So…why on Earth did I try to do it in only 3 months? Money of course. That’s why. I signed up for the course in 2018. I paid to reintroduce it in 2019. And in 2020, I had to take it then be forced to pay the full fee once again (you can only renew it once). Thankfully, because of the epidemic, my course license was protracted. It was set to expire in July 2020, but it was prolonged to the end of October. This little redeemable refinement inspired me to get serious about studying.
Although the course provides a study planner, since I was in a time-crunch, I just did my own thing. If I was smart and left myself more time, I probably would have opted for the 6-month plan. Instead, here’s what I did:
o 2 Weeks: Volume 1 has 12 chapters, so I studied a new chapter every day, which also included me watching all the accompanying videos and doing the interactive quizzes.
o 2 Weeks: Volume 2 has 13 chapters, so I studied a new chapter every day to replicate my process for Volume 1.
o 3 Weeks: I went back to Volume 1 to study since that was the first exam I booked to take. I re-read the entire textbook, highlighted sections, wrote notes and terms on flashcards, re-watched a few of the videos, then did both practice exams. I passed both practice exams, which gave me confidence that I’d pass the real exam.
o 1 Week: I needed a break from studying (and my mental health!), so I took one week off from studying.
o 3 Weeks: In the final 3 weeks, I studied Volume 2 again, which included re-reading the entire textbook, highlighting sections, and making flashcards. I only did one of the practice exams because I felt a bit burnt out from all the studying, but I passed it, and thankfully I passed the real thing too!
So yes, I read both textbooks twice! And I can honestly say I have never studied so hard for anything in my life! But I’m glad I did. Not just because I passed, but also because that information is very much ingrained in my mind now and for the future.
Don’t Cheap Out on Study Materials
One thing I was worried about was that my textbooks were a few years old since I’d signed up for the course 2 years prior. I have no idea what’s different in the updated textbooks, but if I were you, I wouldn’t try to save money by buying someone’s used textbooks. Just play it safe and get the new ones.
Moreover, there are a few different options for enrollment.
I opted for the most expensive package because if you’re going to cheap out on something, maybe it shouldn’t be on study materials for an exam you hope to pass. I bought the Canadian Securities Course (CSC®) Value Pack Combo and I’m so glad I did.
What Sections You Should Focus On When Studying the CSC
The course gives you the breakdown of the exams, and they are pretty on-point for what you should focus on.
As you can see for Volume 1, 23% of the exam focuses on fixed income. The exam made it feel like it was closer to 35%, but maybe that’s because I hate doing bond calculations. Fixed income was definitely my weak point, so I spent more time studying those sections. And yes, you do unfortunately have to memorize mathematical formulas. They don’t provide them for you. So make some flashcards and memorize them.
For me, my strong points were the Canadian Marketplace and, to my surprise, Derivatives. As you study and take the practice exams, you’ll find your strong and weak points too. What fun!
