In My Head
I've been doing my final studying for the NASD Series 65 investment license exam, which I will be taking on Monday, 8/6 at 1:30 p.m.
If I pass, I will be a Registered Investment Adviser representative. Whoop-dee-doo.
The material covered in the exam is extensive, and the prep for it has been grueling, quite frankly. It's mostly self-study, but I decided to up my chances of passing on the first try by enrolling in a two-day intensive review class. That was this past Monday and Tuesday in Center City (Teri, I was thinking of you...I took the train into town those days and got off at Suburban Station, and then walked the four blocks or so to the classroom at 16th and Walnut.).
The exam topics include both federal and state regulations on the securities and investments industry, equity and debt securities (aka stocks and bonds), other securities products (aka options, variable annuities, commodities, and futures), retirement plans, asset allocation models, tax law, investment strategies, and a far-reaching overview of economics and the different types of investment analysis.
Bleh. Especially on the econ part...I took a general overview Economics course in college and got a D+.
I have serious doubts about my ability to pass this exam. I've been taking a kajillion practice exams, and I've been scoring just a teeny bit below the passing grade, which is 68.5%. I've been getting scores like 63% and 66%, which simultaneously annoys and reassures me. I'm annoyed because it's so damn close to a passing score but not QUITE there...and I'm reassured because it's so damn close to a passing score, which indicates that there must be some hope that I will get through it successfully.
So on Monday around 1:30 p.m., please, PLEASE think some good thoughts for me. It's a 3-hour exam with 130 multiple-multiple choice (that's not a typo) questions, but the practice exams I've done so far have taken me just over an hour to complete.
I will be soooooo glad when this is over and behind me.
Labels: Philadelphia, stress, work
