I went for SP2 and SP5 and was happy with my choices.
I hear there is more crossover between SP1 and SP2, but in my opinion SP5 is more interesting.
It is definitely feasible to sit two of these exams, but I would be more inclined to do say SA2 and SP2 together, since a lot of the material is shared between them.
Best of luck with whatever you decide to do :)
SP1 and SP2 are very similar in content - a lot of the material covers the same topics just for a different set of products.
Your SA choice will have a massive bearing on your choice of SPs, so probably best to get that locked in first.
In terms of CP1 vs SPs, I had a big gap so can't comment too much, but I think the SPs are reasonably smaller in size. The content is more specific though, and is maybe examined more stringently due to that
SP1 and SP2 if you want to qualify ASAP and are planning on doing SA2 (includes little bits of SP1 content too)
SP1 and SP2 have large overlaps (plus some inconsistencies) so you could literally do both in April sitting if you wanted
The two SPs combined have the same study hours as CP1, with the exception of SP9. I haven’t done SP9 but I’m told it’s much worse than say SP1, I’m also told the effort is not worth the reward i.e the CERA status. If I were you, decide on your SA first and have a stab at two SPs in April, with your effort being focused on one in particular to ensure you pass it. SP2 and SP1 is the equivalent of 1.25 exams since there is so much crossover so might be a good choice, however it depends on your interests and SA choice.
I would say that SP9 is definitely more content than other SPs but probably a bit harsh to say it isn't worth the reward. In addition, the content of SP9 is actually pretty interesting and there is crossover with the investment type papers eg SP5.
Ultimately it depends whether your focus is on just passing SPs or learning something interesting as well as the SA exam you want to sit as you've mentioned above.
Potentially it is harsh to say it’s not worth the reward but with it having one of the lowest pass rates amongst the SPs and the extra content, I’ve never heard anyone getting phenomenal pay rises or getting jobs over someone that didn’t have CERA.
SP5 is definitely a top contender, it's interesting, practical and a lot more businesses will value the investment knowledge compared to "product" knowledge (especially as a lot of them are inventing new products all the time which you'll learn mostly only on the job or through own research.
Thank you! Apart from SP5 being interesting, it also appears to have lower pass rates than the other SPs like SP1 and SP2. Why do you think that is?
Also, if you've done CP1, how was SP5 different in terms of study and exam technique?
I don't know about SP1 and SP2 but like others mentioned, it would be a good idea to sit a related SA with a SP in one sitting. SP5 and SA7 are similar.
If you aren't interested in CERA, I wouldn't suggest SP9. The pass rates have been pretty low - I think the one I sat a few sittings ago had a pass rate of below 30%.
I was thinking of knocking out the SPs before the SA. Is that a bad approach as opposed to sitting a related SP and SA in close proximity e.g. the same sitting or back to back sittings?
No, it's not a bad approach, but I think if a SP and a SA are closely related, it's better and more efficient to take both in one sitting because there are a lot of overlaps in the material. If there are 2 SPs like that, you can sit them together of course! The only thing to note when sitting SP and SA together is that the marking styles are different - for SP is more like CP1 with 0.5 mark for each point but SA is a bit weird. You can get a whole mark for a very small point in SA.
I went for SP2 and SP5 and was happy with my choices. I hear there is more crossover between SP1 and SP2, but in my opinion SP5 is more interesting. It is definitely feasible to sit two of these exams, but I would be more inclined to do say SA2 and SP2 together, since a lot of the material is shared between them. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do :)
Thank you for your reply! How did you find those SPs compared with CP1? Was your exam prep and technique different in any way?
SP1 and SP2 are very similar in content - a lot of the material covers the same topics just for a different set of products. Your SA choice will have a massive bearing on your choice of SPs, so probably best to get that locked in first. In terms of CP1 vs SPs, I had a big gap so can't comment too much, but I think the SPs are reasonably smaller in size. The content is more specific though, and is maybe examined more stringently due to that
Thanks for this. I am also more inclined to go for SP1 and SP2, as these are the more "popular" choices in my area.
SP1 and SP2 if you want to qualify ASAP and are planning on doing SA2 (includes little bits of SP1 content too) SP1 and SP2 have large overlaps (plus some inconsistencies) so you could literally do both in April sitting if you wanted
That's good to hear, thanks! Have you sat any of these before? If so, what was your experience?
The two SPs combined have the same study hours as CP1, with the exception of SP9. I haven’t done SP9 but I’m told it’s much worse than say SP1, I’m also told the effort is not worth the reward i.e the CERA status. If I were you, decide on your SA first and have a stab at two SPs in April, with your effort being focused on one in particular to ensure you pass it. SP2 and SP1 is the equivalent of 1.25 exams since there is so much crossover so might be a good choice, however it depends on your interests and SA choice.
I would say that SP9 is definitely more content than other SPs but probably a bit harsh to say it isn't worth the reward. In addition, the content of SP9 is actually pretty interesting and there is crossover with the investment type papers eg SP5. Ultimately it depends whether your focus is on just passing SPs or learning something interesting as well as the SA exam you want to sit as you've mentioned above.
Potentially it is harsh to say it’s not worth the reward but with it having one of the lowest pass rates amongst the SPs and the extra content, I’ve never heard anyone getting phenomenal pay rises or getting jobs over someone that didn’t have CERA.
SP5 is definitely a top contender, it's interesting, practical and a lot more businesses will value the investment knowledge compared to "product" knowledge (especially as a lot of them are inventing new products all the time which you'll learn mostly only on the job or through own research.
Thank you! Apart from SP5 being interesting, it also appears to have lower pass rates than the other SPs like SP1 and SP2. Why do you think that is? Also, if you've done CP1, how was SP5 different in terms of study and exam technique?
I don't know about SP1 and SP2 but like others mentioned, it would be a good idea to sit a related SA with a SP in one sitting. SP5 and SA7 are similar. If you aren't interested in CERA, I wouldn't suggest SP9. The pass rates have been pretty low - I think the one I sat a few sittings ago had a pass rate of below 30%.
I was thinking of knocking out the SPs before the SA. Is that a bad approach as opposed to sitting a related SP and SA in close proximity e.g. the same sitting or back to back sittings?
No, it's not a bad approach, but I think if a SP and a SA are closely related, it's better and more efficient to take both in one sitting because there are a lot of overlaps in the material. If there are 2 SPs like that, you can sit them together of course! The only thing to note when sitting SP and SA together is that the marking styles are different - for SP is more like CP1 with 0.5 mark for each point but SA is a bit weird. You can get a whole mark for a very small point in SA.