Passing the Series 7 Exam

Have you ever heard someone say “I’m just a really good test taker” and wondered “What do they know that I don’t ?” Well as it turns out, there are certain things you can do to improve your test taking. And the best part is you don’t have to know any more of the technical information in order to do this. All standardized, multiple choice tests have certain things in common; here’s how to out-test the test, and help you become a better test taker and ace your Series 7 exam!

Read the full question. Sounds really simple right? But most people don’t. Most of us are conditioned to skim through information to find the one little nugget we are looking for. If you’re approaching Series 7 exam questions this way you’re sabotaging yourself. So let’s be clear. When you are answering Series 7 exam questions, read the entire question and read all the answer choices. Then read the last sentence of the question again. That last line is the punch line in all Series 7 exam questions, “what do they want from me?”

Use “process of elimination”. Always get rid of the answer choices you know can’t be correct.

If you have used process of elimination, have two choices left, and you’re still not sure answer is right; go with the statistics. If one of the choices you haven’t eliminated is “all of the above”, choose it! This is one of the keys to outsmarting the Series 7 exam. Statistically it’s probably the correct choice. On the other hand, if you’ve used process of elimination and one of the choices you have left is “none of the above”, don’t pick it. Odds are it’s not the correct answer. The test writers for the Series 7 exam like include a correct answer.

1.- Read the Full Question: Many people tend to skim through questions, but it’s essential to read the entire question along with all answer choices. The last sentence often contains crucial information.

2.- Use “Process of Elimination”: Eliminate answer choices that are clearly incorrect. This narrows down options and increases the likelihood of selecting the correct answer.

3.- Consider Statistics: If you have two choices left after using the process of elimination, and one is “all of the above,” statistically, it’s often the correct choice. Conversely, if “none of the above” is an option, it’s less likely to be correct.

4.- Avoid “Not Enough Information to Determine”: Disregard answer choices stating “not enough information to determine,” as there is always enough information to answer a Series 7 exam question.

5.- Don’t Change Your Answers: Once you’ve made a decision, stick with it. Statistically, changing answers often leads to selecting the wrong one.

6.- Order of Question Answering: Answer questions you’re sure of first. If a question is challenging or confusing, pick an answer, mark it for review, and move on. Later, you can go back to review and answer those questions.

7.- No “Skip” Button: Although there’s no “skip” button on the Series 7 exam, you can use the “record and review” option to temporarily skip confusing questions and come back to them later.