PASSED THE 66 TODAY (3rd Attempt)
Figured I’d share my experience in case it helps someone else at all!!
My testing journey:
• SIE – Passed first try after about 2 weeks of studying
• Series 7 – Passed first try after about 3 weeks of studying
• Series 66 – Passed today on my third attempt in 3 months
The 66 was by far the hardest exam for me.
The SIE and 7 felt much more straightforward and had more formulas and math which for me personally, is easier. With the 66, I often knew the material but struggled with the way questions were asked. The rules can be nuanced, and I found myself getting tripped up by the wording and small little details.
I used Achievable for my first two attempts and Kaplan for my third. I liked both, but personally preferred Kaplan. If I could go back and change one thing, I would have started watching Dean’s/Series 7 guru’s test walkthrough videos much earlier. I watched him for all three exams, but this last round I spent a lot of time watching him go through practice tests and explain his thought process. That completely changed everything for me and I felt like it was finally clicking!! He definitely helped me learn how to actually apply what I know and understand what the question is asking.
Areas I’d make sure I really understood:
• IA vs IAR
• State vs Federal registration
• Life insurance concepts
• Minor accounts and account registrations
As far as test-taking strategy, I don’t flag many questions. Usually only a handful. When I finish, I go back through the entire exam and reread every question. On the 66 especially, I caught several very careless mistakes that way. This might not be for you, but as a person who typically goes with my gut I felt this test had a lot of questions that I could better answer after doing the whole test and remembering different things as I went.
Overall, I can’t recommend Kaplan and u/series7guru enough!!! If you are on attempt 2 or 3 right now, keep going and don’t give up! Passing on the third try wasn’t my plan, but a pass is a freaking pass!!!