Creating an efficient (and strategic) study routine for the SIE
Kyle is a college senior pursuing a major in Finance with a concentration in personal financial planning. He is currently a Wealth Management Intern at Morgan Stanley, working towards building his future career as a financial advisor.
Balancing a full class schedule while preparing for high-stakes exams like the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) is no easy feat, but with the right strategy and mindset, it’s absolutely possible. For Kyle, staying organized and focused amid competing academic demands was key.
By using Achievable’s SIE course, he built an efficient study routine, strengthened his understanding of core concepts, and ultimately aced the exam. That success didn’t just earn him a passing score; it gave him the confidence and momentum to take the next step forward in his career.
What motivated you to take this exam?
As a Finance major looking to go into the wealth management field, it was a no-brainer for me to take the SIE. After doing lots of research on how to best prepare for it, Achievable always reigned as the best resource for studying. While most employers provide study materials in the first few months of a WM career, I wanted to get a head start on that and tackle the exam on my own time. I have absolutely no regrets about doing this, and Achievable was always there to help me when I needed it.
Did you use any strategies, habits, or tools that helped?
Handwritten notes were what helped me the most. I would be sure to take notes on concepts that I either didn’t feel confident in or wanted to memorize. When it came to taking practice exams, I put those notes away and worked solely from memory, but made sure to thoroughly review the questions I got wrong and revise what I had originally written. Acronyms and short phrases played a huge role in helping me memorize or understand certain concepts.
How did you balance studying with other responsibilities?
I was fortunate to have a flexible class schedule and to be able to allocate at least 1 hour of my day to studying. The most effective part of Achievable (in my opinion) is being able to set a target date, and it is able to break down what your day-to-day studying will look like. This helped a lot with planning my nights and even weeks, and with figuring out what catching up would be like if I missed a day for some reason.
Looking back, what would you do differently, if anything?
Nailing down review habits is something I wish I had started earlier. I made the mistake of taking practice quizzes with my notes, and when I put them away for the mock exam, I did incredibly poorly. I think that if I hadn't used my notes at any point, I would have been able to understand the material faster and come up with strategies for grasping the concepts, rather than relying on the notes I originally took. Taking multiple practice quizzes would have also been helpful. I usually only did one chapter quiz and moved on to the next without fully grasping the material I reviewed.
What’s next for you now that you’ve finished the exam?
I am now looking to complete the Series 66 along with the Series 7. I plan to do the 66 first, as I can take it unsponsored, but once I commit to a job, I will be doing the 7 as soon as I can. In the future, I would also like to obtain my CFPⓇ certification, as I have accumulated the necessary educational credits from my university major.
