A friend of mine is looking to take the exam for Certified Financial planner this year before a degree is required. So how about some guidance. I know the pass rate is 60%, any input on the exam and distance learning programs to help prepare him? Thank you, Jeremy
For DL programs for the CFP, look at the following 2 programs: College for Financial Planning http://www.cffp.edu The American College http://www.theamericancollege.edu Every Financial Planner I've talked with has mentioned these 2 programs for online/distance learning. I've taken the first "course" at Boston University's CFP program and was NOT impressed and felt it was a waste of time/money.
I'll echo Eric's feedback on Boston U. We have someone in the office feverishly working to finish the coursework to sit for the November exam. She is less than thrilled with the material. I used the College for Financial Planning's review material. This is not the actual courses, but review material from the courses. I was not impressed, and dropped it in favor of the BISYS Review program (I qualified for challenge status so did not have to take the courses). However, a couple people I know took the regular coursework from the school and was quite pleased (and passed). I know several people that took the coursework from The American College, and they found it to be excellent. I wish him luck. With just the review, I spent several months in prep for the exam. However, if I were in his shoes, I'd go for it!
Texas A&M University-Commerce offers a financial planning certificate program http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/ecofin/faculty/washer/cpd/cpd_cfp.htm Texas A&M University-Commerce offers a financial planning certificate program that is registered with Certified Financial Planner Board of Standard Inc. After successfully completing our program you will have satisfied CFP Board's education requirement and will be eligible to take the CFP® Certification Examination that is given 3 times per year. Our program consists of six courses that each last 10 weeks and is taught 100% online. The six courses and start dates are listed below: Courses Beginning April 3, 2006 Fundamentals of Financial Planning (first course for new students) Investment Planning Tax Planning Courses Beginning June 12, 2006 Fundamentals of Financial Planning (first course for new students) Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits Estate Planning and Taxation Courses Beginning August 21, 2006 Fundamentals of Financial Planning (first course for new students) Insurance Planning Investment Planning Courses Beginning October 30, 2006 Fundamentals of Financial Planning (first course for new students) Tax Planning Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits Courses Beginning January 8, 2007 Fundamentals of Financial Planning (first course for new students) Estate Planning and Taxation Insurance Planning
Here is a program at a community college which will qualify you.... and it's cheap...I think it's around $60 per credit nowadays and the courses are 4.5 credits each. http://wwwfp.mccneb.edu/financialplanning/
Can those who have or are taking the Boston University CFP certificate program please elaborate on their experiences. I am thinking of taking the program but it sounds like a couple of people aren't that happy with the program. Thanks.
I enrolled last year in the online CFP cert program at Boston and hated it...the course material is not presented well at all.
I finished the CFP cert program at UC Berkeley in 1996, and did not take the exam until 2002. I used the BISYS materials to review (actually I used the Dalton materials just before they were purchased by BISYS). The test is pretty difficult. You definitely need to do some studying beforehand. I did an 8 week cram, as it had been 6 years since I had been in a classroom learning the stuff - though I knews the investments stuff cold since I had been doing masters level work in that. If money is not an option, one of the live courses might be a good idea. It's not a test you want to have to make two (or more) stabs at. Pass it the first time.
