Top 3 Online MLO NMLS Course Providers in Texas in 2023
One of the most fulfilling careers you can have is one where you get to help people buy their dream home. As a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO), you help families get the appropriate financing they need for their unique situation. Since this is arguably the biggest financial decision for most families, the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) has established laws and education requirements to ensure public safety.
The education requirements that have been put in place are designed for someone with absolutely no experience to be able to have a general understanding of the mortgage industry. You just need to complete 23 hours of NMLS-approved Pre-Licensing Education (PE) courses and pass the National Exam.
There are many schools available to help you satisfy these education requirements, so it can be a frustrating process to determine what makes one school better than another. In fact, there are many things that every school does the same in order to comply with NMLS regulations. Here are few examples that all schools have to follow:
Course Requirements by the NMLS
- NMLS courses are always “instructor-led.” This means that you will be put in with a group of 10 to 15 other students with a dedicated instructor assigned to you. This could be a live human being teaching the course, or depending on which school you go with, this could be virtual, meaning they will interact with you via messaging or discussion forum. You will not necessarily have to show up at a specific time.
- The course will have a specific start and end date. Other online programs usually give you the freedom to study whenever you want. However, the NMLS is very particular about the structure of this course. They want to make sure you are actively participating the whole time and keeping pace.
- There are no shortcuts. In the past, many people were caught trying to cheat through the courses or even go to the extremes of having someone else take it for them. Every NMLS provider must adhere to their regulations to prevent that from happening, such as making students sign in through a biometric password system called BioSig, automatically logging you out if you are idle for too long, and signing an agreement that you agree to abide by NMLS rules.
What school you choose to go with to meet the education requirements will play a crucial role in setting you up for success. For example, people who take the National Exam only pass 56% of the time on their first attempt on average. If you don’t pass, there is a 30-day waiting period before you are allowed to try again and you will also have to pay the $110 exam fee again.
We have gone through the entire list of schools one by one and handpicked the ones that will give you the best chance for becoming a successful MLO in Texas. These schools are all NMLS-approved, have the highest quality content, and will fit a variety of different learning styles.
Best School for Learning Interactively
MortgageEducation.com is leading the nation in online mortgage education and has high marks in pretty much every category. They are one of the few education providers with programs in all 50 states. So, if you are thinking about getting licensed in multiple states, then you can get all of your courses completed in one place.
MortgageEducation.com recently revamped their program and now offers their pre-license course in full video. There are also live instructors to help you along the way. The best part is that you have the flexibility to start any time and finish any time (up to 14 days). This means if you are in a rush to get licensed, you can start right now and complete the course in 3 days. Or, if you already have a full-time job or busy schedule, you can work on it on nights and weekends as needed.
They also just came out with brand new exam prep to help you study for the National Exam. While other schools only offer multiple-choice practice tests to help you prepare, MortgageEducation.com now offers an optional video course designed specifically for the National Exam. This video course is pre-recorded, so you can watch it any time. It covers what to expect on the exam, how you should be studying for the exam, and smart test taking tips.
Best School for Text-based Courses
Learn Mortgage, who is a subsidiary of the Hondros Education Group, is also a very big mortgage school with courses in all 50 states. They specialize in more of the traditional online learning methods.
You can choose to complete the 23 hours of Pre-Licensing Education over 7 days or 14 days. Taking the actual course is just like reading an online book. At the end of each section, there will be a multiple-choice test. The advantage with this format is you can study at any time throughout the day. However, it does run on a schedule where you have to complete a given chapter by a certain day. If you generally love to read books, this will be a great fit for your learning style.
When you complete the 23-hours of coursework, Learn Mortgage has additional exam prep, called CompuCram, to help you study for the National Exam. This introduces a ton of vocabulary tools and practice tests that are designed to simulate the actual exam. There is a “Readiness Indicator” that analyzes your results and will let you know when it thinks you are fully prepared to tackle the exam.
Best School for Knowledge Seekers
If you are someone who not only wants to get licensed but also learn as much as possible, The CE Shop is the perfect program for you. Based in Colorado, The CE Shop has become a powerhouse in the real estate education industry over the past decade, helping students from all over the country successfully obtain their license.
They have achieved this by developing their own learning platform called LEAP 2.0 from the ground up. The CE Shop courses look sleek, modern, and are seamlessly compatible with mobile devices. While the majority of the time, you will be reading from a textbook online, they mix things up to keep you engaged by throwing in video clips, lots of visual graphics, and a variety of different quiz formats.
Although this program has been developed so that anyone can complete the course, they do challenge you more than other schools. This means you will be quizzed more often throughout the course to test your knowledge of what you studied. In the end, this helps you master the material more thoroughly but may require you to spend more time to finish.
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