Now's the time - April 24 CEP deadline is approaching

Also keep in mind that the best way to prepare for any level of the exam is to enroll in the NCEO Prep Course as soon as possible. It is a self-paced online training tool designed to help you prepare for the exam. There is a free demo at www.nceo.org/cepstudy - check it out! Let me know if you have any questions or would like to enroll. Good luck!  

These online courses are definitely helpful..no doubts they give you a feel of how the actual test is gonna be....Don't get me wrong but from my experiece, I completed all the 3 levels in 4 attempts in total, I failed in level  1 only & then completed level 2  & 3 in first attempts with really high scores. What worked for me was going thru the study materials thoroughly, keep in mind which topic is located where in which book & above all....being a Global Stock Administrator, relied majorly on my practical experience in case of doubts. I  enrolled for an online course for level 1 & that was really helpful as it provided some insight & gave me a feel of how the test is going to be like....Thanks & all the Best to all the aspirants. 

SO....

Who is signed up to take the summer CEP exams?

What level are you taking?

Saw that CEPI updated the editions of the books used for Level 1.  Anyone have any insight on the differences, or if we can simply use the previous editions?

Thanks

Scott,

I would think you can get some fairly accurate responses to this.  The ECE membership includes people who help write and edit the books, people who run the CEP program and people who help write and review test questions.

With all the changes that have happened in the past year, I would think the new books will be a good investment, but others may have different opinions.

Dan

I am registered for Level 2

The CEPI always recommends that candidates use the current editions of the materials.  All exam items are directly sourced to current materials.  As we all know, changes in equity compensation are frequent.  These changes, along with continual refinement and improvement of the materials, result in new editions most years.  For example, the 2009 edition of "Consider Your Options" has a new chapter on Estate Planning.  The accounting chapter (chapter 10) in "The Stock Options Book" has been re-written.  With the elimination of "Executive Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights" some L2/L3 exam topics previously covered in this reference have been incorporated into other materials.  For L2/L3, the 2008 "Accounting for Equity Compensation" has been split into two books and topics expanded in both.   While some candidates have been successful using materials from the previous year, using the current materials is always the safest course of action.  As for the XYZ Stock Incentive Plan... there have been no changes for 2009, so candidates can easily use the 2008 version which may include your notes and highlights. 

I'll second what Emily says above. It's safest to buy the updated editions--not to mention less expensive than retaking the exam. The authors update their chapters each year, and everything added in the assigned chapters is fair game in the exams. In The Stock Options Book alone, the accounting chapter changed and the ESPP, tax law compliance, case ruling, and legislative chapters in particular had additions.

Good luck on the test.