Which Real Estate Course is the Best?
Choosing the right real estate course in BC can be confusing, especially when different programs make very different claims. This guide uses available licensing and enrollment data to help students understand what to look for before choosing a real estate exam prep course.
How to Choose the Right Real Estate Prep Course for Your Learning Style?
If you’re preparing for your UBC exam, make sure you’ve reviewed Exam Basics and Requirements (Part 1) and Study Strategies (Part 2).
Most students beginning their real estate licensing process in BC ask the same questions:
Which real estate course is the best? What is the best real estate course to actually help me pass? And how do I study efficiently without wasting time or money?
Others are searching for the most effective way to study real estate course material, looking for reliable real estate exam study guides, or trying to figure out the best study material for the real estate exam — especially when studying for a real estate license online.
What we’ve consistently seen is this: many students put their lives on hold to focus on their real estate licensing studies, only to feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how to study effectively.
Many rely on pre-recorded online videos that lack structure, accountability, and practical explanation. As a result, some students continue extending access and paying ongoing fees — sometimes spending thousands of dollars without gaining real clarity or confidence.
The facts below will help you understand why this happens and how to choose a real estate course that truly supports your success — without unnecessary delays, frustration, or hidden costs.
No Tutorial Company Has Access to the UBC Exam
Some tutorial companies may imply they have “inside knowledge” or access to actual UBC exam questions.
Students should be cautious about such claims.
The UBC real estate exam is confidential, and candidates are expected to follow strict examination rules and agreements.
A strong prep course should therefore focus on:
- Helping students understand concepts clearly
- Improving question interpretation
- Teaching practical exam strategies
- Building confidence through practice and repetition
A reputable program should not promise shortcuts or “secret” exam questions.
Excel Realty Academy has helped thousands of students prepare for the UBC real estate licensing exam since 2010 through:
- In-person classes
- Live online classes
- Mock exams
- Structured exam preparation support.
What is the Failure Rate of the BC Real Estate Licensing Exam?
The BC Real Estate Licensing Exam is challenging, and the pass rate reflects that. While exact current failure statistics are not always publicly reported, historical data and trends show that many students struggle on their first attempt.
Thousands of students enroll in the UBC Real Estate Course each year, but the number of real estate agents grows more slowly — highlighting how demanding the exam can be.
Example from past years (BCFSA data):
- During 2012/13: 2,835 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 20,986.
- During 2013/14: 3,375 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 20,825.
- During 2014/15: 4,600 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 22,000.
- 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 — estimated enrollment of approximately 3,000 students per year.
- During 2018/19: 3,300 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 25,835.
- During 2019/20: 3,182 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 25,954.
- During 2020/21: 7,616 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 25,889.
- During 2021/22: 8,609 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 27,446.
- During 2022/23: 4,899 students enrolled in the Real Estate Licensing Course—# of agents in BC: 29,416.
Key takeaway: Success requires consistent preparation, understanding the material deeply, and practice with exam-style questions. At Excel Realty Academy, we help students focus on the most important concepts to increase their chances of passing the real estate exam on the first try.
What These Numbers Suggest
When we look at enrollment and licensing data over time, a clear pattern emerges.
Up to 2023, more than 47,000 students enrolled in the BC Real Estate Licensing Course. During that same period, the total number of licensed real estate agents in BC increased from 20,986 to 29,416 — an increase of approximately 8,500 agents.
This period also coincided with one of the strongest real estate markets in BC history, when many new and part-time agents were able to earn strong incomes.
As a result, the gap between enrollment numbers and licensed agents is unlikely to be explained primarily by agents leaving the industry alone.
These figures do not point to one single explanation. Some students may postpone writing the exam, change career direction, leave the industry later, or struggle to complete the licensing process successfully.
However, the gap between enrollment numbers and licensed agents does highlight how challenging the BC real estate licensing process can be — especially for students relying heavily on passive or unstructured study methods.
This is why choosing the right real estate course and study approach matters. Success is not simply about consuming more content — it’s about understanding how the exam works and preparing strategically.
At Excel Realty Academy, we focus on clarity, exam logic, and targeted preparation to help students improve their chances of passing the exam and moving through the licensing process more efficiently.
How Many Math Questions Are on the Real Estate Exam?
The BC Real Estate Licensing Exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions based on 26 chapters from the UBC Real Estate Trading Services Course.
Traditionally, four of these chapters (13, 14, 16, and 17) are heavily focused on mortgage calculations, while several others — such as Chapters 7, 8, 19, 23, and 24 — include a smaller number of math-related questions.
Historically:
- Between 2010 and 2020, students commonly reported 30–40 math questions on the exam.
- Since 2020, however, the trend has changed significantly. Most students now report seeing only 8–15 math questions, sometimes even fewer.
This shift means the exam now emphasizes theory-based and legal concepts more heavily than math.
Why this matters:
- Math questions on the UBC real estate exam are often straightforward once you learn the formulas — you simply plug in the numbers.
- Legal and theory questions, however, are more complex. They require deep understanding and can be tricky due to subtle wording and similar answer choices.
Because of this change, Excel Realty Academy now places stronger emphasis on legal and theoretical chapters, helping students master the more challenging parts of the real estate course and improve their overall exam performance.
How Many Times Can I Retake the Exam?
You can retake the BC Real Estate Licensing Exam until you pass, but there are rules and timelines to keep in mind:
- Two attempts per course registration:
- If you fail the first attempt, you can retake the exam after 3 months.
- If you fail the second attempt, you must re-register for the UBC course and complete all 20 assignments again to gain another two attempts.
- Time vs. cost: Each additional attempt takes time, and six months is more valuable than the course fee. Consider whether you can afford multiple cycles of preparation and testing.
At Excel Realty Academy, we focus on preparing students to pass on the first try, saving both time and stress.
Do I Need a Tutorial Course to Pass the Real Estate Exam?
No, a tutorial course is not mandatory to write the Real Estate Exam, but the exam is challenging. A well-structured tutorial course can increase your chances of passing the real estate exam on the first try.
What to look for in a tutorial course:
- Ongoing support: Access to instructors who can answer questions quickly and thoroughly.
- Responsibility for results: Programs that offer guarantees or free repeat classes if you don’t pass.
- Practical investment: A course that helps you study efficiently and maximizes your chance of success.
- Proven process: At Excel Realty Academy, we’ve been helping students pass the exam since 2010. Our structured approach ensures that success depends on consistent study, not luck.
Tip: Choosing a course that provides guidance, clear explanations, and real-life examples will help you understand the material — not just memorize it.
Which One is the BEST Real Estate Course?
There is no single “best” real estate course for everyone — but there are clear differences in how programs prepare students.
The most effective courses focus on structure, clarity, accountability, and real exam preparation — not just content delivery.
Why Excel Realty Academy stands out:
- Small class sizes: In-person classes are limited to 8 students, so every student is known by name — even years later.
- No hidden sales tactics: We don’t use installment plans or sell the course chapter-by-chapter to create lifetime students.
- Focused curriculum: Our Real Estate Course is not bundled with unrelated courses like mortgage broker, property management, or builder courses, so you get a focused learning experience.
- Real-life exam practice: Students take a final in-class mock exam, helping them approach the real exam with confidence.
- Actionable exam strategy: During mock exams, we provide a step-by-step action plan from a few days before the exam until completion.
- Guaranteed support: If a student fails, we take responsibility and offer a free repeat of the course within three months — no blame, no judgment.
At Excel Realty Academy, our goal is simple: help you pass the real estate exam while truly understanding the material — not just memorizing answers.
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