5 Surefire Ways to Pass that Exam
As a busy professional, who hasn’t been in school for a while, it can be challenging to get into the mindset of studying and test-taking. Many professional designations have an exam component, and a robust study plan is critical to successfully passing your test. I recently studied for and successfully passed the exam for my Project Management Professional (PMP) designation; however, these tips can help you prepare for and ace any exam that you take on.
1. Get the gear — Select the right tools for studying. Perhaps a special notebook, a journal, an iPad, or a laptop. One or a combination of tools, used consistently, gets you in the mindset of studying each time you sit down with them.
For me, it was a laptop, tablet, and earphones that helped me structure my studying. The computer was what I used to follow an online course, the tablet contained the digital version of my textbook, and the earphones were critical for my study playlist that tuned out distractions.
I found that assembling my study tools was a psychological trick that helped me get into the study mindset and readied myself to sit down and focus on my work.
2. Give yourself enough time — Think about the preparation you need to make, add a bit more, and then schedule your exam appropriately.
For me, this was about four months in total. It took me two months to complete the online course and two months of study that followed.
Plan out how long you will study each day and build this into a realistic schedule that you will follow. For my study, I looked at this schedule with a healthy dose of realism. I am a busy professional and a mom of two and had several competing priorities to contend with during this time. I realized that an hour per day on weekdays was realistic, with weekend days allowing for additional study time.
3. Discipline Works — Studying becomes something you incorporate into your daily life during this process. Transform studying from something you “should” do into something you simply “do.” Make studying for your exam as non-negotiable as other chores in your life, like brushing your teeth or loading the dishwasher.
Creating a study routine that you stick to does a tremendous job of ensuring you will be successful in taking your exam. I reflect on my university days when I wasn’t nearly disciplined enough. I got caught in the “I should be studying” stress loop, where I wouldn’t spend enough time reviewing, experience a ton of anxiety, and in the end, perform mediocre on the test.
4. Study your Learning Style — My experience with studying for this exam was that I thought I understood how I learned, only to realize my approach was wrong, and I had to re-calibrate and change my course halfway through my journey.
Do you learn better by reading or by watching a video? Is listening to audio the best way for you to absorb content? Depending on the type of content you are studying, there may be several options to choose from for materials:
a) Podcasts or Audiobooks — see what is available in your discipline. Audiobooks options may contain more direct material, whereas podcasts might lean towards real-world application of the topics you study, which helps with comprehension.
b) Videos — online prep courses are often taught by knowledgeable professionals within your field and are a relatively inexpensive way to get prepared. YouTube can also be a great option to home in on specific areas of study
c) Textbook Learning — reviewing the textbook and creating my flashcards is a great way to learn the material. *Pro-tip: I created my flashcards as a slide presentation, which I could pull up on my phone at any time for digital flashcards to take anywhere. Develop your flashcards with the mindset that you will teach someone else your material. Teaching someone else a subject is a fantastic way to understand your subject.
5. Mock Exams — Practice exams were critical to my success. If these are available for your discipline or study, use them! I did some online research throughout various blogs and forums and opted for the most popular within my discipline. Look for posts from people who have successfully passed the same exam and research the options they recommend.
I started doing mock exams soon after finishing my online course and understood what would be on the exam. Most of these tests will have the option to review the questions you got wrong — spend a lot of your study time here. I can speak from experience to how important this is. When I took my first couple of practice exams, I didn’t do very well and felt very discouraged. I would go back to studying the textbook and then would go back and try another exam.
It wasn’t until I carefully reviewed the practice exam questions that I got wrong until I unlocked the areas where I was struggling. I spent the time thinking through my mindset with each wrong question and homed in on comprehension over and above memorization.
These five tips helped me tremendously and enabled me to tackle the test for my designation successfully. It felt incredible to complete an exam after being out of school for so long. Apply these strategies, and with consistent study, you too can pass the test!