Contents
Overview Of The Series 6 Exam
The Series 6 (Investment Company/Variable Contracts Products Limited Representative) Examination entitles you to sell variable annuities, insurance, and mutual funds as a registered representative of a company. Series 6 is commonly required in jobs such as private bankers, financial and investment advisors, and retirement planning.
Passing the exam is a challenging task with great potential rewards. Given the exam difficulty and cost, it’s important to prepare yourself going in, and a quality study guide can help get you there.
We’ll cover the exam in detail, and give you our picks for the best Series 6 study guides, review guides, and flashcards below, but if you just can’t wait, here’s the short list:
Series 6 Exam Details
The Series 6 Exam contains 50 questions which you’ll have 90 minutes to answer. The Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam is a corequisite to the Series 6 exam. Youll have to pass both the Series 6 exam and the SIE exam to obtain the investment company and variable contracts products registration. The test is closed book, and only scratch paper and writing instrument are allowed on the test.
Exam Topics
The Series 6 contains 4 main topics, as follows:
- Seeking Business from Customers and Potential Customers (questions: 12, weight: 24%)
- Opening Accounts After Obtaining and Evaluating Customer Objectives (questions: 8, weight: 16%)
- Providing Customers with Information, Recommendation, and Records (questions: 25, weight: 50%)
- Processing, Completing and Confirming Customer Transactions (questions: 5, weight: 10%)
With this broad range of topics covered by the exam, you need to carefully plan your study time leading up to the test. It’s important to prepare a study plan, and stick to it! Most of the resources on our list will cover this process to help you succeed.
Exam Scoring
The Series 6 is scored as a pass/fail, and you need a score of 70% (35 out of 50 questions correct). There are no penalties for incorrect answers, so be sure to make an educated guess on anything you aren’t sure about.
Best Series 6 Study Guides
Wiley Series 6 Exam Review
Pros: In depth, detailed, high production quality.
Cons: Some minor typographical errors.
Our Rating: 5.0 / 5
Our number one recommendation for Series 6 study guide in 2019 is Wiley Series 6 Exam Review! It’s an extremely high quality review guide, with everything you need to pass the exam laid out in a logical and easy to absorb fashion. The full list of features include:
- Dozens of examples
- Assorted practice questions for each subject area covered in the exam
- Priceless test-taking tips and strategies
- Helpful hints on how to study for the test, manage stress, and stay focused
This newly revised edition covers the most up to date version of the exam, including the recent changes to include the SIE co-requisite, and 2018 tax code changes. There are no shortage of great guides to the Series 6 exam, but this is our hands down top pick!
Series 6 Exam Secrets
Pros: Strong overall review of exam topics.
Cons: Some sample questions include confusing explanations.
Our Rating: 4.5 / 5
Series 6 Exam Secrets our alternate choice for best Series 6 Exam guides. If you’ve tried the Wiley books for other exams and haven’t been a fan, our second place pick is sure to suit you just fine. It has everything you need to be successful, it just doesn’t quite measure up to our top pick (in our humble opinion).
The full list of features include:
- Uses Plain English and concise explanations
- In-depth and easy to read
- Over 450 challenging questions in the Pass the 6 Practice Exam Question Bank
- Great practice questions with detailed explanations
The main drawback we see to going with this over our top recommendation, is that the organization isn’t quite as strong. This can be a bit of a drawback in the precious days leading up to the test, when you want to quickly go back over what you’ve learned. Like we mentioned, this is still a great book so don’t hesitate if our top pick doesn’t appeal to you for any reason.
Series 6 Exam Practice Questions
Pros: Great variety of questions, similar in difficulty to the actual exam.
Cons: Some question explanations are hard to follow.
Our Rating: 4.5 / 5
Series 6 Exam Practice Questions is our pick for people looking for extra example questions to use in their studies. It has a wealth of great questions that are very similar in difficulty to what you’ll encounter on the actual test. The features for this guide include:
- Assess your performance and focus where you need it.
- Prepare for the types of questions and answers on the official test.
- Detailed answer explanations included for each question.
Drilling on practice questions is a great way to prepare for the exam and make valuable assessments of your progress. We strongly recommend picking up a question bank, and if you do, we think this is your best bet!
Series 6 Exam Flashcard Study System
Pros: Complete coverage of all exam topics.
Cons: Cards can be fairly densely packed with info.
Our Rating: 4.5 / 5
Series 6 Exam Flashcard Study System is our pick for Series 6 exam flashcards. They’re the best on the market, and great for repetition and drilling as a part of your exam prep efforts.
The full list of features include:
- Professional-quality cards that will not smear or wear out with heavy usage
- Over 330 cards
- Cards include thorough explanations so you understand why you answer was right or wrong
Flashcards aren’t usually enough for most people to study from on their own, but they can be a terrific way to compliment a study guide. If you’ve used and benefited from flashcards on other exams, do yourself a favor and pick up a set of these great cards!
Series 6 Exam Frequent Questions
How do I study for the Series 6 exam?
As with most exams, preparation is key for succeeding on the series 6 exam. It’s important to start your studying early, formulate a study plan, and use guides and flashcards to help you make the most of your study time.
How long does it take to get a Series 6 license?
The amount of time you’ll need to study and prepare to take the series 6 is heavily dependent on your level of preparation coming in. Most candidates report taking between 1 and 4 weeks to prepare for the test.
What is the passing score for Series 6?
The updated Series 6 exam requires a score of 70%, or 35 out of 50 questions answered correctly.
How do I get my Series 6 license?
Passing the series 6 is only part of the updated requirements. You’ll also need to take and pass the SIE.
What is the pass rate for the Series 6 exam?
The actual rate at which candidates for the series 6 pass the exam isn’t published. You’ll need a 70% or better on the exam, and it’s generally considered a challenging (but not extremely so) test.
Wrapping Up
Quality exam study materials, like flashcards, question banks, and study guides can mean the difference between a passing and failing grade. Formulating a solid study plan including these materials, and giving yourself plenty of time to prepare are critical!
We’ve rounded up the best Series 6 Exam study materials to help you make the most of your precious time, and presented them above. To recap our recommendations:
| Top Study Guide Recommendation: | Wiley Series 6 Exam Review |
|---|---|
| Top Question Bank Recommendation: | Series 6 Exam Practice Questions |
| Top Flashcard Recommendation: | Series 6 Exam Flashcard Study System |
Wiley Series 6 Exam Review is our #1 choice for Series 6 Study Guide. It has the most complete coverage of material, a strong layout, and high production value.
Series 6 Exam Practice Questions is our pick for best Series 6 question bank. The questions are realistic, and similar to what you should expect on the actual test.
Series 6 Exam Flashcard Study System is our top pick for flashcards. It condenses down the materials to the most critical concepts, and puts them onto hundreds of cards that are great for review.
Whatever your circumstance, supplemental study and review materials are a key part of ensuring success on the exam. We’ve listed some of the best Series 6 resources available. Good luck, and study hard!