United States
Hong KongA four-week NMLS study plan
Four weeks at twelve to fifteen hours a week, roughly fifty hours. Origination and federal law get a week each, products and ethics share the third, and the fourth is mocks and repair.
Workable if you can give it twelve to fifteen hours a week and you have finished the 20-hour course.
It is not workable at six hours a week. That is a six-week plan wearing a four-week label, and it ends in a retake.
The four weeks
| Week | Focus | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Origination activities end to end, plus daily calculations | 13 |
| 2 | Federal law - RESPA, TRID, rescission, ECOA | 13 |
| 3 | Products, ability to repay, HOEPA, compensation, ethics | 13 |
| 4 | State content, two timed mocks, repair | 11 |
What gets compressed
Reading time. You will not read the regulations at leisure, and that is an acceptable loss.
What you do instead is work from a summary and then test it with questions immediately. Less comprehension, faster feedback.
What must not be compressed
- The daily calculation drill - fifteen minutes, every day, all four weeks
- Both timed mocks, full length
- Reviewing wrong answers properly rather than glancing at the correct option
- The TRID timeline, until you can draw it from memory
Sit the first at the start of week four and the second three or four days later. Back to back on consecutive days measures your fatigue rather than your knowledge.
The daily rhythm
Ninety minutes on the week's topic. Fifteen on calculations. Thirty on practice questions from earlier topics.
That last thirty is what stops week one fading by week four.
If week four goes badly
Move the exam. Rescheduling is free until 11:59pm Eastern two business days before, and a fortnight of repair is cheaper than USD 110 and a 30-day wait.
Common questions
Can you pass the NMLS exam in four weeks?
Yes, at twelve to fifteen hours a week after completing the 20-hour course. At six hours a week it is not a four-week plan.
What should week one cover?
Origination activities end to end, since it is the largest area and gives the sequence everything attaches to.
What cannot be cut from a compressed plan?
Daily calculation drills, both full timed mocks, and proper review of wrong answers.
How far apart should the mocks be?
Three or four days. Consecutive days measure fatigue rather than knowledge.
What if I am not ready in week four?
Reschedule. It is free until 11:59pm Eastern two business days before the appointment.