Posted by The Team at Brand Financial Training on April 13, 2021 in Newsletter
13 April 2021
It’s been a busy Easter period preparing our R06 analysis, putting the final touches on our R0 How to Pass Guides (see full details below) and starting work on some exciting new video resources.
We have also finally seen the release of the CII exam pass rates for 2020. At first glance, it seems there have been some substantial increases compared to 2019. Well done to all of you included in those impressive figures!
We’ve analysed the pass rates for you in today’s Featured article. Details of specific exam pass rates can be found on the exam homepage on the CII website
Best Wishes,
The Team at Brand Financial Training
Featured Article
Current CII Exams Pass Rates – as at April 2021
The current CII exams pass rates have now been published. Here, we look at a selection of CII qualifications and their exam pass rates. Those who are planning to sit CII exams in the near future will want to know how past exam candidates have fared.
The CII now publishes current pass rates for their exams on their website although it is not clear how often these are being updated.
We have done our best to collate the pass rates for you, and the pass rates discussed in this article are those as showing in April 2021.
Looking at the Diploma in Financial Planning first, current figures show pass rates range from 50% to 90%. J10 (discretionary investment management) always has an impressive pass rate and still holds the top 90% position. J09 is the paraplanning coursework module and this had a pass rate of 48% in 2018 which jumped to an impressive 79% in 2020 only dropping back slightly to 76.8% in 2020. J02 (trusts) has also seen a big jump from 49% to 67% with J03 (tax and legal aspects of business) dropping again from 52% back to its 2017 rate of 50%. J05 though (pension income options) has increased again from 79% in 2019 to 88%.
The figures in red show where the pass rate has dropped from 2019 figures. You can see this only applies to just two of the J0 units.
The ‘new new’ normal – will it ever be the same as the ‘old’ normal?
In England, Prime Minister Boris Johnson aims to lift all coronavirus lockdown restrictions by June 21. North of the border, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced towards the end of February that gradual easing of the stay-at-home rules could begin in Scotland from April 5. In Northern Ireland, lockdown continues until April 1 at the time of writing, with gradual emergence from it expected beyond that date. Wales (again, at the time of writing) was only looking a few weeks ahead and hadn’t yet published an official route to ending the limitations on daily life.
It’s still not clear when ‘non-essential’ offices will be reopening to staff – and it’s important to remember that the dates above are the earliest possible ones, with caution employed to avoid further restrictions.
However, the likelihood is that more workers will be heading back to their office desks in the weeks and months ahead, at least on a part-time basis. If working from home was a big change for those who were usually based elsewhere, the return to office life (the ‘new new normal’, perhaps?) could also take some getting used to, especially initially. So a period of adjustment may well be needed.
And while the end of homeschooling will undoubtedly bring relief to many parents, you could find yourself dealing once more with a lengthy commute when for the past year or so, the most you’ve had to negotiate was a set of stairs or a short stroll along your own hallway.
Equally, the reopening of coffee shops and libraries, and the chance to meet study buddies, could provide access once more to an invaluable support system. Overall, however, you may find there is less flexibility for studying.
Given all the inevitable changes, how do you revert to a semblance of your old routine? How might it feel different? And what can you do to make the transition as smooth and hassle-free as possible?
The case studies were incredibly tough this time around, so if you need help filtering through the detail, our analysis will help you focus on the relevant technical content. It will help you to understand how to interpret the questions and document answers to gain those extra vital marks.
We’ve been writing the R06 analysis for over 11 years now, so we’re totally confident you will find our analysis an invaluable part of your revision.
The analysis includes self-test questions based on the case study, so you can practise your exam technique and technical knowledge relevant to the case study subject material.
You will also have an opportunity to access our lead analysis author in our email support day on Monday 19th April.
Study Notes
Available for AF1, AF4, AF5, CF1, J02, J05, J10, R01, R02, R04, R05, R06
..."Your study notes were invaluable… I would advise everybody who is due to sit these to use the study notes and the mock exams as these will give you a terrific insight into how the exams work. Good luck."...
Brian Lynn, Partner, Brian Lynn Financial Services
Passing your CII exam can seem like a struggle, especially when the study text arrives on your doorstep with a heavy thud. Our study notes immediately focus your mind and help you sort the wheat from the chaff so that you can spend time revising what needs to be revised and get focused on what is needed.
They put the exam syllabus into a sensible order and you can download them instantly in PDF format.
Why not try before you buy? Download one of our free tasters:
..."The Brand training material certainly helps you to focus on the key information required and get straight to the salient facts. Having to read all of RO4 and JO5 was daunting but by using the notes as a guide it helped me to condense a lot of this information quickly."...
Mandy Saunders, Verifier
How to Pass Guides
Looking for some extra hints and tips for passing the R0 exams? We will shortly be launching our R01 to 5 ‘How to Pass’ guides. These are free guides available to all our customers. It includes tips on exam technique, help with understanding of the different styles of questions, and examples of the most common calculations likely to come up in the exam.
April Results
Good luck to those of you expecting results this month. Results release dates for April include: AF1 and J05 on 23rd April and AF5 and AF2 on 30th April.
Last Chance for the CII Business Exams
It is your last chance to take the CII business exams next month (other than resits in the Autumn) and the exam booking closing dates are looming large, so if you plan to sit either AF2 or J03, ensure you get booked in before 12th May (AF2) and 19th May (J03).
Professional Paraplanner Awards 2021
We work hard to develop resources that work for you and help you pass your exams. We believe are resources are of the highest quality, and we pride ourselves in our exceptional customer service. Now is the time for you to have your say!
If you value what we do, please take two minutes to vote for us for the Professional Paraplanner ‘Best training resource for paraplanners’ award.
As always we appreciate all your support.
Updates to CII Study Texts
Here’s a reminder that the CII update their study texts throughout the examinable year to either incorporate new legislations, correct errors or clarify information. Many candidates aren’t aware of this, which can result in candidates studying out-of-date information.
To find out if you have the most up-to-date information, visit the CII website, navigate to your chosen exam and click on ‘learning solutions update’ in the ‘Unit updates’ section in the sidebar.
Note that we keep our resources up-to-date with any updates from the CII.
Did You Miss These Posts on Our Blog?
Articles and Help for All Your Exams
You’ll find that there’s something for everyone when you check out our blog:
specific topics and how-to articles;
reviews of recent CII exam papers;
our Friday Five – a weekly quiz to give you a fun break from reading the study text;
study techniques that help you to retain your revision and keep your brain working for you, when you need it
Here are the blog posts you might have missed since our last newsletter:
There’s such a variety of information on offer to help you as you tackle your CII exams, that you won’t want to miss a single post. We’ve made it easy for you; just click the button below and enter your email details. Be ‘in the know’ with CII-exam-related tips and info – straight to your inbox!
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