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. 

 

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