If you are one of those who think the financial sector needs to get more ethical, then The American College of Financial Services is a place where people with that same notion have been going for years.
This is to ensure that in an age where everything is propelled towards taking advantage of situations irrespective of who and when it may hurt, then The American College of Financial Services is a huge relief.
The college places a premium on quality education and tries to achieve that as much as it can. The college claims that most of its students after first attending to hone their crafts end up returning for some more.
There is no doubt as to why they return. Anyone who arms you with knowledge enough to stand heads above your competition deserves a return visit.
This article discusses The American College of Financial Services, its programs, accreditation, tuition, rankings and all other things you should know.
Table of Contents
- What are financial services?
- What is The American College of Financial Services?
- History of The American College of Financial Services
- The American College of Financial Services Programs
- WMCP – Wealth Management Certified Professional
- RICP – RETIREMENT INCOME CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL
- CFP – Certified Financial Planner™ Certification
- ChFc – CHARTERED FINANCIAL CONSULTANT
- CLU – CHARTERED LIFE UNDERWRITER
- FSCP – FINANCIAL SERVICES CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL
- ChSNC – Chartered Special Needs Consultant
- CAP – Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy
- CLF – Chartered Leadership Fellow
- CE – Continuing Education
- Which should you go for, CFP or ChFC?
- Tuition
- The American College of Financial Services Ranking
- The American College of Financial Services Accreditation
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
What are financial services?
Financial services are services that the financial sector provides to people and corporations. This financial sector is comprised of financial firms that can be anything from banks, investment houses, lenders, finance companies, real estate brokers, and insurance companies.
These firms are run by people whose expertise is the creation and management of products and services to people and corporations.
Aside from the major thing the financial services industry does which is to manage money, this can also include the creation and management of accounts, capital, stocks, and mortgages.
Money is usually earned in the financial services sector through many different means, most popular of which are interest and commissions.
What is The American College of Financial Services?
The American College of Financial Services is a nonprofit, accredited, degree-granting institution that places a premium on quality education.
The College works tirelessly to ensure that society has informed, ethical financial service and insurance professionals it can trust.
The college’s degrees and designations are universally recognized as representing the highest standard in expertise and education.
It should come as a surprise to none when the college claim that over 200,000 have honed their crafts there.
What they have found is that in the complex world of financial services, the key to success is being better prepared than the competition.
It’s why so many return to The College throughout their careers. The American College of Financial Services believe that no one’s education is ever over.
The college believes that whether you are just starting out in the financial services profession, looking to advance your earning potential, or seeking greater career opportunities and satisfaction through specialization, we deliver premium financial services and insurance education options that are relevant, comprehensive, and convenient.
History of The American College of Financial Services
Founded by industry pioneer Solomon S. Huebner in 1927, The American College of Financial Services has a rich history in financial services education— standing strong as the standard-bearer for quality.
The College’s Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) program graduated 21 designees in 1928, beginning a long tradition of excellence.
Since then, more than 100,000 financial services professionals have earned their CLU® designation.
Through our long history, The College has responded to the dynamic financial services environment, revising programs and adding designations to address the evolving needs of financial professionals in specialized ways.
These changes included launching the innovative ChFC® designation for advanced financial planning, creating the groundbreaking RICP® retirement income planning certification, embracing the digital age with our comprehensive online wealth management program, the WMCP®.
Offering sales training programs that consistently elevate performance, providing education for CFP® Certification, and adding graduate-level courses in financial services, philanthropy, and management.
The institution has grown over the decades to become the leader in financial services education.
Our faculty includes the nation’s top thought leaders in financial services practice and management, offering expertise that is sought by companies, policy makers, and students across the United States and abroad.
The College has remained nimble and proactive in the rapidly changing financial products and services.
More than ever, success in the field requires specialized knowledge. These demands fuel our growth and continue to bring prestige to education from The American College of Financial Services.
There are many things about the college which are not explicitly stated, such as tuition for both local and international students, the number of students, admission rate, the college’s selection type, and some other details.
The American College of Financial Services Programs
The American College of Financial Services runs a number of programs, which are the;
WMCP – Wealth Management Certified Professional
This is a comprehensive overview of goal-based personal wealth and investment management unlike any other professional credential available today.
The WMCP helps advisors transform modern investment theory into applied knowledge that brings a new level of value to client relationships.
In this program you’ll learn the fundamentals of goal-based wealth management, which begins with your client’s goals—whether they’re saving for college tuition, planning for retirement, or passing wealth on to others through estate planning.
Through a focus on tax-efficient portfolio management strategies that integrate the newest research on client behavior and financial planning, the WMCP will develop your expertise as an analyst in goal identification, risk management, and investment management plans tailored to the needs of investors.
Developed by more than 25 expert financial advisors, the WMCP provides a unique education in applied investment management that won the program the 2018 Brandon Hall Group Bronze Award for Excellence in Learning.
RICP – RETIREMENT INCOME CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL
The purpose of the retirement financial planner program is to help individuals who are at or near retirement build a plan to ensure they meet their retirement income and other financial goals throughout their nonworking years and manage the many risks they may face.
As coordinated planning and better decision making can improve retirement security, retirement income planning is a very rewarding area within financial planning.
Research has shown that better decisions can make a big difference in retirement income, and with a retirement income planning certification like the RICP, you can help your clients do well by doing good.
RICP designation holders report having more confidence in their ability to serve senior clients as retirement financial planners, a broader perspective of the field, and the ability to immediately use what they learn to give retirement financial advice in their professional roles.
CFP – Certified Financial Planner™ Certification
This program’s designation is one of the top certificates in financial planning available today, but preparing to earn it takes a broad range of knowledge and a strong educational background.
The CFP Certification Education program is meant for students and financial professionals interested in adding the prestigious CFP designation to their title and is best suited for the working advisor balancing many different responsibilities.
Through their cutting-edge program and expert faculty instruction, you can set yourself up to pass the CFP exam while furthering your education and opening new doors for personal and professional growth.
In The College’s seven-course CFP certification education program, you’ll learn from nationally recognized experts in their fields through the new Personal Pathway™ learning experience.
It offers a flexible, yet structured learning path, providing you with practical, applied knowledge that makes the difference.
ChFc – CHARTERED FINANCIAL CONSULTANT
Designed for immediate, real-world application, the financial planning strategies taught in the eight-course ChFC designation program prepare you as a financial consultant to advise a full range of potential clients on a diverse set of subjects.
Mainly delivered through the new Personal Pathway™ learning model, the ChFC program will deepen your knowledge and broaden your chartered financial practice.
Thanks to its flexible learning experience, engaging content, and unmatched support.
ChFC covers a must-have list of requirements for financial advisors, from knowledge on tax and retirement planning to special needs advising, wealth management, insurance, and more.
If you are looking for financial classes online that will give you a stronger baseline understanding of what it takes to be successful as a financial consultant, ChFC certifications for financial advisors can help open doors and expand your business while putting you in a position to branch out and take your chartered financial practice to the next level.
CLU – CHARTERED LIFE UNDERWRITER
Life insurance is a vital part of holistic financial planning for both individuals and small businesses.
It’s also a lucrative field, where just one sale can pay for the entire CLU designation.
Whether you’re just launching your life insurance underwriting career or an established professional trying to learn how to become an insurance underwriter and offer more to your clients, earning the CLU certification is an excellent choice.
Through the eight-course CLU program, you’ll gain an in-depth understanding of the practical, legal, and ethical aspects of life insurance underwriting and learn how to provide the best solutions to a modern and diverse clientele facing a range of risks and financial situations.
The CLU designation will not only expand the quality and breadth of the advice you’re able to give but will elevate your professional credentials as a certified underwriter and help advance your career.
FSCP – FINANCIAL SERVICES CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL
The Financial Services Certified Professional (FSCP) designation offers the most complete product knowledge, and marketing and planning skills training available to financial services professionals today.
Gain the practical knowledge and skills you need to establish a successful, ethical practice.
Learn using the active learning process of Learn, Discuss, Do, Reflect, and transform knowing into doing.
Complete five of nine available electives and two required courses to earn your FSCP designation.
This flexibility allows you to set your own path as you lay the foundation for career-long learning and growth.
Your tuition includes a live class facilitated by an experienced practitioner, all required study materials, access to convenient online learning tools, and your examination. Shipping and handling is included.
ChSNC – Chartered Special Needs Consultant
Bringing together the expertise of lawyers, financial planners, and psychologists, The ChSNC is the only credential designed to prepare financial advisors to help people with special needs.
Through the program, you’ll gain an in-depth knowledge of the best strategies for ensuring that families who are caring for a person with disabilities have the resources they need to live well.
Through the ChSNC program, you’ll augment your current financial and interpersonal skills with specialized skills focused on helping parents and caregivers plan for immediate and long-term considerations.
Learn to wisely and compassionately guide families through complex financial decisions and benefits systems so they can gain the peace-of-mind they deserve.
CAP – Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy
The CAP designation provides comprehensive education on the strategies of philanthropic planning.
In addition to helping you master the financial details involved in different forms of gift giving, the program will help you enhance your interpersonal and active listening skills so you can better turn philanthropic aspirations into reality.
Focused on the best strategies for philanthropic planning, the three-course CAP program will teach you the skills you need to advise clients on charitable giving or guide charitable organizations in their fundraising efforts.
It’s an excellent addition to any financial or nonprofit career—and because The College has a mission of bettering society, you can take advantage of special, nonprofit pricing if you’re a nonprofit professional.
CLF – Chartered Leadership Fellow
The Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF) program provides financial services managers with the knowledge and tools they need to achieve key organizational goals, such as recruitment and retention, setting performance standards, and developing business plans.
The curriculum features an effective mix of relevant business courses to prepare you for today’s leadership challenges and to help you create a culture of success in your organization.
Individuals who pursue the office CLF track will learn theory and best practices for: leadership development, interpersonal relationships, problem solving, human resource management, employee recruitment, and current issues within the insurance and financial services profession.
CE – Continuing Education
This course reviews timely and relevant ethical issues in the financial services profession, such as changes to the U.S. Department of Labor fiduciary rule, and resulting ethical implications for financial services professionals.
The course is structured as a series of videos, including several interviews with faculty members from The American College of Financial Services.
The course is taught by Julie Ragatz, assistant professor of ethics, and director of the Center for Ethics at The American College of Financial Services.
Which should you go for, CFP or ChFC?
The CFP takes a broad range of knowledge and a strong educational background and thus may not be for everyone and so should be treaded carefully especially if you do not completely have the extensive eduational background it takes.
The ChFC is for those who need an immediate entry or a break into this field. If that is what you seek then the ChFC offers you this opportunity.
Tuition
The tuition fees for the courses range from $500 to $2000 for individual courses and $4,000 for those with three-course packages, and $170 for some electives.
The fees are dependent on a number of factors such as books, study materials, access to steady online learning materials, etc.
The American College of Financial Services Ranking
The college ranks as number 979 on the American list of most popular universities in America in 2024, and 2786 on the world list of most popular universities. Read more
The American College of Financial Services Accreditation
The American College of Financial Services Accreditation is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
It is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations, and resources.
It examines each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within institutions. The MSCHE assures students and the public of the educational quality of higher education.
Its accreditation process ensures institutional accountability, self-appraisal, improvement, and innovation through peer review and the rigorous application of standards within the context of institutional mission. Read more.
Conclusion
The American College of Financial Services Accreditation has many benefits to its students, it also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, online courses and distance learning opportunities, as well as administrative services.
References
Recommendations
The American College of Financial Services is a good school, and has prepared and graduated a lot of financial professionals that right now are doing very well in their various fields.
The American College of Financial Services has 10 programs that it teaches to both experienced and new financial analysts and advisers.
