Under the CPCU® program, all students must choose an elective course and pass the corresponding exam. In this article, we’ll talk about different approaches you can take when it comes to deciding which CPCU elective to take.
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Approach #1: Choose an elective that counts towards another designation you are trying to earn
If you are planning to also pursue another designation besides CPCU and one of the available electives will count towards that second designation, choosing that elective can obviously save you time and money.
The Institutes’ has a Progress Tracker tool will show you how close you are towards earning another designation and what courses count towards each designation. To view the tracker tool:
- Log in to your online account at The Institutes website.
- Hover over your name in the top right corner and choose “My Progress Tracker.”
- To see what courses count towards the designation, click on the “Detailed Progress” button in the appropriate section.
Approach #2: Choose a topic you have more experience and knowledge in
It is no secret that The Institutes’ exams are tough, and any advantage you can get might be the difference between passing and failing. If you are already working in a field that is covered by one of the CPCU elective courses or otherwise have extensive experience with one particular subject, that can be a good reason for choosing that specific elective.
Remember, though, that the exams are based on The Institutes’ course content and what they deem as “correct,” not on what you learned on the job. You can use your experience to help you with your studies, but don’t assume that what you’ve learned from your work experience field will be the “right” answers to the exam questions.
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Approach #3: Choose a topic you know less about
For some people, their main goal is to expand their professional knowledge. If that’s the case, you may want to go with a CPCU elective that covers the topic you know the least about, just so you can get more learning out of your studies.
Approach #4: Choose the topic you find most interesting
If the subject matter of a particular course seems interesting to you, your studies will feel less like a chore because you are studying something that you are genuinely curious about. This makes it easier to stay engaged throughout the elective course.
Approach #5: Choose the area you would like to advance your career in
Most people pursue the CPCU designation because they want to improve their career prospects. By completing the CPCU program, students can demonstrate to current or future employers that they had the grit to complete all the requirements, are well-rounded in terms of their insurance knowledge, and are passionate enough about staying in the insurance profession to invest their time into earning this designation.
Aligning your choice of elective with the career path you want to take is the best way to get the highest return on your investment of completing the CPCU program.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to approach choosing your CPCU elective, and it mainly boils down to what your CPCU goals are. Whatever your reasons for pursuing the CPCU designation, consider the above approaches so you can pick the best CPCU elective for yourself.
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About your instructor
Insurance Exam Guides (IEG) was founded by Stacy Trinh, CPCU®, who first started her teaching journey at the request of her co-workers who were preparing for their CPCU exams. Because of her reputation as an adept trainer and motivator, Stacy's co-workers had asked her to lead a class. The feedback on her sessions and study materials was overwhelming positive, and her students encouraged her to share what she had to offer with the rest of the CPCU community.
Since then, Stacy created a library of study materials for both CPCU® and AINS® that have helped thousands of students pass their exams. As an accounting major and former claims adjuster, her style of instruction incorporates both a financial and operational perspective that makes her study materials well-rounded. She looks forward to helping many more students continue to succeed, including you!
Disclaimers: The Institutes, CPCU®, and AINS® are trademarks of the American Institute For Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, d/b/a The Institutes. InsuranceExamGuides.com is not affiliated or associated with The Institutes in any way, and The Institutes do not endorse, approve, support, or otherwise recognize InsuranceExamGuides.com or its products or services. CPCU® and AINS® are registered trademarks of The Institutes. All rights reserved.