December 2011

Reminder: The next Plano cohort begins on January 18. The next Dallas cohort begins on April 2.

Program Pathways

Click here to view all available CPFP program pathways in an easy-to-understand format.

Note from the Program Director

A wise man once said “Knowledge is Power”. Indeed, knowing what you are doing is a good thing!

The main objective of the SMU Certificate Program in Financial Planning is to teach students how to do financial planning. Whether your goal is to improve your skills or change careers, our program is designed to help you grow in knowledge.

Of late, I have fielded many questions about the changes in the CFP Board requirements for the educational portion of the certification process. Unfortunately, some of those inquiring have been focused on avoiding the new requirements. The changes in the required number of hours and the Capstone class requirement are designed to enhance the knowledge of those who seek to put the CFP® marks behind their name.

The goal of the CFP Board is to make the CFP® marks the gold standard in the industry for financial planning. Increasing the educational requirements is a logical part of the efforts. I am thankful that those who set up our program realized the importance of having a class dedicated to teaching students how to do a comprehensive financial plan. SMU’s CPFP has always been a seven course classroom based program taught by seasoned instructors who all have active financial planning or law practices.

The SMU CPFP offers our prospective student’s three tracks to follow to obtain their Certificate in Financial Planning and meet the educational requirements of the CFP Board. The next Plano Cohort will begin in January with a completion date of September 2012. Details on how to register are available here.

On our Dallas campus we offer students two paths to meet the educational requirements to sit for the CFP Certification Examination. Entry dates are in April and September of each year. On the traditional path you take a single course each semester completing the program in 21 months. The Pacesetter Path with its fee discount allows our students to move to the exam at an accelerated rate completing the program in 12 months. Details are available here.

Whether you are an experienced veteran, new to the profession or seeking to change careers, the SMU CPFP will give you the knowledge you need to help your client’s face todays ever changing financial landscape. Come and join us!

—Tom Ricks, CFP®

New course hours for SMU CPFP Program

Please note the new course hours for 2012. Classes will meet on Tuesdays from 6 – 9:30 p.m. and Capstone will offer some Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to meet new hour requirements. Click here for details.

SMU Discount for Kaplan Schweser Live and Online Review
• Lowest rate guaranteed for SMU students.
• Use existing Kaplan texts.
• Free exchange of outdated texts.
• Choose from online- or classroom-based review.
• Learn more.

Corporate Partnership
SMU has developed a corporate partnership program that provides significant tuition discounts for employers who are committed to excellence. For more information, and to learn about corporate partner benefits, click here.

Save Your Seat (and $) with an Early Registration Discount
Be sure to enroll at least two weeks in advance and get an early registration discount – a savings of $100! Enroll as soon as registration opens (approximately 8-10 weeks before each term begins) and at least two weeks in advance to save your seat and to save on course fees.

Pacesetter Path: Less Time, Less Tuition
Complete the seven-course SMU program on the main campus in Dallas in fewer than 12 months and save over $395 each quarter! For more information, click here.

Textbook Reminder
The SMU Certificate Program in Financial Planning utilizes two publishers for course texts: American College (AC) and Kaplan Schweser. Each SMU course requires textbooks from AC and a corresponding supplement(s) from the multivolume Kaplan Schweser review series. All SMU CPFP course texts are available directly from the publisher. To guarantee delivery before classes start, order your textbooks at least a week in advance. Read for more information on CPFP textbooks.

Only 3% of Financial Planners are Certified
"Now, hands down, the Certified Financial Planner™ certification is the preferred designation. Only 3 percent of financial planners are Certified Financial Planner™ professionals. It's no guarantee, but they've crossed a threshold 97 percent haven't."
—John Austin, Boston Herald, October 21, 2008

Cross the Threshold. Start the SMU Program Now.

Spring cohort forming now. For more information, click here.

Calendar

Spring Quarter Begins
April 2 on the main campus

Registration Deadline for the March CFP® Certification Examination
January 31

Kaplan Schweser Review
Dallas Live Review begins February 9. Special discounts for SMU students!

What Our Students Are Saying …
“…I passed!! I felt prepared going into the exam… I feel extremely fortunate to have had you as an instructor.”
—D. O’Connell

Contact Us
cpfp@smu.edu or 214-SMU-CPFP (214-768-2737)

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