<p>Does what undergraduate college one goes to matter as much for becoming a stock broker compared to investment banking?</p>
<p>Also, I don't understand how someone gets their first job if they don't have the Series 7 but they need to have a job to get the series 7?</p>
<p>Also, how hard is it to actually pass the series 7 test, can anyone decently smart study hard and pass it?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>You need to be sponsored to take the examination. If you are hired by a B/D or Securities firm, they will sponsor you to take the examinations (ex. Series 7). It is not that difficult in reality if you are smart.</p>
<p>I read somewhere that many firms require some kind of previous “sales experience” like working for an insurance company before you can get that first job to take the exam. I didn’t really believe that.</p>
<p>So can you get hired by a firm straight from undergrad?</p>
<p>Nah, lots of people take the exam, you don’t need prior experience. </p>
<p>Are you talking about institutional or retail brokerage?</p>
<p>What exactly is the difference? I just recently started considering this as another option.</p>
<p>EDIT: BTW thanks for the info.</p>