Need a degree to get the CFP

[mikehart82]

Ok I'm enrolled at TESU.  Is there anything else I should be doing right now?

Hi, I have my series 65 license, my insurance license, and my Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional designation (FPQP)

So I shouldn't enroll in any classes at TESU yet?  Just start on the ChFC? 

I was thinking about doing this anyway since the ChFC doesn't require a degree and I don't know if this college thing will work out.  

Thanks for your help!  



 
I didn't think when I started the ChFC I would follow through all the way to CFP either because of the degree, but here I am.

Honestly, even if you do the ChFC I would still do the CFP Prep with Danko and sit the CFP. Even if you don't pass (but you WILL) you'll learn SO much! And if you do pass you have 5 years to get your degree plus you will  have earned all the all but 2 UL Finance credits along the way. The UL Finance credits will be easily done through study.com immediately after the CFP Exam. 

How long did it take you to get through the ChFC coursework?  

[CHken92]

4 months. To do it quickly you’ll need to ask them to open multiple courses at once. I didn’t spend much time in the text books, did the written reviews and videos. Each course is approx 10 modules. There is a quiz at the end of each module. You’ll want to get 100% on each quiz. You can take it as many times as you need to. You’ll also need to write 2 short write ups on discussion boards about an article you sourced … something from Kitces, Bloomberg, etc that related to what you’re learning. Then a proctored exam at the end of each course. Courses only open the first Thursday of every month so like I said, if your plan is to accelerate be sure to open more than 1/month.

[mikehart82]

4 months. To do it quickly you’ll need to ask them to open multiple courses at once. I didn’t spend much time in the text books, did the written reviews and videos. Each course is approx 10 modules. There is a quiz at the end of each module. You’ll want to get 100% on each quiz. You can take it as many times as you need to. You’ll also need to write 2 short write ups on discussion boards about an article you sourced … something from Kitces, Bloomberg, etc that related to what you’re learning. Then a proctored exam at the end of each course. Courses only open the first Thursday of every month so like I said, if your plan is to accelerate be sure to open more than 1/month.

4 months!!!  Holy hell!  Were you working while doing this?  How much time did you spend each week working on it?  I thought I was looking at 1.5-2 year easy...

[CHken92]

Hahaha. Yep, working full time++. You know how that goes. It wasn't difficult at all. I easily got through 2 courses/ month. The Capstone I did in a weekend. Watch the videos, take the quizzes and contribute to the boards. Thats really all you need to do if you have experience in planning you will find you already know most of the information. It's a nice way to round out everything we do on a holistic basis. But its fairly high level. CFP on the other hand, much deeper. That's why you'll need a CFP prep course to get you through the exam if you decide to take it ... no matter where you do the education requirements, you'll need the prep.

[mikehart82]

Ok....

So my boss now wants me to wait 6 months until I do the ChFC coursework.  

What should I be doing in the meantime?

[rachel83az]

Have you completed everything you need to at Sophia/SDC/etc.?

[mikehart82]

Have you completed everything you need to at Sophia/SDC/etc.?

I have not.  Forgive me, but I don't know what Sophia/SDC/etc is exactly.

[rachel83az]

SDC = Study.com
Sophia = Sophia.org

Exactly what you need depends on which degree you've ultimately chosen.

[mikehart82]

SDC = Study.com
Sophia = Sophia.org

Exactly what you need depends on which degree you've ultimately chosen.

I really just want to get my degree as quickly as possible.  The CFP just requires that you have a Bachelors.  It could be in basket weaving, but you have to have it.

[rachel83az]

SDC = Study.com
Sophia = Sophia.org

Exactly what you need depends on which degree you've ultimately chosen.

I really just want to get my degree as quickly as possible.  The CFP just requires that you have a Bachelors.  It could be in basket weaving, but you have to have it.

UMPI would probably be fastest, if you're okay with papers/projects. But there's also TESU. Costs a bit more, but fewer papers/projects. You do need to pick a school & a degree, because the requirements are different depending on what you choose. Especially if you need a minimum number of credits + the degree.