Choosing the right prep course for your securities exam can feel a little bit like flipping a coin:
Choose right? You pass, you feel great, and you can launch your dream career.
Choose wrong? You fail, your self-confidence reaches an all time low, you’re out hundreds of dollars with nothing to show for it—simply put, it sucks.
Luckily, it’s easy enough to weigh that coin in your favor with some good-old-fashioned research, and I’m here to expedite that process for you in this Securities Training Corporation review. I’ve studied STC’s digital textbooks, practice questions, practice exams, live classes, pricing, and guarantees to help you decide whether STC is the right choice for your studies.
Is STC Right For You?
- If you’re a visual learner, STC’s instructor-led videos explain complex concepts in a clear, classroom-style format.
- If you want live instruction, STC’s weekday classes and weekly Q&A sessions offer valuable real-time support.
- If you value experience, STC’s long-standing history and veteran instructors add a strong layer of trust.
- If you’re prepping for multiple exams, their combo packages make bundling more efficient and budget-friendly.
- If you work a 9–5 job, then the timing of STC’s live classes may not fit your schedule.
- If you’re looking for the most practice questions, STC’s bank can feel limited compared to providers like Kaplan.
Securities Training Corporation Overview
STC is unique in offering live classes for many of their prep courses, where top competitors like Achievable and the Securities Institute of America do not. Further, they offer a 100% money-back pass guarantee on most of their offers. Finally, many students turn to STC for high-quality study materials and a company they can trust.
STC has served over 1.5 million students across 50+ years in the industry, boasting first-time pass rates of 95%. Plus, their experienced instructors offer a cumulative 300+ years of experience, perfect for sharing with a new generation of finance professionals.
“My firm only uses STC and I used them for the SIE and 7 last year. My team’s 3/3 for first time passes with STC.”
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The Perfect STC Student
Wondering if STC is a good fit for your securities exam prep? The student who’ll appreciate STC the most may be a little reserved and cautious, yet astute and strategic—and maybe even a little anxious. They’d understand the value in their long history of proven success and pass guarantees, soothing those concerns and making it easier to study.
STC also offers live classes if instructor interaction is integral to your learning style. However, if you have an in-person day job or an inflexible schedule, you may not appreciate the timing of the classes, which are almost always on a weekday sometime between 8 AM and 5 PM, with classes starting at 3 hours long.
So, if you’re after live classes specifically, double-check the schedules for the specific course you’re interested in before you buy!
It also seems like the students who succeed simply go through the materials in order, following the directions. One student described their experience with STC:
“I passed 2 Fridays ago with STC. I watched the recorded lectures, read the book, and watched YouTube videos. The highest practice exam score I got was a 72 or something like that. The actual exam was easier than the practice exams I thought.”
When asked what topics the Series 66 exam was heavy on, the same student responded:
Securities Exams Covered
| Registered Representative | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIE | Series 3 | Series 6 | Series 7 | Series 31 | Series 32 |
| Series 50 | Series 52 | Series 57 | Series 63 | Series 65 | Series 66 |
| Series 79 | Series 86 | Series 87 | Series 99 |
| Managers and Principals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 4 | Series 9 | Series 10 | Series 14 | Series 16 | Series 24 |
| Series 26 | Series 27 | Series 30 | Series 51 | Series 53 | Series 54 |
| Combo Packages | ||
|---|---|---|
| SIE, Series 6, and Series 63 | SIE, Series 7, and Series 63 | SIE, Series 7, and Series 66 |
| Series 9 and 10 | Series 16 (Parts 1 + 2) | SIE and Series 57 |
| SIE and Series 86 | SIE, Series 87, and Series 87 | SIE and Series 99 |
Securities Training Corporation
Pros
- Offers a 100% money-back pass guarantee for most courses
- Live classes are available for many exam prep packages
- STC’s history and 95% pass rate are indicators of trustworthiness
- Weekly WebEx Q&A sessions help get clarity outside of live classes
- Combo packages help you save if you need multiple prep courses
Cons
- Premier Plus packages are pricier than competitors like SIA, Achievable, and Kaplan
- Live classes are usually during weekdays during traditional work hours
- Fewer questions than Kaplan; some reported seeing the same questions multiple times
Securities Training Corporation Promo Code
Save 15% with a Securities Training Corporation promo code. STC is a solid choice for finance professionals preparing for securities licensing exams, offering structured study plans, clear explanations, and flexible learning formats to support your success.
Course Details
Course Content
STC’s course content feels solid and structured. I went through their SIE, Series 7, Series 63, and Series 65 materials, and I could tell they’ve been fine-tuned over time. The digital textbooks are cleanly laid out, and the reading isn’t as dry as you’d expect for securities law and FINRA rules. I appreciated the “Key Points” summaries at the end of each chapter—perfect for a quick review before practice questions.
Speaking of practice, STC’s question bank covers a lot of ground. The explanations after each question were clear and helpful, not just “this is the right answer” but why it’s right. However, I did notice some repetition after a while. It wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, but I could see how students hoping for a ton of variety might get a little bored. That said, I don’t know that many providers could say their courses are just an absolute blast. Being realistic, it’s probably par for the course (literally).
One student had this to say about their desire for more practice questions:
“I used STC as well and found a lot of the questions to be repeat so I ended up just memorizing the answers. Still passed which is all that matters but definitely would’ve liked a bigger question/test bank.”
However, other students praised the question difficulty, saying it made the real thing easy:
“I thought the STC questions were worded more to try and confuse you than the real test. I thought the real thing was much easier. Was in and out in an hour on test day.”
Course Layout and Tech
The platform itself is intuitive—clean interface, easy navigation, and everything loads quickly. I had no issues hopping between the course dashboard, quizzes, and study guides. Iit’s not flashy or overly interactive like some newer competitors, but if you prefer simplicity over bells and whistles, you’ll feel right at home. You’re definitely not going to get overwhelmed, which is a big plus if you’re on the anxious side.
The video lectures are a standout, though. The instructors break down complex concepts in a digestible way, and the tone is professional but not robotic. It felt like listening to a really sharp professor (who actually likes teaching). Some of the videos do lean on slide decks with narration, so if you’re looking for dynamic, “talking head” videos or animations, you may find the format a bit static—but the content itself is spot-on, and I found myself understanding topics I wasn’t familiar with the first time I heard the explanation. If high-quality video lectures are a must for you, STC could suit your needs.
One reviewer said the lectures were a key component of their success:
“I used STC for the SIE, 7, 24, and 63. I found the lectures and then a bunch of testing was the best material for me really learning from question explanation more than the manual.”
Support and Access for Studiers
One of the things I liked most about STC is the support. During testing, I reached out through both email and their WebEx Q&A feature. I got clear, helpful responses within a day—faster than I expected, honestly. And those weekly Q&A sessions? They’re super useful if you’re stuck on something and want to hear it explained live. I jumped into one and asked about a tricky question from my Series 7 review, and the instructor explained it in a way that clicked immediately.
As for access, most packages give you six months: slightly higher than Kaplan’s 5 months, but much shorter than Achievable’s 12 months. You can also reset your course if needed, which is great if you need extra time. I didn’t love that live class times are mostly during standard work hours—but if you’ve got a flexible schedule or you’re studying full-time, that won’t be a big issue. That said, if live classes matter a lot, make sure the class hours mesh with your schedule before you click “purchase.”
Value of the Course
STC is a little more expensive than some competitors, especially if you go with the Premier Plus package for your exam review course. But here’s the thing—you’re not just paying for content. You’re paying for confidence. Between the 95% pass rate, the money-back guarantee, and the solid instructor support, I felt like I was in good hands the whole time.
I think it’s easy to underestimate the impact of peace of mind when you’re in exam prep mode, but trust me, that sense of reliability and trustworthiness in a company can make a big difference in your mood, which could translate to a better exam score via the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
If you’re budget-conscious, the baseline packages still offer excellent value—particularly if you prefer self-study, as the main appeal of the Premier Plus package is the live classes. But if you benefit from structure, expert guidance, and that little extra peace of mind, STC’s higher-tier options justify the cost. Again, it isn’t the best fit for students on a tight budget, but it doesn’t feel overpriced, either, especially considering how much failing the exam would cost you in time and money. In that sense, you’re getting a lot of value.
The Reviews
Before we wrap up, I want to quickly address that the reviews I cited in this article were all pulled from—wait for it—Reddit. You know, the place where people usually go to complain? That’s the one.
I found it so exciting that seemingly every STC review I found “in the wild” was just glowing with praise. I’ve studied a lot of prep courses (it is my job, after all) and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such unanimously positive feedback from real people making real recommendations.
Don’t believe me? Go take a look for yourself! I’m serious: type in “STC reddit” in your search bar and see what people are saying. You’ll be awestruck. I tried to include some negative reviews for balance, but they were hard to find! If that doesn’t tell you the quality of STC’s courses, I don’t know what would.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, STC is an excellent fit for students who don’t want added stress in their studies. Securities Training Corporation shows why they are one of the top SIE prep courses, along with all of the other study materials for Series exams. Their proven track record, 95% first-time pass rate, and 100% money-back pass guarantee are genuinely soothing qualities that can help you stop stressing and get back to focused study. Not to mention, it’s hard to find a review course with near-unanimous glowing praise on Reddit, of all places, but STC has done the impossible.
So, if STC is the right fit for you, grab your course today to pass the exam so you can get started on your securities career.
FAQs
Yes, STC has over 50 years of experience and has helped over 1.5 million students prepare for securities exams.
STC reports a 95% first-time pass rate for many of its licensing exam prep courses.
Yes, STC offers an iOS mobile app for on-the-go studying with access to key course materials.
STC is better for live instruction and pass guarantees; Kaplan may suit self-paced learners who want more practice questions.
Greenlight exams are final practice tests; passing them signals you’re likely ready to pass the real exam.
