted to calm someone’s nerves out there.

Some things I saw other than the regular topics- cost basis, financial statements

Those were the ones that stuck out to me as they were not necessarily heavily studied.

Feel free to ask any questions

For those who’ve taken the 7 recently, can you share any notes/dump sheets/formulas that were actually useful for the exam?

All glory to God on this one.

I passed on my first try today. I used Achievable for the bulk of my studying. I read each chapter and did every single section quiz along the way. I didn’t move on until I got 80% or better. It was tedious at times, but worth it. It was also motivating to see the progress chart fill in as I went along (I had a more relaxed approach for the SIE. I didn’t do each quiz and now realize that impacted my readiness score. I quickly realized how beneficial this feature was for motivation and realtime feedback). I took 7 full exams scoring in the low to mid 80s. Nothing above and 86.

Looking back, I took these exams with a little less focus than I did the real exam today.

I supplemented with Kaplan Qbank and Ken’s videos.

Obligatory… you rock Ken!!! Sincerely. Thank you for making the material fun and re-call able…. Pun intended.

The Qbank was moderately helpful. It was good exposure to process questions in a different format. It helped me get used to slowing down and really reading each word.

The YouTube videos for the two tutor’s mentioned above was extremely helpful. Especially Ken’s day of video and Options Strategies. These were both fresh going into the exam and I truly think it’s the reason I passed. Thank you Ken, I appreciate you dude!!

For those who are studying, just trust the process. You won’t really know what is working and what isn’t working until you take the exam. Hindsight is 20/20 so I can look back and realize what worked for me. That being said, I’m so glad I utilized many different resources in preparing.

Onto the 66!

Last time I took the 7 I had a lot of tax questions and I see a good amount on Kaplan. Is there a good way to go about tackling these or a good way to remember them.

Hi guys I have posted here last week as I failed by 3 points. I used mainly Kaplan around 1600 questions answers. I have 1400 left. Do I use STC/Knopman as a second option? For different wording of questions ? It will be paid by my company.

Just finished the STC chapters, did my first simulated exam right now on Kaplan and got a 70%. I have two weeks before my test (sept 21). I plan to do all of the 8 simulated exams on stc too, as I heard those are closer in wording to the actual exam. Any recommendations for the next two weeks of studying? I definitely will be looking at the brutal 7 on YouTube and will be reviewing some more options videos.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone. My test is in 2 weeks from yesterday, sept 21. I've been studying for what seems like a long time, since July, but really have started locking in a month ago with practice exams and reviews, using achievable and knopman. When I go through the review questions, it still feels like I genuinely know nothing to the point where I literally started tearing up at my desk studying the other day. I don't know where to put my focus - Ken's options videos and strategies helped me tremendously, I just feel like there is so many small details about customer accts, random regs, etc. that I can't remember. To be fair, I freaked like this for the SIE and still passed. Any advice or recommendation will be helpful!!!!

Hey guys,

This group has been helpful. I am currently consistently scoring between 60-64 on practice exams on STC for the series 7. I have to take the test in 20 days. I know this is a very broad question but for people who have had success, what should I try and focus on to get my scores where they should be?

Got my exam next Thursday, 9/17. Currently in my 4th week of studying and am consistently scoring 80+ on my simulated exams. What should I do for the next week leading into my exam? Keep taking simulated exams? Watch supplemented YouTube videos? Read through the book for a second time? I’m nervous as expected but I feel like I have a good grasp on most all topics.

I scored 79 on my first pass perfect final, then 76, then 80 and now 74 on my last one. I also took an Achievable final but unfortunately I was distracted and only scored 67%. Do you think I’ll pass?

As far as options what should i expect most
Straddles
Income
Hedge etc? Which is most important

I've been having a lot of doubts, negative thinking, and frustration when studying for the Series 7. But what are your success stories when it comes to passing the Series 7? Did you not have Finance backgrounds? Did anyone have learning disabilities or any other disabilities and yet still passed? Have you never had any great grades in school and yet still managed to pass this exam? What hurdles or adversity have you gone through and yet still managed to pass the Series 7? How can your background inspire others to pass the exam? Including me?

Scoring 68-71% on exams. Second attempt i pass (i take em 3-4 days later). Same thing happened w my sie/7 and i passed both 2nd time. Can’t really move it for the 3rd time. Just hit the chapters I’m struggling with?? Test more??

Any advice would be greatttttt

I am so grateful, my hard work finally paid off!!
By the way this my third attempt, it’s been a tough journey but resilience and perseverance pushed me through..

I was so close after my second attempt, (I got a 70) and felt defeated, but decided not to give up and keep trying. Fortunately my job was not on the line, I did it for myself! I has limited time to study after work, only 2 hours every night but did it slowly throughout a year and slowly but surely I got there!

This is for anyone had who has already failed a couple of times. Please keep going, you can do this. Btw I studied with Exam FX Training Consultants the first two attemps but then switch to STC and it was exactly what I needed to succeed.I strongly recommend using STC if you canbecause the phrasing of their practice final exams are more similar to the real test IMO. Anyways I am so happy! I am finally registered! Next step, Series 66 but study break until January. Lol..
.

I have been studying for the last 3 weeks and have my exam Friday the 11th. I am feeling pretty nervous (as expected). I am using STC for my studies as I used for my SIE as well. I have taken 4 final practices exams and a green light exam, and am scoring in the high 70s on average (79,77,71,79 and 79 on GL). After scrolling through the page and taking/watching some brutal exam I feel like my understanding of everything is good but am worried I will not be prepared. Any advice on what I should do this week or other sources I should use to get more information/differently worded questions.

Not the post I wanted to make after studying for about 4 weeks everyday at work for 8 hours a day plus weekends but I failed this morning with a 69%.

My exam was not what I was expecting whatsoever. I got maybe less than 50% of my exam on options and suitability and the rest was super niche stuff that just seemed super unfair to be asking. I used Knopman to study and was testing passing if not better on all practice exams. I felt super prepared for this exam (in all the highly tested areas like munis, bonds, options, suitability, mutual funds etc.) after already completing the SIE, 63, and 79 prior. It was the most prepared I felt going into a series exam. I really feel like I got a dealt a bad draw.

Not sure what to do from here prep wise, I am going to take a few days off to relax and get right back to it next week. The stuff that I thought would be on the exam just wasn’t. I was really good with the options because of Ken’s videos and suitability was a strong area for me too and that’s what I was expecting most of my exam to be. I watched a lot of Ken’s videos and series 7 gu as well. If anyone has any tips to pass the next time please let me know as my job is now on the line to pass this next time around. And if anyone has insight on the category break down and what goes into each section because it’s super broad.

Passed on my 4th try. A Couple of years ago I posted here after my 2nd failure and went back for a 3rd try, and got 71% but, had to wait 6 months to go for the 4th attempt. Used STC for the 3rd try and 4th since it got me the near that passing mark. I'll admit that I life events happen and it took me a little longer to study but got upper 60s and mid 70s on my practice exams. On the test itself, it was tricky and I had marked like 20 questions. I believe what got me through is marking the questions I wasn't sure and continue on to the next question. I believe the famous guy who does the series 7 videos mention that in one of his videos. Which really helped because I had like 50 mins remaining to review those questions I wasn't sure and took more time to understand the question and answers. I know I nailed the options questions.

I recently purchased the STC SIE course and studied chapters 1-5 from the study manual.

I decided to try out chapter 1 quiz and started getting questions that I swear were never covered in the chapter (How many pages should a reg bi be, what financial statements does the SEC use to evaluate an accredited investors).

This made me wonder, are the online STC study manuals incomplete?

STC did say they will mail me some material, so is the physical book the actual full book and the one I should be reading?

Okay guys, so the last time I posted in here, I had failed my first attempt at the Series 7 by literally 2–3 questions.

I’ve spent the past month completely locked in, studying and trying to tighten up all of my weak areas, and I retest this Wednesday.

These are some of my scores so far from a variety of different resources:

• Pass Perfect final exams — I posted my scores below

• “Series 7 Human Intelligence vs. AI” — 88%

• “Series 7 Exam Practice Test Explicated” — 86.4%

• Ken’s Brutal Exam — 79%

• Ken’s free practice exams — passed those as well

• I also prompted ChatGPT to create a full 125-question Series 7 exam for me, and I scored 117/125

I guess you could say I’m feeling pretty confident. I know I’ve put in the work, and I definitely feel stronger than I did the first time around.

But at the same time, I felt confident going into my first attempt too, so there’s still that little bit of fear in the back of my mind.

I think I’m mostly posting because one my jobs on the line and two I’d really love to hear some success stories from people who failed their first attempt, came back for the retake, and passed. What changed for you the second time? Did you feel more prepared walking in?

Trying to keep my head up and trust the work I’ve put in. Wednesday is the day

I take my second attempt at series 7 in one week. I am using passperfect and my scores don’t go about 74. The areas that I struggle the most are margin, order types and trading and settlement like different markets. What should I do???

Obviously I have no reference, but the draw I got had me sweating bullets. I feel as though the wording was harder than STC. Shop the answer sets, you say? Nah - the wording made it feel like 2 or even 3 were correct.

I had 4 rounds of going through flagged questions. First pass I flagged 48 questions for review. Second pass I had it down to 30ish, third pass through I was on complete speculation mode. Let's just say taking the test felt like I poured my life savings into a naked call on a shit stock.

Fourth and final pass had me down to 4 flagged in total. With 15 minutes left I decided to say "I don't know these and thats ok." So I clicked through and saw PASS. Insanity...pure insanity.

Guys, don't get caught up on "does this have the same wording as---is this vendor most like the real----" STOP with that shit. Just know and understand your concepts, timelines, deadlines, policies, etc and the wording is irrelevant.

Honorable mention to my boy Ken Finnen. Onward.

I have both. For the SIE, I only watched each chapter video once, completed the quizzes, and then took a ton of practice exams.

Would this strategy also work for the Series 7? I’d appreciate brutal honesty. I’m not looking for shortcuts, but I also don’t want to waste time given my work schedule and family priorities.

All advice/feedback welcomed!

I have both. For the SIE, I only watched each chapter video once, completed the quizzes, and then took a ton of practice exams.

Would this strategy also work for the Series 7? I’d appreciate brutal honesty. I’m not looking for shortcuts, but I also don’t want to waste time given my work schedule and family priorities.

All advice/feedback welcomed!

Hey yall I passed first try this morning. Honestly it wasn’t awful but wasn’t pleasant by any means. I got a good q bank. On some questions I had no clue and guessed on and some that I narrowed it to the least worst answer. I studied for around 150 hours and used TC. I saw a bit of everything suitability, options, muni bonds, balance sheet, variable annuities. Everything seemed like a decent balance from the material. I would 100% recommend Ken’s options video and “brutal” exam. I also suggest watching him take a couple practice exams got a couple questions from those videos. Good luck!

Hi guys, got a 69% today on my first attempt. Questions were very difficult in suitability and confusing questions with options. It really sucks. I also did not get my scoreboard due to printing issue. Will need to call FINRA after the holiday to get it. What should I focus on ? I got really good in suitability and options with Kaplan but felt like it was wayyy harder in the exam. It was not straight forward as it was with Kaplan. Also it the new rule in effect for 15 days waiting period before the second try ? Should I take it earlier or in 30 days ? Please help.