Dear MJT: Here is a good mind map of the Photoreading process: http://home.swipnet.se/estrada/mindmap/photoreading/photoreading.htm You will notice that the whole process has many parts. The activation is the part that may be the most elusive. This is where doing questions may be helpful. I bought multiple choice questions from PassPerfect; 5,000 for $125. Wish now that I had looked at Ebay. (Probably worth $20 there. Just make sure that they are up to date and that the time stamp on the disk will allow you to use them. Mine has to be installed by December 2001 and there are only 2 installations allowed before the disks are unusable.) I also follow the PSQ5R method: http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/psq5r.html Best of luck. Going on vacation so, I won't be able to answer any follow up questions for a week. rpc
MJT, Most of our traders at our firm have a least 2 years brokerage, floor trading or off floor trading experience before they take the Series 7. 30 hours would be the minimum amount I would suggest. 30 hours is two hours of study a day for two weeks, which is plenty if you understand the material and are getting 80% or better on the practice test. It is very important to study efficiently, not just put in useless hours of study. If you do not grasp the material after 100 hours of study, then you are not studying efficiently. I would suggest the following: 1-Purchase a study guide with a test book, practice tests & CD ROM . Dearborn Financial has a book & CD ROM that is similiar to the real test given at the Proctor Testing center. You can change answers, go back to questions you miss etc....go to the Dearborn site at http://www.dearborn.com/dfp/home.asp . I have no affiliation with Dearborn, but I like the material. You can take several tests that are like the real tests, many times on your PC at home(highly recommended). 2-After studying on your own and doing the practice tests, see if you can have a friend or family member ask you questions from the study guide. Repetition and practice is the key to passing the exam. If you can practice the material with a fellow student, that will be better than a family member. 3-Study on your own if you have industry experience. If you do not have industry experience , you might sign up for a class at one of the many fine schools accross the country such as Dearborn , NY Institute of Finance ,Investment Training Institute-Nash Inc and many more. I would take the 1 month course-not the weekend or one week intensive course unless you have industry experience and or have studied on your own. Gene Weissman Lieber & Weissman Sec., L.L.C. gweissman@stocktrade.net
MJT I have the same book but I took a course also as I found the book not that usefull. It was a 3 day course, they spent 10 minutes teaching us how to photeread and we spent the next 2 3/4 days practicing so we would be convinced it works. It takes some time to do. I tested the strategy by going to the board of trade library and photoreading every single book on their shelves. Figured what do I have to lose? Well some guys on the floor kept buggin me about which way bonds would go a few months later as they realized I could predict it 90% of the time. (wish I could still do that) so my vote for the book also For that test I'd just suggest taking tests and tests and more tests till you can get 90% rtharp
rtharp, Since you have done the photoreading training as well as read the book, what is your reading speed (pages or words per minute). Do you think that one needs to do the course or do you think that the book is sufficient? I once did a speed reading course, but I felt I was missing a lot in understanding the material. I currently do not speed read. Is your comprehension of the material as good when speed reading as when not speed reading.
I would say the one on one coaching is needed. The coaching will only take about 10 minutes to teach it's the activation part and believing part that everything is working that will take time. Photoreading is different than speedreading. Imagine just flipping though pages making sure your eyes just glance at the pages. That's how fast. I find that when I practiced I could retain about 70% of the book. Since I don't practice the technique that much anymore I will get 20% now. I do flip through the pages and map out the book first though to figure out in a few seconds if the book is worth my time. This is best done with multiple books on a single subject. My comprehension used to be better photoreading than normal reading but only with practice. I find photoreading can be draining at times (a ton of info is loaded into your brain at once) so I quit. I haven't really thought about it but I'm going to start doing it again. rtharp
Try the CD ROM..It's just like the Proctor Testing center test. You can take the test as often as possible on your PC. Moral of the story, get a 70 and you won't have to worry again. Gene
The primary problem with the test is not the amount of material it is the stress and lack of focus that it instills in you. You should study 45 min at a time, 4 times a day max. Here is what i suggest you do with the other 15 minutes - The strongest memories are "whole memories", that is memories that involve all the senses or at least 2 or more senses. To get your brain used to learning this way and away from rote learning this what u do. Its called "ImageStreaming". Get a hand held tape recorder, find a comfortable quite room. Close your eyes and if you are a visually oriented person images will begin to appear as you enter Alpha brain states. If your primary representation system is auditory or kinesthetic then you can start the image yourself by imagining or look at a bright light for a few seconds to get some good after images to start with. In any case once you are relaxed and the images start to come it is important not too guide them. This is not a day dreaming session, the images should stream from your mind unguided by you, they should be spontaneous. Now here is the part that really pumps your brain and where the tape recorder comes in. As the images stream in your minds eye describe them in as much detail as possible. And even though you will feel silly, YOU MUST DO IT OUT LOUD. Since the visual (right brain) and auditory (left brain) are exercised at the same time on the same subject you get a very interesting and intense experience. One that bridges the halves of your brain and creates connections that did not previously exist. As well as getting you used to using your whole brain. An interesting side effect of this also is a much more peacefully focused demeanor, perfect for test taking. Another is that its been reported that for every hour of practice this exercise will boost your IQ by one point. If you do this for 15 minutes of every hour that you study, I will eat my shoe if you don't pass. Remember you must do it out loud, or it doesn't work. Trav
travis The tape recorder--are you supposed to record yourself describing the images you're seeing? And then listen to them at some later point? That's the part that confused me. I'll gladly do stupid exercises as long as they work. And are we talking about a running shoe, or something more like a wing tip?
The tape recorder is simply an impetus to make sure that you are describing things out loud and in detail. There is no need to listen to them. The benefit comes from the exercise itself. As you do it more you will be quite surprised at how vivid they become, it really is like a waking dream. Best not to do it lying down if you can at all help it cause you more than likely will fall asleep. Just describe the spontaneos imagery that comes to mind and if they stop streaming then u can give them a kick start with your imaginings. Make sure to go back to just spontaneos after that though. This technique can also be used in other forms as well with the other senses. If you dont know how to juggle then learn, and have some one quiz you while you juggle. Add fragrant oils to the juggling balls, add as many senses to the experience while u study as possible. Then when you are trying to remember things for the test or any other reason you have many other references for your brain to use. Trav
Trav nice suggestion but if you don't need to list to it back you could just pretend a pen , watch or something is a tape recorder and dicatate to it. Using more senses will definitely help keep the info inside your head. rtharp