How to Study for the Series Exams

Having recently passed the Series 63 (05 Jan 2023!!), I thought it was high time I posted an article on how to study for the Series 63. And let me tell you, I am absolutely taking these tips into studying for the SIE (my next exam!).

If you take nothing else from this article, know this: it is imperative to have a reason behind your method. Why do you use videos? Why do you write down what you read in your own words? Why do you read articles about certain concepts in action? And please, think deeper than "I'm a visual learner" or "Videos just do it for me."

What I'm NOT Going To Talk About

A quiet, clean space to study
The importance of writing vs typing your notes
Building a study guide
Using practice tests
Spending X time per day/week studying
Etc.

If you're reading this, you're likely an adult who already know the basics. And if you don't, go Google "Best studying methods" and then come back.

I was sitting in Peet's Coffee somewhere in LA when I realized why I study the way I do: I'm angry.

In academia, particularly in "higher education," there is the common theme that every article, every journal, every book... it's written to be confusing. I'm not talking about having a wide vocabulary or understanding a nuanced topic. I am talking about how 'entry-level' texts are not actually written for those who have no background in that space. This includes the material that I used while studying for the Series 63.

I used both Prometric's Series 63 Exam Prep Book and Pass Perfect's online Series 63 Course to study. Both are fine study materials, although I prefer Pass Perfect for their much wider array of example questions, and their digital format. My number 1 complaint with both of them, however, is how difficult their passages are to understand and internalize.

Of course, I am NOT in the place (yet) where I can change this, nor do I think they would listen if I were. Therefore, I present to you my methods of studying for the Series 63!

Buy a Digital Prep Course

It is totally up to you which course you buy - I'm sticking with PassPerfect.com because it worked for me. However, I cannot stress this enough: buy digital. If it comes with paper and you prefer it, great! But you need a digital version.

Buy Flashcards and a GOOD Pen

Get some flash cards, ruled. You'll want to be able to write neatly, so be mindful of your handwriting. If you write small, get college-ruled ones! If you write big, don't try to cram your writing in college-ruled cards. Just get bigger lines so you are comfortable.

Also, getting a nice gel pen that flows well, that looks pretty, and that is smooth is going to be a lifesaver. If you LIKE writing your cards, you'll do it more often. I'm not kidding. Don't skip this step. Good pen = good notes = good studying = pass test. My logic is infallible.

Purchase a Subscription to ChatGPT 4

No, 3.5 is NOT good enough. You're investing in your future here, and this is worth it. PassPerfect.com doesn't allow the use of 'copy-paste' functions, but it DOES allow screenshots! Every time you run into a passage that is confusing, or you don't understand how it fits into the rest of the information, ask ChatGPT. Here is the prompt I use religiously:

"What is this talking about? Explain each of the vocab in this picture, using only the most common 1000 words in English plus whatever vocabulary is on the page. Then, explain the meaning of the passage." You can ask follow-up questions, you can explain the information back and ask it to tell you if/how you got it wrong, and more.

Write What Surprises or Confuses You

As you are studying, you're going to be reading a LOT of really dense information. You need to be able to categorize the information you read into two categories:

Intuitive Information
Surprising Information

We will use the concept of "soft dollars" as an example. If you already knew what they were, or they just make complete sense to you after a simple explanation, then move on to the next informational set. This will go into "intuitive information" that you don't need to write.

However, if you read about soft dollars and it was hard for you to understand, or you were surprised that it was a legal action, or commonly practiced, then you need to write that down. This is where your flash cards will come into play.

There are three basic 'formats' that I use to write my notes on my flashcards.

"What are "soft dollars" and how are they used?
Explain the concept of "soft dollars" and create a scenario in which they would be used.
Who/When does the concept of "soft dollars" apply to?

This will go on Side A of the flash card. On Side B, I write the answer. I use detail, and I NEVER copy the information verbatim from the course. I ALWAYS write it in my own words. If you write it like the course, you're memorizing (🤮). If you write it in your own words, you're learning.

Taking the Test

When it comes to test day, I only have a few general tips.

Bring a small bottle of water. Enough to not need to get up, not enough to need to go to the bathroom.
Don't immediately start the test. Read the instructions, finish the tutorial, then stop. Take a minute or two to just exist. Breathe deeply. Inhale, hold, exhale, hold. Four seconds for each breath, 4 seconds for each hold. Calm your heart, feel the space around you.
Put on the headphones if offered in the room - silence is great.
Read each question twice. Double check for words that will change the meaning like "NOT" or "often" or words that like legal/illegal that can be easily skimmed. Know the meaning of the question before you attempt to answer.
Read each answer twice. Don't spend too much time, but... tell yourself (silently) why each other answer is incorrect. You'll catch stuff you previously missed (at least I did).

Good luck!

Other Study Resources:

Holly's Digital Series 63 Flash Cards

Holly's ChatGPT Prompts for Studying