Passing the SIE while balancing a career and family life
Abby is passionate about serving her local community. She earned her cosmetology degree and later owned and operated her own salon and boutique for five years before beginning her career with Farm Bureau. She is married to her high school sweetheart, and together they have two incredible daughters who keep them busy with junior high cheerleading and weekend youth sports.
An avid animal lover and advocate, Abby shares her home with three rescue dogs and two rescue cats and is always eager to help animals in need. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, gardening, and landscaping. Whenever they have the opportunity, her family loves visiting the beach and making memories together.
I decided to take the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam as part of my long-term career goal of advancing within the financial services industry. As the Office Manager for a Farm Bureau Financial Services agency, I work closely with financial advisors every day, scheduling financial planning appointments, assisting clients, and supporting retirement and insurance planning efforts. Passing the SIE was an important first step toward expanding my knowledge and opening new opportunities within the financial industry.
Staying organized and balanced with the right study structure
The biggest challenge during my preparation was balancing a full-time career, family responsibilities, and studying. My husband and I have two daughters who are active in school and extracurricular activities, and, like many working parents, we never seem to have enough hours in the day. There were certainly moments of burnout and self-doubt, especially when learning unfamiliar concepts like options, regulations, and securities markets.
To make it work, I committed to studying consistently rather than cramming. I studied early in the mornings, during lunch breaks, and in the evenings after my family responsibilities were completed. My goal was to make a little progress every day, even if it was only 30 to 60 minutes. On weekends, I would spend additional time reviewing practice questions and weak areas.
What helped me most was repetition and consistency. I developed a routine of reading material, completing quizzes, reviewing missed questions, and revisiting difficult topics until they became familiar. I also created quick-reference notes and memory aids for highly tested concepts. Instead of focusing on memorizing answers, I worked to understand why the correct answer was right and why the other choices were wrong.
My background definitely shaped my preparation. I had been out of a traditional classroom environment for many years and was balancing a demanding career and family life while studying. Because of that, I needed a study program that was organized, efficient, and easy to follow. Achievable provided exactly that.
Practice exams built my confidence for test day
Going into test day, I was definitely nervous, but I also felt prepared. The practice exams and readiness scores gave me confidence that I had thoroughly covered the material. The key for me was trusting the process and remembering that I had put in the work.
If I could do anything differently, I would have started taking full-length practice exams earlier in my study journey. The more exposure you have to exam-style questions, the more comfortable and confident you become.
Pursuing additional licensing with newfound confidence
Now that I've passed the SIE, I'm excited to continue pursuing additional licensing and educational opportunities as I work toward becoming a Financial Advisor. Passing this exam represents an important milestone in my professional development and a significant step toward achieving my long-term career goals.
Achievable played a major role in my success. The platform broke down complex concepts into easy-to-understand lessons, kept me engaged, and provided a clear study path from start to finish. The practice questions closely reflected the style and difficulty of the actual exam, which helped me feel prepared on test day. Most importantly, Achievable made studying manageable for someone balancing a full-time career, family responsibilities, and a busy schedule. I would highly recommend it to anyone preparing for the SIE Exam.
