What to look for in online CeMAP courses

May 4, 2009 by Brendan

Advice & Tips

CeMAP

No matter how much you want to study for your CeMAP exam and whether it is to become a mortgage broker or for some other purpose, it is not always convenient to take a week out from family or work commitments to study a fast track, intensive, full time CeMAP training course.

As a result, many people decide they will have to find the time and dedication needed to study for their CeMAP exam from home through distance learning, but it can be difficult to decide who to study with as there are so many financial training companies in the UK offering CeMAP training. So what exactly should you be looking for in an online CeMAP course?

Naturally, you should check out the training company in the usual way. Ask as many questions as you like from the training provider and a reputable training company will be happy to answer them.

Here are few things you might like to ask about the online course itself:

•    Can you see a sample of the course material?
•    How long will you have access to the training materials for and is that sufficient for your needs?
•    In the case of CeMAP in particular, be sure to check how often the material is updated because the CeMAP syllabus is updated twice a year. If the syllabus changes during your period of study will the materials be updated?
•    If you find a part of the course difficult to understand, what support is there to help you? Don’t accept that the material is perfect because everyone struggles with something or other. Ideally, you should have contact via telephone or email to somebody who can help teach you
•    Don’t be fooled by fancy gimmicks about video or audio clips or other interactive course materials. The knowledge is important. Similarly, don’t be fooled by lots of exam questions or past papers as these must have been updated to match the current syllabus – a correct answer four years ago may not be correct now
•    Ask whether the course contains tips on how to answer the exam questions themselves or how to tackle the question if you are unsure of the answer, because certainly in the CeMAP world the ifs School of Finance has a certain way of putting the questions together and exam techniques are important

Check that the CeMAP training company is able to answer all your questions before enrolling because it is your money you are investing in your future.