If you are considering a Series 79 prep course to help build your study skills, Varsity Tutors offers private Series 79 classes that could be a good fit for you. Series 79 is the Investment Banking Representative Qualification Examination (IB), a standardized test administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to determine whether or not a financial professional has the requisite knowledge to act as an investment banker. Some of the topics covered include buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, public investment banking, and refinancing. If you feel that you could use help studying these topics, a Series 79 course could be the academic edge you have been searching for!
Most Series 79 prep courses begin by helping students develop a familiarity with the structure and formatting of the test. The exam is computer-based and administered at Prometric Testing Centers nationwide. If you aren't comfortable with this setup, you might want to discuss it with your instructor in a Series 79 prep class for more information. The chart below provides some additional information about the test:
Series 79 Exam Format
Question Format | # Questions | Time Allowed | Passing Score | Corequisite |
Multiple-Choice | 75 | 150 Minutes | 73% | SIE Exam |
Answering 75 question in two-and-a-half hours may seem simple at first glance, but remember that this is a FINRA test. FINRA is notorious for deceptive questions that try to trick financial professionals into using their practical work experience rather than the academic concepts the exam is looking for. Many students choose to take practice exams during their Series 79 prep classes so they know how questions might try to trick them on exam day.
Once you are comfortable with the structure of the exam, your Series 79 class might start concentrating on specific content areas. The following list reveals some of the concepts you may wish to review:
Series 79 Topics (Non-Comprehensive)
- Collection of transaction data from various market databases
- Valuation metrics
- Collection cycles and receivables turnover
- Types of organizational structures (C Corp, S Corp, LLCs, etc.)
- Due diligence process of buy-side transactions
- Securities Act of 1933
- Knowledge of syndicate agreements
- Suitability assessments of customers
- Resales of securities by control persons
- Stock versus asset sale
- Tax-free reorganization
- Prospectus disclosures
- Tender offer regulations
- Financial restructuring and bankruptcy
If that seems like a lot, it kind of is. However, a private Series 79 course allows you to go over everything at your own pace. If you understand the difference between stock and asset sales but have a harder time with the modern impact of the Securities Act of 1933, your Series 79 class can concentrate on historical legislation until you give the go-ahead to move on.
Private Series 79 courses also allow you to receive personalized attention. Your instructor may be able to incorporate your passions into your test prep to make study sessions more engaging. Likewise, all of your work can receive prompt feedback since your teacher doesn't have to grade 30 assignments before returning them. If you need to correct a mistake, it is often beneficial to do so while the material remains fresh in your mind.
Varsity Tutors also tries to make standardized test prep as convenient as possible. All students get to work on a Live Learning Platform that facilitates digital study sessions, providing the benefits of face-to-face instruction without the headache of trying to arrange an in-person meetup. We also try to match every client with a knowledgeable instructor who suits your scheduling needs to mitigate scheduling conflicts. Taking a Series 79 class should be something that fits into your life, not the other way around!
If you would like to learn more about our Series 79 prep courses, please contact Varsity Tutors today. Expert Educational Directors are standing by to help you in any way they can!

Mary: Series 79 course instructor
...the bank's headquarters of Zurich, Switzerland within the Treasury Group where I priced, hedged, executed, and made markets on OTC derivatives, structured product and warrants held by the coveted AAA balance sheet. This multi-year experience proved to be mutually beneficial both to my professional career, as it was for the bank's global securities businesses (particularly US Equities and Swiss Treasury) that I diligently represented resulting in increasing customer business and attractive risk adjusted return on...
Education & Certification
- Dickinson College - Bachelor in Arts, Economics
- Northwestern University - Masters in Business Administration, Finance
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- Series 82
- Series 63
- Series 23
- +101 subjects

Kevin: Series 79 course instructor
...Finance emphasis) and also received my Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Truman State University. Both students and parents say that I help students succeed and realize their own potential with improved confidence, grades and test scores. Because I have over 20 years of "real life" professional experience and have traveled extensively, I am able to provide you real life examples to help understand the value of learning the topics I tutor you with. I specialize...
Education & Certification
- Truman State University - Bachelor of Science, Accounting
- Washington University in St Louis - Masters in Business Administration, Finance
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- Series 66
- CPA
- Series 65
- +41 subjects

Kim: Series 79 course instructor
...a person who is a non-native English speaker to someone with ADHD/Autism. If you need to take a certification test, I can quell your nerves. I will tutor/coach/mentor you through the subject at hand and in process, impart in you a set of skills you will be able to use the rest of your life. As a certified NLP coach as well as someone who studies neurofeedback, I have seen borderline miracles in learning take...
Education & Certification
- University of Alaska Anchorage - Bachelor of Science, Political Science and Government
- International Seminary for Distance Education in Theology - Bachelor of Theological Studies, Theology
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- Series 63
- Series 7
- Series 65
- +45 subjects

Reginald: Series 79 course instructor
...in Grenoble, and the rest is history. I immediately fell in love with the French language along with the challenge of learning a new one. With only my experience to thank, I have had the opportunity to conduct French interviews, "Bosser" in a French real estate firm in NYC, pass my DALF examination, and "enseigner" the language to my family members. I will be there to guide you every step of the way while making...
Education & Certification
- Grenoble Ecole de Management - Certificate, Accounting and Finance
- Howard University - Bachelor in Arts, Finance
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- Series 63
- Exam FM - Financial Mathematics
- Exam IFM - Investment and Financial Markets
- +88 subjects

Aaron: Series 79 course instructor
...and microeconomics, the last of which I also led study groups for. I was further nominated by my professors to lead study groups in statistics and intermediate mathematical microeconomics. I have worked, both formally and informally, providing career advice to students, particualrly those interested in pursuing a career in finance. I have helped numerous students successfully gain internships and full-time jobs in finance and look forward to continuing to help aspiring professionals achieve their goals....
Education & Certification
- Bucknell University - Bachelor in Business Administration, Accounting and Finance
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- SIE
- Series 63
- Business Enterprise
- +31 subjects

Godswill: Series 79 course instructor
...My overall teaching philosophy is Educational Essentialism. I believe in this traditional subject-centered philosophy where the students mind is trained to digest a series of progressively difficult topics that equips and enables the student to embrace the challenges of attaining the next level of academic and intellectual growth. I am excited to facilitate this process with students that I tutor as I derive a good amount of satisfaction bringing value to their learning experience.
Education & Certification
- Rivers State University - Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
- Texas Southern University - Master of Science, Computer Science
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- PRAXIS
- Series 7
- Conceptual Physics
- +134 subjects

Jessica: Series 79 course instructor
I customize learning plans, including comprehensive test sets dependent upon your personal needs. My specialties are FINRA exams: SIE 98.9% pass rate 3 100% pass rate 6 100 % pass rate 7 98.9% pass rate 28 100% pass rate 63 100% pass rate 65 100 % pass rate 66 100% pass rate * I update my material consistent with FINRA's algorithm update on the first of each month, industry updates, and market changes.
Education & Certification
- Georgia State University - Bachelor of Science, Finance
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- Series 10
- Series 65
- Series 22
- +28 subjects
Education & Certification
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor - Bachelor of Science, Economics
Subject Expertise
- Series 79
- Series 7
- CPA
- CFA
- +51 subjects