Help! Where are Flash Cards?

[Kiwi Lover]

kmc,

Here is some feedback from "scherrd" on 03/12/07:

Personal finance: Since there were no flashcards, I used the Peterson's test guide, scored 37 out of 60 on that and reviewed those areas that I did not know too much about. There were 98 questions on this test; it took me one hour to complete and another 10 minutes for review again. Scored a 65.

Here are some of the high points that I remember:

Know about risk
Be able to calculate interest over time. If you have financial calculator and know how to use it, it would really help.
Retirement plans and IRAs and Keogh, which are tax deductible, deferred, etc.
Bonds
Types of taxable and non-taxable income
Bankruptcy and Credit problems
Credit cards
Mortgages: PITI, escrow, qualifying
Stocks /E, EPS
Installment loans

Here is some feedback from "barcotta" on 03/27/07:

I had studied the DSST prep materials and not much more. I knew some of what would be on the test from a previous post--which was dead on. First off, the test is a wild mix of surface questions with ridiculously deep questions every so often. If you're taking this test, you should know how to calculate interest over time (if you have $X and are making 6% interest, how long will it take you to double your money--or how long will it take you to earn $1,500...). I only know one way to do that and it's nothing I can do without a calculator in a 98 question timed exam I've agreed to take in one hour and 15 minutes. You also should know everything about the four different types of life insurance--and I mean everything--as well as stocks, bonds, annuities, and A LOT about taxation, tax brackets, there's a W2, W4 etc. question (if you always mix them up, like me, you probably won't get that one right). So, I guessed on the eight or so questions that required interest computation and did my best on the rest. Working at a brisk pace, I finished just on time. I knew the answers to 47 questions, narrowed down 35 and the rest I didn't know. That got me a 67.

I haven't had a chance yet to consolidate the above posts into the "specific exam feedback" section, but I will very soon. And as you can see, this is definitely one of the easier exams (for most people) that does not require as much study time as the others. When I took the exam, I only used the DSST study guide and took the Petersons tests, and I scored an "A".

Good luck, and let us know how you do!

JoAnne