Journey of Discovery - Choosing a Real Estate School

JMJ. Anyone wanting to become a Real Estate Agent must choose a School. Figure out what works best for you and then find a school that matches your needs, learning style, and pocket book.

I started with Lone Star college...but they no longer had classes for Real Estate education.  They referred me to Champions School of Real Estate.  This school has in-class, on-line and virtual education.  All of them require self-study in addition to any video or teacher instruction.  You have to take the baton and run with it...read the material and take some kind of notes which is great since one day you will have to rely on yourself to get your business going...and thereby have people rely on you for the most significant and pricey decision they may make in their whole lives.  

So, go on-line and start researching schools, making sure they are TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission) approved.  In fact you can start there...google and go on the TREC website where they have a section about schools.  There are many differences in price.  Some have discounts that are offered various times, or discounts for packages, as there are a total of six classes required.  I chose Champions virtual by zoom.  You must pass the classes, keep a record of your certificates (these will be sent to the state with your application for your license), and remember that the classes are designed to help you learn and ultimately pass the big exam.  Most people will need a prep class too!  My own journey required it.  We were in lock-down and testing sites were closed so I studied and took the prep class over and over again.  Yikes! it was a hard test and I was glad I had taken the prep 5 times.  With Champions you pay for exam prep once and can retake it as many times as you can schedule for up to one year.

So, to recap...in Texas:

Completing 180 hours (6 classes) of required Real Estate education keeping a record of certificates. Pay the school. 

Submit Certificates to the state with your application...pay the fee.

Schedule your fingerprinting (a background check will be done) & pay the fee.

Schedule your exam with the designated testing company for a future date/time, giving yourself plenty of time/weeks for prep study and prep classes. Pay the fee. 

Take the exam and find out right away (before you leave the bldg) whether you passed or not.  (if you have to test again...you pay the fee again...so be sure you are truly ready)

When you pass the test, you will receive a letter from the state letting you know you have an inactive license.

Find a brokerage to sponsor you.  Boom...you now have an active license.

-wise...you pay for classes, application, fingerpriniting, testing.