I used Securities Training Corporation. They give you a book and practice tests for about $90. There also is a software program by someone else called PassTrak that is decent.
and T-Rex.... Right T-Rex...now you have it. Anyone can sign up and take the test. You are correct, registration with the NFA of any kind requires firm sponsorship (or starting your own) as you mention. The test itself is nothing more than comforting without the ability to register. Passing the series 3 gives you no rights or authorities to solicit funds. It doesn't hurt to get it out of the way early - I believe a passed exam is good for 2 years. Good Luck.
You do not have to be sponsored in order to take the Series 3. After you pass the exam, simply contact the NFA and for $100.00 a year you can register your Series 3 as a CTA with them and it will not expire. NFA "membership" is an entirely different matter.
waggie is right. There is a difference between registering and being a member of the NFA. Sorry about that.
I took my 3 couple months ago... it's a pretty easy test... studied two days for it with the STC prep material. Also, previous posters are right... you can take it without being sponsored but you need to hang it somewhere.
I used study material from Dearborn. Can't comment on how it compares, but I did very well on the test. At the time, I was required to have a firm sponsor me as well. Not sure what has changed since then.
i just passed the exam in july of 2003. you do NOT need a sponsor. but to become a cta after you pass the exam there are lots of background checks.
to practice as a cta you have to be a member of the nfa and registered with the CFTC. Neither require sponsorship but the first year fees to be an associate member and a principal costs around $1000.00 the first year and i think $$800.00 year after.
T-REX - Does your firm or compliance department know about the garbage that you put here on a public forum withoiut the proper NFA/CFTC guidelines? Do they know about your website? Do they know about your soliciting on this forum? Do they know about your dishonest and outright lies that you have stated - actually misrepresentations - about yourself, your trading, etc. on this forum? Tell me the name of your firm or the name of your compliance department.