I’m good at remembering terminology, and there doesn’t seem to be a lo...

We approach things as if suitability/investment recommendations will be an important part of the exam. As a registered representative, a Series 6 licensee explains investment options to customers and helps them determine suitability. Broker-dealers provide training, of course, but the license exam wants to see if candidates are able to rule out poor investment options in favor of more suitable approaches. Some questions on the exam involve basic math. Some involve remembering what a particular term or securities law is associated with. But, as you correctly state, suitability questions seem inherently unfamiliar and confusing. Then again, it’s a multiple choice exam. Therefore, the only way a suitability question can work is if three of the answer choices are eliminated by the facts presented in the question. There cannot be one or two “pretty good” answers and then one “really good” one. Rather, three of the answer choices are to be eliminated based on the information provided. For example, if the question says the recent retiree already has a defined benefit pension plan, you can probably eliminate redundant investments such as money market mutual funds or Treasury notes. If the question says the investor is concerned about inflation, that is a signal that common stock is a requirement, for at least a percentage of the portfolio. If there is no mention of the investor’s tax bracket, the option containing municipal bonds can probably be eliminated. Once you find fault with three of the answer choices, you are left with the correct answer. Suitability questions—and many others on the exam—must be solved carefully as opposed to answered through memorization or simple arithmetic.