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#471602 - 12/16/05 07:05 PM CRCM Exam
02bonne Offline
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 620
I'm planning on taking the WBA (WI Bankers Assoc) compliance training (8 weeks) and then taking the CRCM exam. From those that have taken the CRCM and passed, what was your impression of the exam....easy, hard? How much did you study? How long were you in compliance before taking it? What would you do differently in regards to studying? Any other information on the subject would be beneficial. Thanks,

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General Discussion
#471603 - 12/16/05 08:47 PM Re: CRCM Exam
Andy_Z Offline
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 27,748
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I sincerely hope it is viewed as hard. While I took it years ago, if it is easy, everyone will have a CRCM and it won't have much significance.

The designation is beneficial. Many employers seek out CRCMs when filling a compliance position. Many examiners are also CRCMs. They follow a different path as their's is combined with examiner certifications for their agency's. Many of these folks have respect for the designation as well.
_________________________
AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#471604 - 12/16/05 09:31 PM Re: CRCM Exam
Meritage Offline
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 26
When I took the exam, I had been in compliance for 6 years. I used the ABA Reference Guide to Regulatory Compliance as my study guide. I concentrated on the regulations that I did not deal with on a day to day basis. I can't say how much I studied, but it was quite a bit. The Reference Guide with its quizzes was a big help, I recommend it highly. Study hard and don't panic, you will do fine. Good luck!

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#471605 - 12/19/05 04:47 PM Re: CRCM Exam
MJCBANKER Offline
New Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9
New York
I am taking the CRCM in April 2006 and was told that it is difficult as it covers several compliance topics and is a 200 multiple choice test. Sometimes multiple choice tests are harder than written exams in that the answers contained within the question may be similar but not exact. I was advised to also seek a mentor. The ABA will provide a mentor once the application is submitted and fee paid.

Hopefully this helps. However, if you go into their web site www.aba.com/ICBCertifications/CRCM.htm there is a lot of helpful information to get you through the exam process.

Let me know if I have helped your CRCM preparation techniques?

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#471606 - 12/19/05 04:56 PM Re: CRCM Exam
02bonne Offline
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 620
I'm also going to try and take it on April 21st. I signed up for the WI bankers CRCM prep course (online). It starts february 13th. It'll be done a week before the test. Talk about cutting it close. Not to mention i'll be taking the first of the CFA exams in June.

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#471607 - 12/19/05 05:01 PM Re: CRCM Exam
The Incredible ComplyGuy Offline
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The Incredible ComplyGuy
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,350
The he11 of suburbia
Quote:

When I took the exam, I had been in compliance for 6 years. I used the ABA Reference Guide to Regulatory Compliance as my study guide. I concentrated on the regulations that I did not deal with on a day to day basis. I can't say how much I studied, but it was quite a bit. The Reference Guide with its quizzes was a big help, I recommend it highly. Study hard and don't panic, you will do fine. Good luck!




Just a caution against relying too heavily on the Reference Guide. It was a better tool for studying for the CRCM in past years when the exam was more fact-based. The exam's focus in recent years has been toward more questions on management decision-making. I think this is a good thing, but the Reference Guide has not kept up with that change in emphasis.

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#471608 - 12/23/05 02:34 PM Re: CRCM Exam
lisa Offline
Gold Star
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 264
Gainesville, TX USA
I agree with the prior post. I concentrated my study with the Reference Guide and quizzes. When I took the exam on November 4th, I found it to be very different from the study material. The exam focused on management decision-making questions, not the factual based questions that I was expecting.

But the good news ... I received an e-mail December 20th and YES, I DID PASS!

Merry Christmas to me.

Lisa

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#471609 - 12/23/05 02:51 PM Re: CRCM Exam
Andy_Z Offline
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 27,748
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Congrats.

I hadn't realized the shifting in the questions. That is good to know.

So will you change your name or sig to "Lisa CRCM?"
_________________________
AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#471610 - 12/23/05 02:58 PM Re: CRCM Exam
Gotwood Offline
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 715
The exam's focus in recent years has been toward more questions on management decision-making. I think this is a good thing, but the Reference Guide has not kept up with that change in emphasis.

Agree. I have proctered three exams and all testers told me the same thing. Fortunately (or unfortunately) management decisions are not always something that can be taught in a reference guide. For these you need to study at the SHK.

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#471611 - 12/28/05 08:12 PM Re: CRCM Exam
02bonne Offline
Platinum Poster
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 620
Quote:

The exam's focus in recent years has been toward more questions on management decision-making. I think this is a good thing, but the Reference Guide has not kept up with that change in emphasis.





I just received the fifteenth edition of the reference guide. I'm not sure if they recently revised it but all of the review questions are very practical. They cover management decision issues to questions how certain items should be displaced such as disclosures and APY. Seems like a very practical and well put together manual...although it is 637 pages. I'll post my findings after I take the exam on April 21st.

I also signed up for the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam on June 3rd on top of my graduate work at Marquette. I guess i'm a glutton for punishment in 2006.

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#471612 - 12/30/05 07:14 PM Re: CRCM Exam
beegee Offline
Diamond Poster
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,110
South
it was my understanding that the on-line reference guide course was organized to prepare one to take the CRCM exam.

Is that not the case for those of you who have taken it?

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#471613 - 01/13/06 04:04 PM Re: CRCM Exam
ajthompson Offline
100 Club
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 247
SE, OK
The online course is a re-hash of the questions in the Review Manual. The questions are the same, the only difference is that they score the questions for you. The one benefit I found in the online course was that they give you some sample test questions at the end, which prepare you for the type and structure of the questions in the exam. If it were not for the sample questions, I would have really been surprised by all of the management-decision-making-type questions in the actual exam.

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#471614 - 01/17/06 06:43 PM Re: CRCM Exam
beegee Offline
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,110
South
The crcm exam outline I received from ICB gives the following as a format:

credit 30%; deposits 15%; operations 10%; bsa 15%; cra 12%; privacy 10%; other 8%

However, it sounds like the format is 100% compliance management. Also, the sample questions I received from ICB are more technical in nature.

Can anyone reconcile these for me?

thanks

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