25 Comments
 

I recently passed the SIE exam by studying for about 2 to 3 weeks. My firm sent materials and I basically just watched the videos, studied flashcards, and took the practice exams. The practice exams helped the most and I also recommend taking the FINRA sie practice exam. There are also a ton of practice questions on various quizlets. Lastly, I recommend focusing on your weaknesses on practice exams and knowing regulation definitions.

 

The products part is the most heavily weighted (equities, debt, mutual fund stuff, annuities etc.). I had solid experience with equities and debt so didnt need as much review in this area. I didn't have a lot of knowledge with the regulation and compliance parts so needed to review this part more. That portion is basically knowing definitions and rules.

 

Honestly, I felt the Knopman was more difficult than the SIE exam since there were more detailed questions.

1st exam taken before studying - 60s After I reviewed lectures and my notes - 80s After I reviewed practice exams - 80s to low 90s

 

It varies based on your finance background but I tried to spend around 2-3 hours each time I studied. I found the material interesting and didn't have much to do outside of the SIE so I tried to learn it all. Although if you are shooting for the 70% passing grade, you should be fine just glancing over the material and knowing definitions.

 

Hi AMinPhase1,

My company https://achievable.me/?utm_source=wso</a">Achievable has a FINRA SIE course that is specifically focused on memory retention. Our learning algorithm optimizes your study schedule for the best possible memory retention using what's called a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leitner_system</a">Leitner system.

It's free to try, sohttps://app.achievable.me/study/finra-sie/overview?utm_source=wso</a"> give it a shot if you want to take a look :)

Thanks,

Tyler

Founder, Achievable - smart, modern FINRA prep for the FINRA SIE. Chapter 1 is free to try: [Achievable.me](https://achievable.me?utm_source=wso)
 

Is it possible to get away with skipping over the textbook material and just using online materials (Knopman Marks) because I’m trying to become more efficient with my study time. Seems like the textbook would just be repeated topics that you would see via the online modules...

 

Yeah, I passed it last week after using just the videos and practice bank. The class summary is worth reading a few times, even though it's riddled with typos. I'd only bother with the textbook if your cumulative score on the practice bank is below 70% for specific chapters; if so, just skim through those chapters to try to make up for the deficiency until your scores improve

 

Eligendi aliquam sint qui sit officia. A magnam vitae consequatur voluptatum aut incidunt. Error ducimus eos quis esse voluptatum. Et mollitia aut dolores maiores.

Ab ducimus laborum dolorem est. Nostrum magnam et rerum alias laudantium cum. Sapiente quos optio quidem animi.

Temporibus expedita rem enim necessitatibus vero voluptatem ut. Praesentium quia et ipsam aperiam facilis cum veritatis. Qui eos aut nobis harum repudiandae quisquam odit. Id quas id est aperiam.

Ut corrupti vel dolor praesentium deserunt atque quia molestiae. Labore ducimus et culpa natus in ipsum. Ut enim nisi quas earum beatae est id odit. Enim dolorum laudantium omnis accusamus et qui. Unde eius consectetur aut quaerat ex. Ipsa a est voluptates laboriosam aliquid accusantium velit.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”