Kaplan Securities Industry Essentials License Exam Manual

by Kaplan Financial Education

Partner with the industry leader in securities licensing exam preparation. Kaplan provides the critical knowledge needed to help you succeed on the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam. Our content development is based around the SIE Exam Content Outline provided by FINRA.

The primary exam topics



This comprehensive textbook is the foundation of your series exam preparation. The text addresses key terms and significant topics, broken down into easily digestible units. Units contain multiple graphics, exercises, quizzes, and discussion questions to help you learn faster and remember important information as you prepare for your Securities Industry Essentials exam.

Key

200 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Mercedes Mancilla]

I had to read this for work. Was it boring, yes. I’m going to mark this towards my reading goal so I at least feel more accomplished with finishing it.

[Hannah-Renea Niederberger · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this textbook had a wealth of knowledge on the SIE exam, it was honestly a sloppy mess of a publication. On one hand, there were typos, grammar and syntax issues, general mistakes. I'm not the kind of person who's gonna knit-pick that sorta thing too much, but the sheer number of problems made it clear that this book was not well-proofread before going to print. In some cases, it even affected understanding. For example, on pages 222-223, there are a few important formulae given: current yield, capital gains/losses, and total return, though on the total return section, the formula is labeled as the formula for capital gains. So which formula am I to trust is accurate? I had to look it up on Google to be sure.

Another major issue I had was the lack of regard for Header priority. This was an even bigger issue than the grammar problems because in several cases it actively creates confusion. For instance, in Unit 7, there's a portion for how nonexempt issues should be filed. After The cooling-off period (designated as Header 2), there's a description for what the cooling-off period is, then the last sentence says "During the cooling-off period, the following are allowed." The proceeding sections are all also designated under Header 2.

So, according to the header hierarchy, here's what all are allowed during the cooling-off period: the issuer may place a tombstone advertisement, a preliminary prospectus may be delivered, indications of interest may be gathered, due diligence takes place, state registration requirements, the release date, and the final prospectus. Now, if you are familiar with the process, you know that the release date and the final prospectus definitely do not happen during the cooling-off period, and that state registration requirements are more of an aside than a nested subject, but all these portions are given equal weight according to the layout.

That was just the most blatant instance I could find, the layout editing is a mess throughout the book. In a textbook, which is made specifically to educate and foster understanding, having such abysmal editing both on the layout and the copyedit sides of things are not just sloppy, they're irresponsible. Especially in a course that's supposed to be covering rules and regulations to help financial professionals in their roles so that they fairly and ethically assist clients with their money and financial wellbeing.

I could go on to include how the online companion course is similarly poorly edited, how the quiz questions sometimes have actively incorrect answers, and how it's not optimized well so you'll lose progress because everything froze, no matter the browser or device you're on. To the online course's credit, the scoring and performance tracker are well laid out and are good for pin-pointing weak areas, but I won't go too into the online course because this is largely just about the textbook itself. It's not a good book. It could be, if someone took the time to properly edit and fix layout issues, but as it stands its lack of care for those things aren't just annoying and distracting -- they actively hinder the material.

[Katie Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean I passed my exam but it wasn't fun 🤣

[Kennedi Evenson]

Was not in fact a ‘good read’… did cry many times though

[Molly Morales · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring :(

[Ellie Dunbar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actually not a fun read at all, never read this

[BookIbby]

If you want a book that really drags the tears to your eyes and makes you wish you were in a different world, this is for you.

In all seriousness I found it rather interesting. When I didn’t want to scream into the ink covered white void of the pages.

[Kristin Cavalieri · Rating 3 out of 5]

typos galore

[Forrest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yep. Definitely a study-prep textbook. Material seemed to be covered sufficiently with a decent glossary, index, and chapters are indicated on the sides of pages for easy access. It’s very dry material, so it’s hard to rave about it.

Edit:
I passed the SIE on my first attempt, so the material seemed to be covered well enough.

[Jose Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kaplan Securities Exam Manual is an excellent resource for anyone preparing for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam. What sets it apart is how effectively it breaks down complex, technical financial concepts into clear and understandable language. Rather than just focusing on memorization, the manual emphasizes conceptual understanding by using real-world examples, analogies, and practice questions that test comprehension. This approach helps readers build a solid foundation in securities principles, making it easier to grasp more advanced material as they progress. Diagrams, summaries, and key concept callouts also enhance retention, ensuring that the reader not only learns the information but truly understands it.

As a preparation tool for the SIE, the Kaplan manual is both comprehensive and approachable. It begins with the most basic terms and gradually builds up to more intricate regulations and financial instruments, creating a logical learning path that mirrors the structure of the actual exam. Beyond just exam prep, the manual serves as a practical introduction to the financial industry as a whole, covering everything from investment products and trading markets to regulatory agencies and compliance protocols. For candidates new to the field, it provides both the vocabulary and the context needed to feel confident about entering the world of finance.

[Rob Sipe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry as balls but what else can you expect from a purpose-written test book.

[Sarah Beam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Clunky and dense, with little attention to pacing, no sense of place, and zero atmosphere. Narrative structure is unnecessarily complicated. Chapter 5 made me cry.

[Jacob Helberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great knowledge. 3 stars because of the writing. So many grammatical errors and typos galore. Had to check the “corrections” section every chapter instead of them updating the digital version.

[Colette J]

Haven’t read a textbook from cover to cover in a long time🤓

[Alexis Trotter]

I’m behind on my reading goal because of these so I’m counting them😅

[Faith Judkins]

Can’t wait to finish the next one lol

[Denise Carroll · Rating 1 out of 5]

Happy I never have to read it again

[Ken Remsen]

Typical high quality Kaplan test preparation book.

[Joanne Wang · Rating 2 out of 5]

ya bruh, at least I passed on my first try

[Lala · Rating 3 out of 5]

had to read it for work. marking it read so i can achieve my reading goal for the year 🤷🏻‍♀️ its getting close and im getting desperate

[Cole Brandon]

I don’t think textbooks like this can get more than three stars. I would rather read this again than some technical biblical commentaries I’ve read, so that’s something.

[Daphne Smoley]

I passed