I am preparing for the CRCM next week. The examination outline indicates the percentages for each section. There are 200 muliple choice questions.

40% Credit (80 questions)
12% Deposits (24 questions)
7% Bank Operations (14 questions)
20% BSA/OFAC (40 questions)
7% CRA (14 questions)
14% Privacy (28 questions)

I am focusing my efforts on credit/BSA/OFAC/privacy. With respect to Bank Operations, there are 10 topics in the category. It would appear that there will only one or two questions at the most on these topics. I am running out of time to study. Is it safe to assume that the questions will cover major points and not some nitty-gritty detail of the Act or regulations?

I really should have done this five or so years ago. There are so many more things to know now!

I took (and somehow passed) the exam this spring. In my opinion, no, it is not safe to assume that the questions will cover the major points. I purchased the Reference Guide to Regulatory Compliance, procrastinated, and crammed all of my studying in the last couple days, which was not nearly enough time to cover everything. I focused my studying on the regulations that I felt I was weakest on, assuming the others would be a breeze since I handle them every day. I was wrong. None of it was a breeze because I felt like the questions were more geared toward the nitty-gritty details. Additionally, multiple times I thought that more than one answer was correct, but which one was the most correct? I left that exam room ashamed that I hadn't studied more and sure that I had failed. Much to my surprise, I passed. Not only that, but I actually did really well in each of the sections. I went with my first instinct when answering the questions, and even though there was a lot of uncertainty, my instincts were usually correct. I'm not trying to scare you. I'm just being honest when I say that the test was harder than I expected, but the outcome was good. I recommend reading as much as you can, don't overlook the small details, and go with your instincts. Good luck to you!

I agree, it is not safe to assume anything. When I took the FDIC Compliance Examiner Commissioning test (which is the same thing as the CRCM, just under a different name), I had a question on a footnote to ECOA.

I think the important thing is to learn how they ask the questions - if you can have the study guide, that will help you a lot. A lot of times they ask things like "What's the first thing you would do....". Well the first thing you would do may not be the first thing *I* would do, or the test writers. So try to get a feel for what they expect the answer to be, from the study guide.

Good luck!!

I too am taking the exam this Friday. I took the ABA online prep course, and am using the manual from that course as a guide. I have been told from many sources to choose the answer that makes the MOST sense....even in my study manual some of the questions at the end of each module could have two answers. I am hoping that I have studied enough....as a side note, I have heard that included in the test this year are elements from the SAFE Act. Just an FYI.....

I just recently took mine and didn't see any elements of the SAFE Act incorporated in the exam. I'm not saying it won't be on your exam i was just filling you in on what mine was like. There were quite a few of those "Whats the first thing you would do" or "Whats the BEST way to handle this" questions on mine so like EGB said really try and get a feel for what they would like the answer to be. Good Luck.

Like Mose and Kelsey,

I too just took the exam. I hope I get the same results as Kelsey, cause I left feeling like a total nimrod. Could narrow each question down to two possible answers, and I hope I chose the right one. Mose is right, it has a lot of "subjective" question, "What would be your first step" Well what is mine may not be theirs.

It makes a lot of since now that I have taken it. They asked the questions from a "How would you manage this situation" kind of approach. I used the ABA Guide to Reg Compliance to study and prepare. I think the online study group would be the way to go.

There was no SAFE Act on mine either, I think they said that until a law is in effect it will not be on the test.

Well, I am taking it on Friday and I am COMPLETELY freaked out. I took the online course, but there is SO MUCH to study now that we have all the change to Reg Z. Heck I spent two whole days just studying the Credit Card Act!!! Our bank does not make mortgage loans so I am worried that all the Reg Z/RESPA stuff isn't sinking in. I am very worried about super technical questions. God help me.......I guess I can take it again, but the thought of having to study like this again makes me want to vomit.

I too took the online course and am taking the test this Friday. I too am freaked out! All the studying and carrying that manual around for 8 weeks is wearing me out! I just want to pass and to get it over with so I won't have to study this hard ever again!
Good luck to us all, I hope we all pass!

I am taking the exam Friday, The FDIC insurance coverage was difficult since I dont deal with it a lot. Does anyone know if the questions related to FDIC insurance on the exam are like the test questions in the reference guide?

I'm proctering the exam - the package came yesterday.

The tests are sealed and. . .
I'm not looking at the package until 9AM Friday.

However, if you've followed the various threads on BOL, there should be NO problem.

Good luck and see some of you on Friday!

Regarding FDIC insurance. Check out their website. There are presentation slides from the free seminars that they have been putting on out there. Too bad you didn't know about the seminars. I participated last week and it was VERY helpful!

DD Regs: I too exited the exam thinking I was a total moron. I haven't got my results back yet so I still might have been on to something. Don't be nervous guys just relax and trust yourself. Good luck!

Good luck to everyone taking the test on Friday!

Good luck today!!!

DONE...just turned it in to my proctor. Happy weekend to me!!

Relax and enjoy yourself. You've worked hard!

I'm studying now to test in April.

I don't get to take the on line course and I have an outdated book from 2009.

How bad is this going to mess me up?

I'm debating on wether or not to shell out for a course and the book on my own dime but would really rather not have to.

Did everyone else's FI pay for their course materials?

Please report back to let us know how you did.

My bank did pay for the book when I took the exam this spring. As many regulatory changes as there have been and will be in the near future, I'd be hesitant to rely on a 2009 book for an exam in 2011. If money is the issue, perhaps you could use the book that you have but supplement it with whatever free reading material you can get your hands on for the new and revised regs.

That's what I was thinking of but then again I'm wondering how much extra material I'll be piling on to study by doing that.

I'm reluctant to do that too. There's already a laundry list of changes from 09 to 10.

If I can do it, anyone can! Best of luck to all of you.

Test Done...now the waiting begins! Some have said it took four weeks for theresults...others have said it was six....

Took me 1 hour and 55 minutes.....not sure if that is a good thing or not...but SOOOOO glad it's over!

:::doing the happy dance:::

I wish I understood why it takes so long to score a machine-graded test when less than 300 people took it at the November sitting.

@TinkerBell - 1 hour 45 minutes for me, so I hope that's a good thing.

On my exam Friday, Nov. 5, there was one question on the SAFE Act on the very last page.

Unfortunately, I missed the experience of being a proctor, I hope they ask again.... then again, I am up $300 from Vegas gambling...

BRRRRRR did you feel that chill, [censored] must have just froze over cause I passed the CRCM