Sitting FASEA exam next month — what actually helped you pass? — Forums

lisa.prepOP

May 27, 2026

So I've got my FASEA exam booked for late June and honestly I'm starting to panic a bit. I've been in financial planning for about six years but the ethics component is throwing me off — I feel like I know the Code of Ethics in theory but applying it to case studies is a whole different beast. I've been doing a FASEA practice test every couple of days to get used to the format, but my scores are hovering around 68-70% and I need to get more comfortable before the real thing.

Has anyone found a solid FASEA study guide that actually breaks down the ethical reasoning process rather than just listing the values? I've gone through FASEA's own materials and a couple of the paid prep courses, but the explanations feel a bit surface-level for how nuanced the actual questions are. Spending about two hours a night studying right now — wondering if that's enough with four weeks to go.

Any exam tips from people who've recently sat it would be genuinely appreciated. Specifically around time management and how to approach those longer case-based scenarios.

James R.

May 28, 2026

I sat it back in March and honestly the case studies tripped me up the same way. What clicked for me was stopping trying to memorise the values and instead asking 'which standard is the planner actually breaching here?' — usually it's Standard 3 or 6 for the tricky ones. 68-70% on practice tests is actually decent at this stage, don't stress too much. Four weeks is plenty of time if you're consistent.

Daniel M.

May 28, 2026

The study guide from Kaplan was the one I found most useful — it actually walks through the reasoning behind each answer, not just what the correct option is. That said, I'd also recommend setting a timer when you do practice questions. I was running out of time in the real exam because I was overthinking every scenario. Once I forced myself to commit within 90 seconds per question in practice, my actual exam went much smoother.

Sarah M.

May 28, 2026

Two hours a night with four weeks left sounds about right to me. I passed on my first attempt doing similar hours. Just make sure you're reviewing the ones you get wrong properly — don't just move on. Understanding why an answer is wrong teaches you way more than drilling through more questions.

Sitting FASEA exam next month — what actually helped you pass?

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