BMWGuinness Wrote:Is it just a matter of short term memorization of the IC materials? Whats the secret?
I think there are a few different things at work when we use IC.
First, the IC material focuses mostly on the central/core themes of each subject. Textbooks often STUFF their pages with a ton of extraneous material that is not standardized (it is not taught in EVERY classroom around the country). Since these exams ARE standardized, they only test us on the material that you would expect to find in 99% of all classrooms, texbooks, etc. For this reason, there is no need to try and learn all the extra information that will not be found on the exam.
Second, the format of the IC process is interactive. To get through each section of IC, we must read, write, think, remember, and even click. This makes it much more likely that we will absorb the information. (I'm sure I'm not the only one who has mindlessly read many pages of a textbook only to realise that I have no clue what I just read. It's easy to do. It's like when you are driving and you kind of zone out and then find yourself a few miles down the road with no recollection of actually driving that distance).
Third, the IC material exposes us to MAJOR keywords, phrases, terminology, etc. which will appear on the exams. Memorization is essential in order to pass many of these exams. However, UNDERSTANDING of the concepts and the ability to RECOGNIZE the right answer is, in many ways, even more important. Because these exams are in multiple choice form, it is absolutely guaranteed that we will see the answer for each question written down in front of us (one of those suckers HAS to be the right answer). If we have studied hard and absorbed the IC material, it is highly likely that we will realize WHAT the question is asking, and also be able to remember the right answer WHEN WE SEE IT.
Fourth, rather than just presenting us with a chaotic mass of material to wade through, IC breaks down each subject into organized, bite-sized sections. This is an excellent way to improve learning and retention of information, and is a learning format which is recommended by many professional educators and educational psychologists.
Finally, IC is not meant to ensure that we can answer EVERY question on the exam. Rather, the intention is to expose us to enough information to pass each exam (the general rule of thumb is that we should aim to answer about one out of every two questions correctly to get a passing score). With this in mind, we can see that we don't have to become an expert in every subject we are trying to test out of. We just have to make sure we learn the CORE knowledge.
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Having said all that, I can tell you that I almost always used supplemental resources, in addition to Instantcert, when studying for my exams (I have taken a LOT of exams). I wanted to make sure that I didn't just pass an exam, but passed it WELL.
I actually passed a couple of exams WITHOUT the use of IC, and I can tell you that it was MUCH harder to research, organize, and learn the material necessary for me to pass.
Instancert is obviously not all things to all people. It's not everyone's cup of tea, and some people do fail these exams even with the aid of IC. But if you can get used to the format and the process, and IC works for YOU, then it is well worth the investment.
BMWGuinness, having observed you on this board as you are thoroughly researching all your options and raising thoughtful questions whenever you needed further insight, I have no doubt in my mind that you will show the same thoroughness, focus, and dedication when it comes to studying for these exams. I have a feeling you are going to do just fine with any exam you choose to tackle.
Hope that helps,
Snazzlefrag
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