Finra Forms Dilemma.

Incoming analyst at a BB and I noticed that the finra u4 makes you disclose where you went to high school as well. I was kicked out of a private high school my freshman year of high school, and eventually got my act together after and have been doing well in college. Not particularly proud of that moment, but does finra make people disclose this type of information? Am I overthinking this or should I prepare myself to do explain this to Finra/supervisors at the firm.

4 Comments
 

Based on the WSO threads, the FINRA Form U4 does require disclosure of a comprehensive history, including any events that might affect your trustworthiness or competence. This includes criminal records, financial disclosures, and certain personal history elements. However, being expelled from high school typically does not fall under the mandatory disclosure requirements unless it involved a criminal matter that you were charged for.

Here are a few steps you might consider: 1. Review the Form U4 Carefully: Make sure to understand each section and what is required. If it specifically asks about high school disciplinary actions, then you must disclose it. 2. Consult with Compliance: Before submitting your U4 form, it might be wise to discuss your situation with the compliance department at the BB firm you're joining. They can provide guidance on what needs to be disclosed. 3. Prepare for Explanation: If it turns out you do need to disclose this information, prepare a concise explanation that shows your growth and how you’ve moved past this early mistake.

Remember, honesty is crucial in these disclosures. Omitting information that is later discovered can be more damaging to your career than the disclosure itself.

Sources: Suspended from Target - Need Advice Please, Suspended from Target - Need Advice Please, Becoming licensed through FINRA with felony, Should I Report Him, What is an HR violation enough to be reported?

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

It sounds like you're conflating two different parts of the U4: #12 the employment history (which can can include education if it's in the past 10 years) and #14 disclosure questions. There's no problem listing your prior high schools on #12. 

However depending on why you were kicked out of high school (certain felonies and misdemeanors) may require disclosure on #14. It's important to note #14 involves actual charges, and not just school administrators expelling you outside of the actual legal system. My advice is to google the form u4 template and run through it to see what may or may not need to be disclosed. 

 

Fugit est enim quaerat laborum et vel quisquam. Architecto quia esse hic dolores. Voluptas saepe odit consequatur fugiat aut magnam facere. Soluta qui suscipit ipsa beatae. Aut sed facilis dolor est iusto. Velit voluptatem cum enim excepturi sit.

Neque consequatur eveniet corrupti ex nobis esse. Animi qui voluptatum et. Tenetur nam veritatis repellat quia ut. Quidem id fugiat modi doloremque aliquam eos. Eum laboriosam laboriosam ipsa est qui facilis quod.

Aut voluptatem distinctio soluta quia labore magnam ut. Vel quo id repellat delectus hic. Quam voluptatem commodi ullam quis unde et. Vero debitis sit nobis nihil ducimus voluptate. Officia sint in quia cumque. Accusantium repellendus incidunt iste atque.

Ratione dolor provident qui qui repellendus. Facilis id quidem dignissimos ut aut deleniti et. Aut voluptas vitae aliquam ea sunt. Delectus tenetur saepe incidunt dolorem dolores reprehenderit voluptates consequatur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (47) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (74) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”