If you have been looking into Series 27 prep courses recently, Varsity Tutors can find you a private Series 27 class to help you build study skills. The Series 27 exam, or Financial and Operations Principal Qualification Examination (FN), is designed to determine whether or not an entry-level FINOP (Financial and Operations Principal) candidate has the requisite skills for their job. Passing it is required to work as a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at member firms around the country. If you feel that you could benefit from taking a Series 27 prep course, reach out to us today!
One of the first topics discussed in a Series 27 course is the structure of the exam. The chart below highlights what you can look forward to on test day:
| Question Format | # Questions | Time Allowed | Passing Score |
| Multiple-Choice | 145 | 3 Hours and 45 Minutes | 69% |
Answering 145 questions without a break can be intellectually draining, so you may want to take practice exams during a Series 27 course to help build up your mental stamina. Taking practice tests can also help you understand how the exam words questions. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) exams are notorious for tricky questions worded in such a way as to intentionally confuse test-takers, so answering practice questions beforehand may help you identify what response the test is looking for.
Your practice tests may also reveal your academic strengths and any areas of opportunity you might want to focus on in Series 27 classes. The bulleted list below includes some of the topics you might want to review in advance of the test:
Series 27 Exam Topics (non-comprehensive)
- General accounting requirements
- Preparation and maintenance of general ledger and sub-ledgers
- Timing and method of filing FOCUS reports
- SEC reporting and filing requirements
- Appropriate response to regulatory inquiries
- Market, liquidity, and credit risks
- Clearance, settlement, and delivery
- General ledger and sub-ledgers
- Records management policy
- Business conduct
- Insider trading regulations
- Purpose of a stock record
- Stock record allocation
- Unsecured and partly secured accounts
- Documentation and requirements for accounts for the exclusive benefit of customers
- Proper transmission of customer assets
- Net capital requirements of brokers and dealers
- Distinction between cash liabilities and deferrals
- Aging and collateralization of receivables
- Deferred taxes
- Subordinated liabilities
- Margin deficits
- Product knowledge for applicable haircut charges
- Ratios for withdrawals of capital
- Margin requirements
- Maintenance of credit
- Balancing purchase and sale (P&S) statements
- Secured demand notes
That is a lot to go over, but a private Series 27 class can break it down into more digestible bits. Working with a private instructor allows you to study at your own pace. If you are comfortable with margin deficits, you don't need to use any prep time on the topic at all. If you're less confident with deferred taxes and subordinated liabilities, you may spend as much time as you want addressing those concepts. The choice is completely up to you.
Likewise, you are your instructor's sole priority during your Series 27 prep class. All of your work may receive immediate feedback so that you understand any mistakes you made while it is still fresh in your mind. You are also free to ask as many questions as you like as you work toward your professional goals.
Your instructor may even be able to design study sessions around your unique needs. If you are a practical learner, your instructor might provide practice problems until you get the hang of any topic. If you have a more pragmatic bent, your tutor may instead relate seemingly abstract concepts to real life use-cases to help them click.
We also try to make our Series 27 prep classes as convenient as possible. You can study on our exclusive Live Learning Platform, giving you the benefits of face-to-face instruction without the logistical headache of trying to arrange a personal meeting. We also try to refer every client to an instructor who fits their scheduling needs to make the whole process a little easier.
If you would like to learn more about our private Series 27 courses, please contact Varsity Tutors for more information. Educational Directors are standing by to help you any way they can!
Mary: Series 27 course instructor
...(particularly US Equities and Swiss Treasury) that I diligently represented resulting in increasing customer business and attractive risk adjusted return on capital (RAROC). My career trajectory continued to expand beyond US domestic equity markets into global markets - Asia, Latin America, Europe as well as into other asset classes FX, Commodities, Fixed Income dictated by customer investment policies, the liberalization of markets, and the respective risk books. I accepted new business roles and appointments and...
Education & Certification
- Dickinson College - Bachelor in Arts, Economics
- Northwestern University - Masters in Business Administration, Finance
Subject Expertise
- Series 27
- Series 7 - General Securities Representative Exam (Stockbroker)
- Series 51
- Series 99
- +109 subjects
Peter: Series 27 course instructor
...for a Series 7 school years ago before publishing training manuals that became the big business we see today. My peers, other broker-dealers, had enough confidence in me to elect me to two different FINRA offices. One was regional office and the other a national position. I sat in on the meetings when FINRA changed the Series 7 test from a single 6 hour exam to the present two exams being the SIE and the...
Education & Certification
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Bachelor of Science, Materials Engineering
- California University of Pennsylvania - Master of Science, Mathematics and Statistics
Subject Expertise
- Series 27
- Series 10
- Series 87
- Series 86
- +42 subjects
Hajra: Series 27 course instructor
...with a concentration in finance and statistics. In addition to that I also have over 9 years of professional experience, holding various positions within the finance sector. In my professional setting I have helped and trained fellow colleagues to pass the different FINRA exams. I understand the pressure of learning the materials and then passing the exams in the allotted time frames given. I am passionate about helping people pass the professional exams and achieving...
Education & Certification
- American International College - Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Management
Subject Expertise
- Series 27
- Series 82
- Series 6
- Series 65
- +9 subjects
James: Series 27 course instructor
...taught there for a period of time and authored two books: The Do-It-Yourself Investor and Do-It-Yourself Investment Analysis. The former book was chosen by Sylvia Porter as one of her top business books for 1987. While completing my MBA, I also began my professional career in the Financial Services Industry with the firm that later became Shearson American Express. At that firm I worked as a licensed stock, commodity, and insurance broker, earning the position...
Education & Certification
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Bachelor in Arts, Business, General
Subject Expertise
- Series 27
- Series 4
- Series 7 - General Securities Representative Exam (Stockbroker)
- Series 53
- +24 subjects
Jim: Series 27 course instructor
...the securities industry for over 20 years and have a good understanding of many different areas. I will do my best to help the student by simplifying the material and using everyday tasks as examples. Exams I have taken (and passed on the first try): Series 7 (General Securities), Series 24 (General Securities Principal), Series 4 (Registered Options Principal), Series 27 (Financial and Operations Principal), Series 53 (Municipal Securities Principal), Series 66 (Investment Advisor Representative)...
Education & Certification
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus - Bachelor of Science, Finance
Subject Expertise
- Series 27
- Series 4
- Series 6
- Series 53
- +16 subjects