Best Practices for Passing the SIE Exam: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam is the gateway to a career in the financial services industry. But like any exam, it requires preparation, strategy, and the commitment to improve.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps and best practices for passing the SIE exam.

Step 1: Get to Know the SIE Exam

The first step is getting to know the SIE Exam content so you know how to prepare.

The Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam is an introductory exam new securities professionals must pass to work in the industry. The exam was created by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to simplify the entry requirements. The exam tests candidates’ knowledge of fundamental concepts securities professionals use every day.

FINRA has created an SIE Content Outline to serve as an introduction to and overview of the exam. The outline includes the exam structure and offers a detailed list of every topic covered across the timed exam’s 75 questions.

After reviewing the outline, the next step is studying the material. After all, preparing for the SIE exam is one of the best ways to ensure you pass the first time. Plus, the better your exam prep, the more prepared you’ll be when you start working in the industry.

Step 2: Schedule Your Exam

The second step is to schedule your SIE Exam through FINRA. Knowing your exam day allows you to build a more impactful exam preparation strategy that ensures you are prepared when that day arrives.

We recommend spending three weeks to prepare for the SIE Exam. The best time to study is the month prior to your exam. You can certainly begin before this. The goal here is to ensure your knowledge is fresh and easily accessible on exam day.

Once you have your exam scheduled, you can begin planning out your SIE Exam prep strategy.

Step 3: Master the Fundamentals with Securities Exam Prep

With your exam scheduled, the third step is studying for the exam.

WebCE’s securities exam prep course is the best way to prepare for the SIE exam because it is filled with content and tools developed by securities industry experts with decades of experience. Each topic on the SIE outline is covered in-depth and bolstered with frequent knowledge checks to improve retention.

Plus, our AI-powered Exam Readiness Score offers personalized insights into how to improve your preparation. The Exam Readiness Score uses machine learning and sophisticated data analysis on course progress and the use of study aids and tools to recommend actionable insights on where to focus study efforts for the best results.

Securities exam prep students can find their Exam Readiness Score by clicking the “Am I Exam Ready?” button on their dashboard.

From studying daily for three weeks to using each study tool, these recommendations are informed by our exam prep students who successfully passed their exam the first time.

Follow these and other best practices recommended to you as you prepare and you’ll put yourself in the best position to succeed.

After following your tips for success and you receive a score in the green, you are ready for exam day.

Step 4: Sharpen Your Skills with Timed SIE Practice Tests

After getting familiar with the exam content, the fourth step is testing your knowledge with SIE Exam practice tests. Practice tests that simulate the state exam are one of the best ways to get comfortable with the timed exam format while testing your knowledge.

Plus, our SIE exam prep course offers unlimited simulations of the exam. It also lets you customize your own practice exam to focus on topics you want to study.

Step 5: SIE Exam Day Tips

How you approach exam day is just as important as how you approach your preparation.

Here are a few exam day tips to increase your chances of success:

1. Read Each Question Carefully – Pay close attention to the language used in each question. Look out for double negatives and words like “not,” “except,” “unless,” and “until,” which can change the meaning.

2. Manage Your Time – With 75 questions in 1 hour and 45 minutes, you have about 1.5 minutes for each question. If you need to, skip a question—and make a note so you don’t forget—and come back to it.

3. Trust Your Preparation – If time is running out or you honestly don’t know the answer to a question, think of principles or concepts that might guide you to the correct answer.

Securities Exam Prep from WebCE

Securities exam prep not only helps you pass the SIE Exam the first time, but it can also better prepare you for work in the industry, help you make a better first impression, and become the basis of your expertise as you grow in your career.

Following these steps can greatly improve your chances of success on exam day and help you start your securities career sooner rather than later.

Get started today by visiting our SIE Exam Prep catalog to take the first step to becoming a securities professional.