OH MLO study plan

Map each federal law in Domain 1 (SAFE Act, RESPA, TILA, ECOA, HMDA, plus FCRA, GLBA, and fair lending statutes) to its core purpose, the agency that enforces it, and the origination stage where it bites.

Build a one-page trigger chart showing which disclosures and timing rules fire at application, at intent to proceed, three business days before consummation, and at closing.

Define the SAFE Act's loan originator licensing and registration requirements and distinguish state-licensed MLOs from federally registered MLOs.

Write 40 original recall questions from your own notes and score at least 80% on a closed-book attempt.

Differentiate RESPA Section 8 prohibitions (kickbacks, fee splits, unearned fees) from permissible marketing and co-marketing arrangements using concrete scenarios.

Explain the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure tolerances (zero, 10 percent, unlimited) and classify at least 15 fee examples into the correct bucket.

Outline ECOA and Regulation B adverse action requirements, including notice timing, permissible reasons, and appraisal copy rules.

Describe HMDA reportable data points and the coverage tests for a financial institution.

Trace the life of a loan from pre-qualification through funding and servicing transfer, naming every party and document at each step.

Compare conforming, FHA, VA, and USDA loan programs on down payment, mortgage insurance, property standards, and eligible borrowers.

Explain how the note rate, APR, discount points, and lender credits interact and compute APR directionally for two sample loans.

Distinguish the major loan products (fixed, ARM, interest-only, balloon, HELOC) and state one borrower profile suited to each.

Compute LTV, CLTV, HCLTV, DTI, and total reserves from raw borrower data across at least 10 practice scenarios.

Read a credit report and identify disputable items, rapid rescoring triggers, and how derogatory events affect eligibility under agency guidelines.

Assemble a complete documentation package for a self-employed borrower, including tax return analysis and a profit-and-loss justification.

Identify red flags in appraisal and title documents that should halt or delay a file.

Take a complete 1003 application from a scripted borrower and capture all required data fields without prompting errors.

Sequence the origination workflow: disclosures, intent to proceed, processing, underwriting, conditional approval, closing disclosure, and funding.

Draft a rate lock conversation that covers lock period, extension costs, float-down terms, and written confirmation requirements.

Practice three discovery calls using open questions to uncover needs, timeline, and affordability.

Analyze RESPA Section 8, UDAAP, and steering scenarios and justify the compliant action in writing.

Apply the NMLS ethics requirements, including conflicts of interest, referral fee rules, and advertising restrictions.

Distinguish fraud indicators from legitimate but unusual borrower circumstances in at least 10 case vignettes.

Explain data privacy obligations under GLBA and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley safeguards rule as they apply to borrower files.

Take two full-length timed practice exams under test-day conditions and log every missed question by domain and root cause.

Re-read notes only for the two weakest domains and rewrite those notes in your own words.

Drill disclosure timing and tolerance rules until you can answer 25 mixed questions in under 20 minutes.

Review your ethics casebook and convert each vignette into a one-line rule statement for rapid recall.

Complete a final timed practice exam and score at or above your target passing margin.

Review only the highest-frequency missed concepts from weeks 1 through 7, using spaced repetition flashcards.

Rehearse test logistics: identification, scheduling, calculator rules, and time allocation per question.

Write a one-page personal cheat sheet of formulas, dates, and thresholds from memory, then verify it against source notes.