CFA vs. Series 7: What’s the Difference?

CFA vs. Sequence 7: An Overview

The Chartered Monetary Analyst (CFA) designation is an expert credential provided by the CFA Institute. It’s a globally acknowledged and revered credential held by greater than 167,000 professionals throughout 165 nations, and it’s considered the gold normal for the funding trade.

Sequence 7 colloquially refers back to the license that permits the holder to promote all varieties of securities besides commodities and futures. Administered by the Monetary Trade Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Sequence 7 examination—also called the Common Securities Consultant Qualification Examination (GS)—basically assesses the competency of an entry-level registered consultant to carry out their job as a common securities consultant, or a stockbroker in frequent parlance. To acquire the Common Securities Consultant registration, candidates should move the Securities Trade Necessities (SIE) examination and the Sequence 7 examination.

Evaluating the CFA program with the Sequence 7 is an apples-to-oranges comparability. The CFA program is a rigorous, three-level superior program, whereas Sequence 7 exams are meant for entry-level registered representatives. Thus, it might typically take far more time to review for the three examination ranges of the CFA program—a median of 300+ hours is really useful for every examination stage—than for the Sequence 7. The CFA exams are additionally notoriously troublesome to move; the typical move price of all three CFA ranges from 1963 to 2021 is 45%. FINRA doesn’t publish move charges for the Sequence 7 exams, however anecdotal proof means that it’s round 65% to 70%—considerably greater than the CFA move charges, however definitely a difficult examination to move for an unprepared candidate.

Whereas CFA and Sequence 7 credentials might take you down completely different profession paths within the monetary trade, many monetary trade professionals possess each. Sequence 7 holders are licensed to promote most securities of their capability as monetary advisors and brokers. However very often, being concerned within the monetary trade sparks an curiosity for extra in-depth studying in areas equivalent to funding evaluation and portfolio administration, in addition to the need to garner a profession benefit by a sophisticated credential just like the CFA. Observe that the CFA will not be mandated by any regulatory company for a monetary trade place. The CFA is primarily a certification, similar to a grasp’s diploma, that will increase the credibility of funding professionals and improves profession development prospects.

CFA Constitution

The CFA Institute points the CFA constitution to individuals who can move its rigorous necessities. Individuals typically examine the CFA research program to acquiring a grasp’s of enterprise administration (MBA) besides that it’s far more specialised within the space of investments.

To enroll within the CFA Program and register for the Stage I examination, candidates should have a global journey passport and meet one of many following entrance necessities: have a bachelor’s diploma or be a final-year pupil, or have a mix of 4,000 hours of labor expertise and/or not less than three sequential years of upper schooling.

To acquire a CFA, a person should meet the entire necessities set forth by the CFA Institute, together with:

• Cross all three ranges of the CFA exams.
• Obtain certified work expertise—not less than 4,000 hours of expertise, accomplished in a minimal of 36 months.
• Submit two to 3 skilled references.
• Apply to turn into a daily member of the CFA Institute, which requires an affiliation with a neighborhood chapter.

A breakdown of the CFA program curriculum could be discovered on the CFA Institute web site.

CFA holders really feel that this system’s most difficult aspect is fulfilling the academic requirement. Candidates should move three exams of progressive issue. In response to the CFA Institute, on common, a typical candidate takes 4 to 5 years to move all three exams. Profitable candidates report spending greater than 300 hours finding out for every stage, starting from 303 hours for the CFA Stage I examination to 328 hours for the CFA Stage II examination and 344 hours for the CFA Stage III examination. Most individuals might discover it troublesome to make that form of time dedication.

And regardless of the period of time spent finding out, there isn’t a assure of success. Cross charges fell to report lows for all three ranges of the CFA exams in 2021, as the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic possible affected candidates’ examination preparation efforts as a result of cancellations and deferrals.

All CFA exams are actually administered by computer-based testing, versus the in-person testing at examination facilities that was the norm earlier. Stage I exams are held 4 instances per 12 months, whereas Stage II and Stage III exams are held twice per 12 months.

The CFA constitution is taken into account to be one of the specialised funding evaluation certifications within the monetary trade. A CFA can considerably assist a person’s profession development, primarily within the areas of:

• Funding administration
• Portfolio evaluation
• Purchase-side buying and selling
• Promote-side analysis evaluation
• Funding banking
• Academia
• Economics
• Monetary advising

In response to CFA Institute, the highest 5 roles for CFA charterholders globally are:

• Portfolio supervisor
• Analysis analyst
• Chief stage govt
• Advisor
• Threat supervisor

Sequence 7

The first distinction between the Sequence 7 and the CFA is that one is a license, whereas the opposite is a certification. A Sequence 7 license is critical for people whose job includes the solicitation, buy, or sale of securities—together with shares, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, choices, direct participation packages, and variable contracts. As of October 2018, passing the Sequence 7 examination will not be the one requirement for brand new FINRA licensees. New licensing candidates should additionally move the Securities Trade Necessities (SIE) examination.

The SIE is a 75-question, a number of selection examination. Candidates have one hour and 45 minutes to take the take a look at. A passing rating of 70 is required. The SIE examination was designed by FINRA to make sure that FINRA licensees display an intensive understanding of fundamental securities trade data.

The Sequence 7 examination is managed by FINRA. It has 125 questions protecting 4 predominant job capabilities of a Sequence 7 licensed consultant. The take a look at have to be accomplished in 225 minutes.

The next are the 4 predominant job capabilities:

• Operate 1: Seeks enterprise for the broker-dealer by prospects and potential prospects
• Operate 2: Opens accounts after acquiring and evaluating prospects’ monetary profile and funding goals
• Operate 3: Supplies prospects with details about investments, makes appropriate suggestions, transfers property, and maintains applicable data
• Operate 4: Obtains and verifies prospects’ buy and gross sales directions and agreements, and processes, completes, and confirms transactions

Most Sequence 7 examination preparation programs counsel 80 to 100 hours of research time, together with dwell observe exams and not less than 1,000 observe questions. Not like the CFA exams, which cowl case research, monetary and funding theories, and quantitative math, the Sequence 7 examination includes memorizing U.S. Securities and Change Fee (SEC) laws and a few fundamental math. A 72% rating is critical to move the examination.

To completely get hold of the Sequence 7 license, candidates should:

• Be related to and sponsored by a FINRA member agency or different relevant self-regulatory group (SRO) member agency
• Register with FINRA
• Cross the SIE examination
• Adjust to eligibility below FINRA Rule 1220(b)(2)

Key Variations

The Sequence 7 license and CFA certification are typically acquired for various careers inside the monetary trade, though many monetary trade professionals possess each. Sequence 7 licensed representatives are inclined to work in monetary market gross sales, usually as a stockbroker or monetary advisor. Remember the fact that a Sequence 7 is required to solicit, buy, and promote shares, bonds, mutual funds, choices, direct participation packages, and variable contracts in any monetary place. The Sequence 7 license can expire if a consultant will not be employed with a FINRA-registered group for 2 years.

Though some Sequence 7 licensed funding advisors additionally maintain a CFA constitution, most careers requiring a CFA don’t require a Sequence 7 license. Not like the Sequence 7, the CFA certification doesn’t expire. As such, it’s a certification that can be utilized in advertising your private abilities all through your profession. With the CFA constitution and membership with the CFA Institute, charterholders have the chance to additional their schooling yearly by persevering with schooling programs. On the whole, the CFA is usually a good pathway to a higher-paying job with better latitude for duty and administration authority.

When it comes to curriculum and issue, there’s a massive distinction between the Sequence 7 and the CFA. The Sequence 7 license covers fundamental securities market terminology, merchandise, and job capabilities by each the SIE examination and the Sequence 7 examination. The CFA curriculum is far more quantitative and theoretical, protecting the areas of quantitative evaluation, securities valuation, economics, monetary reporting, accounting, ethics, and extra.

The Backside Line

Sequence 7 refers back to the license that permits the holder to promote all varieties of securities besides commodities and futures. In the meantime, the CFA is primarily a certification, similar to a grasp’s diploma, that will increase the credibility of funding professionals and improves profession development prospects. The Sequence 7 license covers fundamental securities market terminology, merchandise, and job capabilities, whereas the CFA curriculum is far more quantitative and theoretical.