First, welcome to the world of the Series 6. This program includes everything you need: reading materials, hundreds of practice questions, and unlimited final exams. Before you jump into the material, here are the key topics to know:
The Series 6 exam is also known as the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative Qualification Examination. Passing this exam is typically required for roles that involve transactions in the following products:
Additionally, you may be taking on a role that involves a fiduciary standard when making suitable recommendations to clients. In practical terms, this means putting the client’s interests first while analyzing their financial situation to determine which investments are appropriate to recommend.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) writes the test questions and administers the exam. To sit for the Series 6 exam, you must be sponsored by a FINRA member firm (a financial organization registered with and regulated by FINRA).
Outside of licensing exams, FINRA regulates the securities markets and their participants alongside the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You’ll learn the roles and responsibilities of both regulators in this material.
FINRA provides a Series 6 outline that lists the testable topics and concepts you must know. The outline divides the exam into four units:
Tests knowledge of broker-dealer operations, rules relating to public communications, disclosures to investors, and offering newly-issued securities to investors.
Opens accounts after obtaining and evaluating financial profiles and investment objectives (16% - 8/50 questions)
Tests types of brokerage accounts, required customer disclosures, and building financial profiles.
Provides information about investments, makes recommendations, transfers assets, and maintains appropriate records (50% - 25/50 questions)
Tests ability to make suitable recommendations based on various client scenarios, knowledge of brokerage products, and comprehension of market dynamics.
Obtains and verifies purchase and sale instructions (10% - 5/50 questions)
Tests knowledge of order requests from customers, trade execution, complaint resolution, and general rules for registered representatives.
Some of these topics may feel broad at first. As you work through the course, you’ll see each area broken down into specific rules, definitions, and real-world examples.
Candidates must pass the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam and the Series 6 exam to obtain the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products registration.
You must be sponsored by a FINRA member firm or a self-regulatory organization (SRO) to take the Series 6 exam. Firms apply for candidates by filing a Uniform Application for Security Industry Registration or Transfer (Form U4). Firms also commonly cover the exam fees.
The Series 6 is a timed multiple-choice exam. You’ll be given 55 questions, including 5 “experimental” questions. Those 5 questions are not identified and are not graded, so you’ll have 50 scored questions.
You must score a 70% in 90 minutes (1 hour and 30 minutes) or less in order to pass.
Do the work consistently. Read through the material, click ‘Complete’ at the end of each chapter, and keep up with your assigned reviews (click here to learn more about how to use the program). Achievable is designed to be easy to use on your phone. If you’d like to turn the program into an app, see this page.
Consistency matters because studying is a habit. It’s usually easier to build momentum with small, regular sessions than with occasional long sessions. If you can set aside 20-30 minutes each day, that time adds up quickly. As your exam date gets closer, plan to increase your study time.
Try to finish the reading portion of the program with roughly 2 weeks to spare before your test. At that point, focus primarily on:
This approach gives you repeated exposure to practice exams designed to feel like the real exam, while allowing the Achievable algorithm to identify weak areas and bring them back through assigned reviews.
The textbook’s wrapping-up portion includes more details about taking the Series 6 exam, including how to register, exam cost, and test-taking options.
This course is designed to guide you through every aspect of the Series 6 exam. Achievable exam prep includes our online textbook, review questions, full-length practice exams, and videos on key topics. Work through the course as prompted, starting with the textbook and continuing to practice problems and exams. Practice is where you turn familiarity into exam-ready recall.