Test Taking-Need Advice

[AGibbsGirl]

~sigh~

So I've been in this Property & Casualty class all week, prep for the MD State Insurance P & C License.

I did real well in class...teacher's pet and all that.
And I did real well on the end of unit quizes etc

...but today we took the end of class exams and
... ~sniff~

I failed them both

...miserably

....and I was the only one who failed out of a class of 11

I was crushed, but not surprised. I have never, ever been able to pass exams. Especially, lengthy wordy ones. Won't even tell you what I got on my SAT's... :D

So, I have until Tuesday to figure out...er...how to figure it out, because that's when I take the real exams for my license.

I have very little recall ability, as most of you know...from me saying, "Nice to meet you." to everyone at the tailgates year, after, year, after year....

What advice do you have for me?

[redskin_rich]

Study, study, study and maybe some gingko boloba.

[PyroGenic]

Maybe try to link the things you need to remember with stuff you already know?

and study, a lot.

[BurgundyNGold]

Use word association or mneumonics. Like this simple one for remembering the names/order of the planets:

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Make your own mneumonics as they relate to your life so that you can more easily remember them. Use you husband, children and pet names. Use places you go. Make a story out of it. Remember the story and you can more easily remember the finer points of things like algebra, relat estate, law and even insurance stuff.

This works great for requirements where short term memory is key and, interestingly enough, this mught help transition this knowledge into longterm retention.

Good luck.

[dj_stouty]

Two Words: Cheat Sheets!

Just kidding...I suck at tests as well, and I'm sure my SAT score was probably lower than yours.

How do you learn the best? If you are a visual learner, try studying with flash cards. Even big concepts can be taught this way. If you learn better from reading, then I'd skim the textbook/material several times to see if that helps. If you learn better from hearing, you could always talk out your notes into a taperecorder and play them back to you over and over again.

I wish you the best!

[AGibbsGirl]

I was going to use BNG's advice but I forgot what it was by the time I got to the end of his post :D

j/k

All good advice so far. The information for this exam is exhausting. The thing is I've been using a lot of it in every day situations, having worked in the agency for 10 months now, and I really knew quite a bit during the class. The teacher was really shocked that I did so bad today, he didn't even know what to say to me...so embarrassing

So why can't I get the test answers right? I really think it's the way it's worded. The only positive, the company that writes the book and test sheets we've been using all week is not the company that administers the exams. Hopefully, their questions will make more sense.

[RedskinsDave]

I always used a pattern I call class helping electro anatomy testing, also known as CHEAT-ing. It works every time.

[28thegreat]

Mom, unfortunately, this test in particular is just not fair. They use a lot of double negatives and unclear grammar. I took just the health part in VA and it was tough (and I am pretty good at tests.) There are some good study guides on CD for these. I spent a week with one nearly ten hours a day and was able to pass on the first time. (Granted, it was for health insurance only, but all the medicare stuff has made it real complicated.) Good luck...or maybe God bless would be better.

[AGibbsGirl]

Mom, unfortunately, this test in particular is just not fair. They use a lot of double negatives and unclear grammar. I took just the health part in VA and it was tough (and I am pretty good at tests.) There are some good study guides on CD for these. I spent a week with one nearly ten hours a day and was able to pass on the first time. (Granted, it was for health insurance only, but all the medicare stuff has made it real complicated.) Good luck...or maybe God bless would be better.

That's exactly right, that is why I'm having so much trouble!
Congrats on passing the health btw that's a tough one I heard. I'm not sure if I will do any others after these since I only work part time and I really don't make any money at all...I mean, why should I put myself through all this stress for nothing?

Are you in the insurance business? Oh, and thanks for the blessing I really need it!

[AGibbsGirl]

I always used a pattern I call class helping electro anatomy testing, also known as CHEAT-ing. It works every time.


lol! You are not helping Dave....

[LadyNRedskinsfan]

play Bloons (http://www.addictinggames.com/bloons.html) to clear your mind. if that doesn't work, play More Bloons. (http://www.addictinggames.com/morebloons.html):D

j/k. i'd use BNG's idea, mnemonic devices and/or good 'ol fashioned studying. im the type that can and sometimes has to cram right before a test, because i retain things better that way. if i remember a whole lot of information days or even several hours before a test, the little things will just float away in the wind, lol.

[AGibbsGirl]

play Bloons (http://www.addictinggames.com/bloons.html) to clear your mind. if that doesn't work, play More Bloons. (http://www.addictinggames.com/morebloons.html):D

Can I just say...I hold Bloons completely responsible for me not passing those tests today. I took a wee small break yesterday to check in here and so that my head wouldn't pop off...and you guessed it, those Dern bloons...dern them...dern them....thankfully the internet went down and I was able to get back to studying...I think God was trying to tell me something

[skinfanatic]

there are a couple of things you can do. the way to really learn something is to increase the number of ways you process the information. what do i mean? when i teach a lesson:

1) read / skim a couple of books that i think will have the information
2) write the text in full on my computer in an outline form
3) write a short hand version of it in with different colors (more on this).
4) read & highlight it with different colors, ie orange for section headings, blue for keyword & yellow for regular text
5) i go into my first class with a great set up. factor in a number of different class & by the time i would "take" the test on the subject, i can give every detail you can possibly need without notes, etc.

now do my students go over the info that much? no, but it would certainly help.

as for colors, i am a very visual person. it greatly helps me to take notes in different colored pens. it helps my mind not get bored when i do the notes. plus, i get very colorful with my notes & outlines.

in the end, the best way to know anything is to process it as many different times in slightly different ways. dont just read it from your same notes over & over & over again. rewrite them in your notebook. type them up in full. go back over them, read the type up & write it in short hand. then go back & read the short hand. you are processing the same information in many different ways, so your brain wont get too bored with it.

[RedskinRyan]

it always helps me to go over key terms. and the definitions. then skim the chapters, reading the parts around these words. also, slow and steady wins the race. read and re-read sections throughout the night until you have a certain comfortability level with them.

whaaaattt????? ryan giving study advice?

[28thegreat]

That's exactly right, that is why I'm having so much trouble!
Congrats on passing the health btw that's a tough one I heard. I'm not sure if I will do any others after these since I only work part time and I really don't make any money at all...I mean, why should I put myself through all this stress for nothing?

Are you in the insurance business? Oh, and thanks for the blessing I really need it!

I started selling Aflac in May. I'm really enjoying it, too. I still have my media production company, but needed some additional income. So far so good.

[AGibbsGirl]

Just wanted to let everyone know...

I PASSED!

Thanks for all of the advice! I passed all 4 parts

[BurgundyNGold]

Congrats!

[AGibbsGirl]

Congrats!

Thanks! :D
Ooops I forgot, I'm not speaking to you....

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Way to go AGG!!!

(Uhm, did you follow Dave's advice? ;))

[PGiddy18]

Just wanted to let everyone know...

I PASSED!

Thanks for all of the advice! I passed all 4 parts

That's fantastic Mom!! (Now I know where I got my smarts from!)

We never doubted you!

[LadyNRedskinsfan]

Just wanted to let everyone know...

I PASSED!

Thanks for all of the advice! I passed all 4 parts
congrats! :beer: it was the Bloons, wasn't it?? :D

[AGibbsGirl]

Way to go AGG!!!

(Uhm, did you follow Dave's advice? ;))

Naa, I'm a good girl I studied hard everyday and night, except Saturday, couldn't miss the game you know.

congrats! it was the Bloons, wasn't it??

Man I love those bloons.....

[SkinsKY]

Just wanted to let everyone know...

I PASSED!

Thanks for all of the advice! I passed all 4 parts

Congrats! I'm glad that pressure's off.

So, I'll see everyone at the celebratory kegger tonight while debate the finer points of Maryland's hot (or not) women.

[AGibbsGirl]

Congrats! I'm glad that pressure's off.

So, I'll see everyone at the celebratory kegger tonight while debate the finer points of Maryland's hot (or not) women.

yeah, we may not be hot, but we are smart!!!!! yea for me! I think I deserve marshmellow man! :Fruit: