Benefits:
You can expect to receive the following benefits from participation in the CIF Pre-Prep Course:1. Strategic Study Plan
Getting started at the right time, knowing what to study and for how long, and acquiring necessary study materials are all critical to your Exam success. CIF's Pre-prep Facilitators will provide a strategic study plan based on project content, exam-weightings, and time to exam. Instructors will work with you to fine-tune and customize a day-by-day study plan based on your areas of strength and weakness.
2. Content Review
The CIF Pre-Prep course consists of eight weekly instructor-led content and strategy chat sessions. During the chat, the group will proceed through the certified financial planner education topics assigned for the week. A value added component of the pre-prep course is a library of over thirty pre-recorded financial planning content lectures as well as numerous written resource materials.
3. Weekly Faculty Chats
Each week you will attend a one to one-and-a-half hour live group chat with one or more CIF Prep Facilitators. During the chat the group will proceed through the certified financial planner education topics assigned for the week. While the Facilitator will coordinate the flow of the session, pre-prep participants will be expected to lead the discussion on their assigned topic items. Discussions will also address: how your preparation is progressing, what emotions you are feeling, and what questions you might need answered as you study for the Financial Planning Certification Exam.
4. Accountability and Support
Once you begin moving forward through the strategic study plan on the way to test day, it is important to stay focused. The course helps you do this by offering ongoing motivational learning support and accountability for staying aligned with your study discipline. Quoting one pre-prep participant...
I honestly do not believe I could have passed the CFP exam without the help of the CLU PrePrep course, my colleagues, and a strong review provider. To me, staying focused was the hardest but the most critical element in passing the exam. The accountability of having to explain study material to other students kept us all motivated and helped us learn from each other. I can't tell you how many times I ran across a topic on the exam and recalled a conversation that we had in the PrePrep course which allowed me to answer the question correctly. If this course helps you get even one more question correct on the exam, it is worth it. If I had to guess though, you'll end up like the rest of us did; with a significant advantage over others. 
5. Test-Taking Strategies
Learning how to answer challenging multiple-choice questions and detailed case study problems under stressful time constraints is part of the formula for passing on the first sitting. Numerous CIF Facilitator presentations are focused on developing your test-taking edge.
The test taking strategies from the review course was invaluable in preparing for the exam. Throughout my review I kept to the recommended time limit per question. As a result, my internal clock was set and during the exam I knew how long I had for each question without being a slave to watching the clock. As a result, I never ran out of time on any section of the exam.
6. Understand Exactly What to Expect
Understanding what to expect test weekend eliminates a lot of the unnecessary stress that can sabotage test results. During the pre-prep course you will be given information about what to expect come CFP® Exam weekend.
I think the most difficult part about our study group was that we were both preparing for an exam in which we had no idea what to expect, as neither of us had taken it before. Had there been someone else, who had gone through the experience before, they could have helped to guide us.
Schedule and Fees:
The CFP® Exam Pre-Prep Course rate schedule follows:
| Rates Schedule | |
| March Exam | $250 (CIF students and graduates) |
| July Exam | $250 (CIF students and graduates) |
| November Exam | $250 (CIF students and graduates) |
*Group discounts available for participating schools and
education-providers enrolling three or more students.
Course begins nine weeks prior to test date.
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Contact Information:
If you have questions or would simply like to get more information, we'd be happy to speak with you.Email: fponline@callutheran.edu
Toll-free Number: 888-372-4155
FAQS
Q: Does this course replace other CFP® prep providers?
CIF's Pre-Prep Course is not designed to replace prep-provider study materials; the course is designed to organize your review of those materials and keep you on pace.
Q: How much study time do I need to plan for prior to sitting?
Preparation and knowing how to take multiple-choice exams are key ingredients for passing on the first sitting. The general rule of thumb is 200-250 hours of focused study; however, the number that's right for you needs to reflect your knowledge base and work experience.
Q: How should I decide what test-prep provider to use for study materials?
CIF facilitators will help you identify who the prep providers are, what study packages they offer, and what tracks might be best for you.
Q: How should I get started on studying for my Exam?
Strategically planning your activities is critical; that's the starting point. You need to understand from the beginning when you will be studying what topics, and when you will stop to focus on practice questions and mock exams.
Q: I'm not usually a strong test-taker. Will this course help to improve my abilities?
Multiple-choice exams are a struggle for many of us, and the CFP® Exam is an extremely challenging professional assessment. CIF Facilitators will share test-taking tactics and offer strategies for answering the detailed case study questions. You then need to apply this information in numerous practice questions and mock exams prior to test day.
Testimonials
Probably the most significant help of the course was in getting me kick-started. I wasn't even sure I was going to sit for the exam in July, so in real terms, I wouldn't have — I'm sure — if this course had not occurred. Right up there with that was the study spreadsheet which I embellished on. It was invaluable.
I liked the pre-prep class because it addressed all the important aspect of the exam that the review courses did not cover, such as what the exam environment is like, what to wear, what to bring, where to stay, what to expect, etc. As a result, I felt a sense of ease at the test center and know what to do just as though I had gone through the exam before. Not a minute is wasted trying to adjust to the environment or trying to figure out what to do.
Looking back, I think your course was very helpful. The test taking strategies, the emphasis on time, knowing how you can "psyche' yourself out and all the mental stresses you place on yourself, etc. was helpful knowing that all before the exam. I think those topics were more helpful than the content. There were many sources of information and content but not so much the psychology and mental preparation.
In my preparation for the CFP exam, the CLU pre-prep course was absolutely invaluable. One of the most helpful components was the personalized study schedule; it helped to organize the volumes of information and set the pace for the entirety of my study time. The moral support provided by the instructors and classmates is encouraging as you come to realize that you are not the only one dealing with the exam and all its complexities. I would suggest forming an online study group with others in the pre-prep course as it will provide a much-needed forum for asking questions, clarifying difficult topics and keeping the members accountable and on track. Lastly, the instructors provide logistical tips, such as what to eat, where to sleep, etc. - very helpful and keeps you focused on the exam content.
The CIF Prep Course for the CFP Exam was instrumental in providing me a systematic and efficient process for getting prepared to pass the exam. The strategic study plan, live interactive chat sessions, knowledgeable instructors, and support group interaction made the challenging task of learning the 89 exam topics possible while still working full time. Further, pre-recorded lectures and pertinent resource materials allowed me to learn required material at times convenient to my time schedule. I owe a lot to the CIF program for my successes.