Series 86 Exam Advice

Hello,

I am taking my Series 86 exam next week, and honestly, I'm very nervous. I never had a rigorous financial training in university, and I've been learning this content on my own since August of this year. I've gone through all of the STC preps, greenlight exams, final exams, and I've been scoring on average between 74% to 84%. I've been just continuously building a custom exam with 95 questions over and over again, but honestly, it gets to a point where questions do get repetitive, and I feel like more practice doesn't really add more value.

Based on previous poss on Series 86, it appears that the exam has become less focused on calculations, and more focused on conceptual questions. Is this generally true? I feel like I am much better with calculations, but if the real exam does focus more on concepts, I really want to start shifting my priorities ASAP.

If there's any other advice that you guys can recommend for Series 86, any input would be appreciated. There's only so many practice problems I can do, and I'm concerned that I might be significantly underprepared. Thank you very much.

6 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some insights and advice for the Series 86 exam:

  1. Exam Focus:

    • The Series 86 exam is part of the Series 86/87 combination required for Equity Research.
    • It is known to dig deeper into conceptual understanding rather than just calculations.
  2. Preparation Strategy:

    • Conceptual Understanding: Since the exam has become more focused on conceptual questions, prioritize understanding the key concepts thoroughly.
    • Practice Exams: Continue taking practice exams, but ensure you are not just memorizing answers. Focus on understanding why each answer is correct or incorrect.
    • Review Weak Areas: Identify areas where your scores are lower and concentrate on improving your understanding in those topics.
  3. Study Materials:

    • Textbooks and Videos: Use comprehensive study materials like textbooks and videos to reinforce your understanding of the concepts.
    • QBank: Utilize question banks to practice a variety of questions and scenarios.
  4. Exam Day Tips:

    • Stay Calm: Anxiety can affect performance, so practice relaxation techniques and ensure you are well-rested before the exam.
    • Time Management: Manage your time effectively during the exam to ensure you can answer all questions.
  5. General Advice:

    • Balanced Study: While practice problems are essential, balance them with reading and understanding the material.
    • Peer Support: Engage with peers or forums to discuss difficult concepts and gain different perspectives.

Good luck with your Series 86 exam next week!

Sources: Licensing For Dummies, SIE , Series 79 and Series 63 Advice, How To Pass The Series 57 Exam, SIE , Series 79 and Series 63 Advice, Ways to Pass the Series 7 Exam

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Have you taken the exam before? If so, I think the 86 is more mentally taxing and usually people do better in general the second time. It’s a weird exam but not unfair imo.

 
Most Helpful

I just passed it a couple weeks ago. I would say use AI or any other outside resources to truly understand all of the practice questions. Your score range is probably enough to pass. I felt it was a lot easier than expected because I completely understood the questions toward the end of prep. I got 82 on green light 1 80 on greenlight 2 and then I took the last final exam the day before my test and got a 90. I never repeated any exams aside from just going back to the questions I got wrong to make sure I understood them. If you’re constantly repeating these questions and not scoring in the high 80s/low 90s, you need to take your time understanding the questions and answers. If you feel very comfortable with STC, you should feel comfortable with the real exam. A lot of questions were pretty similar . Feel free to dm

 

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