In need of general study tips

[tristandonofrio]

Hey guys I realize that some information that is relevant to my question might be in one of the stickies but I need some help regarding study tips. I have been out of school for a few years now. I used to work full time and go to school for years then I had to stop due to finances. I'm just curious how you guys study using IC as I've never used a site like this before. Do you guys take notes or just re-read and answer the questions until you feel you have a good understanding of the material? Any tips you can provide me would be great as I only need to pass three more tests and then I can transfer to the school I really want to go too!

Thanks in advance,

Tristan

[dhlvrsn]

I bought a game for my son's DS called Brain Age. It is a collection of exercises for your brain. I've gotten pretty lazy so it's helped me answer questions quickly and not get stressed.

When you log in to instantcert there is an description of the best way to use IC. On top of that The sticky at the top of the page has a number of great sources for specific exams.

If you do a search for the title of the exam you want to take you will usually get a lot of great resources.

Good Luck!

[sirjake]

The method I have found effective in studying for CLEPs and Dantes is to basically go through the questions 2-3 times reading all of the information. I never even attempt to answer the questions because it's far more efficient to simply answer the question mentally, find out if you were correct, then move on.

In the past, after I have gone through them several times, I would go through to see if I could answer every question. But I no longer think that is very effective. Reason being that it trains you to merely pay attention to the one word answer to the question rather than the full text of the question and the answer.

Basically, go through the questions until you can mentally explain what the answer to each question is and you should be fine.

[sirjake]

Oh yeah, I never have taken notes either. I consider the flash cards themselves to be the notes.

[snazzlefrag]

Hey guys I realize that some information that is relevant to my question might be in one of the stickies but I need some help regarding study tips. I have been out of school for a few years now. I used to work full time and go to school for years then I had to stop due to finances. I'm just curious how you guys study using IC as I've never used a site like this before. Do you guys take notes or just re-read and answer the questions until you feel you have a good understanding of the material? Any tips you can provide me would be great as I only need to pass three more tests and then I can transfer to the school I really want to go too!

Thanks in advance,

Tristan

Hi Tristan,

Welcome to the board.

Here's my 10 Step Program for passing an exam:

1. Research the exam. How many questions, what is covered on it, time limit, paper-based or computer-based, minimum passing score, graded or pass/fail, score needed to get an 'A' (if applicable) etc.

2. Read (or ask for) feedback from other people who have already passed the exam. Was it easy, was it hard, what areas to focus my studies on, which materials they found useful etc.

3. Gather together everything I will be using to study. This might include: Instantcert, study guides, pdf files, web site links etc.

4. Read a good overview of the subject. Wikipedia.com is often good for this, or I might read a study guide, or a web site etc.

5. Go through Instantcert and make my own notes. I find that WRITING the information down in my own words helps me to remember it.

6. Keep going through Instantcert until I feel comfortable with the majority of the material. This involves actually understanding the concepts/explanations rather than merely memorizing which words go in the blank spaces.

7. Fill in any gaps in my notes. There may be a topic that is not covered in Instantcert, or that is not covered deeply enough for my liking.

8. Study from my notes. Memorize wherever possible.

9. Take a mock test or two (admittedly at this this stage, I can more or less tell whether I am ready for the exam without having to take a mock).

10. Take and pass the actual exam!

Hope that helps,
Snazzlefrag

[tristandonofrio]

thanks so much for the replies guys!

[beckysharp]

I think that explanation should be posted as a sticky for all newbies and reminders for the rest of us.

Well done Snazzlefrag!

[snazzlefrag]

Bumping to the top (upon request).

[ShotoJuku]

[SIZE="3"]Don't forget about the 4 R's![/SIZE]