Preparing for professional exams is a critical part of advancing your career. Being able to pass certain exams is a requirement for people in the medical field, legal fields, and so many more. If you can’t pass your exams, you won’t be able to get licensing, and therefore won’t be able to work in your career field. Studying for these professional exams is important. Here are some essential study tips that can help you get ready to pass the test:
Create a Study Schedule
Creating a schedule helps you to prioritize studying for your tests. It’s important that you make sure it works for you and your lifestyle. Don’t follow a rigid schedule just because someone told you to do so. Instead, consider how you can best carve out time to study in your busy schedule. This will keep you on track, but also keep you from getting overwhelmed.
Take a Practice Test
Practice exams help you understand the ways that the tests ask questions and how best to prepare for them. For example, some ANCC practice questions are the same kinds of questions you may experience on the real test. It may even include diagrams and images similar to what you would find on an exam.
Don’t Cram
Practicing for professional exams is not like cramming for a math test. Many of these professional exams are costly, and you can only take them a certain number of times before they will no longer let you try. Cramming is not a good idea. You should study a little bit every day, so you don’t forget what you learned, and so that you can become familiar with the format of the test. They are often different than what you experience on tests in college, so be aware of these distinctions.
Study Smart
Some people simply try to memorize every single detail. Not only is this stressful, but it can also be ineffective. Try to summarize concepts instead of memorizing big ideas verbatim. Try to understand how different ideas are connected, and of course, if you need to know a specific fact, you should memorize that correctly.
Get Enough Sleep
Studying for a big professional exam is physically and mentally draining. Studies show that 7-8 hours of sleep is ideal for learning, so if you’re not getting that much on a regular basis, it may be time to make some changes. While you are studying, be sure to adjust your work schedule if needed to give yourself the extra time to rest in between studying and earning money. You can even try exercising regularly. Exercise helps you sleep better, especially when you spend at least 30 minutes in the sun each day.
Take Frequent Breaks While Studying
When you are studying for long blocks of time, you’ll remember more if you take frequent breaks. Every 30 minutes or so, get up, walk around, and take a quick 5-minute break. This can help your brain remember more of what you study. Taking a break allows your brain to relax and recharge so that when you come back to studying, it will be easier to keep going through the material without feeling fatigued.
Read Through Your Own Notes
Something happens in your brain when you study notes that you wrote yourself. It’s important to review as much content as possible using notes you wrote. This will help solidify the concepts in your brain.
Use More Than One Resource
While using your own notes is one tip, you can also combine methods. Whether you go through PowerPoint slides or flip through flashcards, there are many different study tools available to you. Some people will listen to content while they go for a run and others will let their friends or family quiz them. All of these can help you as you study for professional exams.
Final Thoughts
Setting aside dedicated time to studying for professional exams can ensure that you learn the material well enough to pass and get a decent score. Some of the most important factors are to start early with your studying. You don’t want to cram for something you had 6 months to prepare for if you don’t have to. Professional exams are what help you advance and maintain your career and they are essential in many career fields.
