NEWBIE OVERWHELMED :o(

[000275143]

Hi all,

I am a new member overwhelmed with the amount of information I will need to know for the 2 tests i have to take [Hist 1 & American Government].
I am also taking nursing classes and have to either test out of these course in the next 6 months or take the classes in order to continue with my nursing degree.
Granted I literally joined today, I did 50 questions for each test and maybe got 1-5 right so I am a little concerned.

Any one have any advice or experience that can help or calm me down a bit?

[cookderosa]

Hi all,

I am a new member overwhelmed with the amount of information I will need to know for the 2 tests i have to take [Hist 1 & American Government].
I am also taking nursing classes and have to either test out of these course in the next 6 months or take the classes in order to continue with my nursing degree.
Granted I literally joined today, I did 50 questions for each test and maybe got 1-5 right so I am a little concerned.

Any one have any advice or experience that can help or calm me down a bit?

Welcome! First off, study for one at a time. Study-test-repeat. Secondly, those are pretty difficult tests, so you have a lot of material to learn! Just show down, pick one, and start going over and over the material. You'll get it, but you're in too deep today. Back up a bit and then you'll have an easier time of it.

[topdog98]

If it is the US History I test, here are a few free resources for this test:

History 103: US History I Course - Free Online Video Lessons | Education Portal

HippoCampus - Homework and Study Help - Free help with your algebra, biology, environmental science, American government, US history, physics and religion homework - look under the history section

U.S. History I

The REA guide for this test is very good, and instantcert flashcards, of course! If you use some of these sources the test will not be too hard. Then use some of these same sources (Instantcert, REA, cliffnotes, and hippocampus) to study for the American Government. Six months is plenty of time! I took about a month on each, and others here have knocked these out quicker.

[mrs.b]

Studying for these exams while taking actual courses is an exercise in time management. Of the 63 credits I completed last year, 33 of them were from courses (3 courses per term) while the other 30 were from tests and self-paced ACE courses that were done on top of those (averaging another 3 tests/ACE courses per term). It's a challenge, so pull up the Big Kid Knickers because it's tough, and start by putting together a realistic schedule you can handle, something you can put on paper and look at when time gets short. Here's what worked for me:

1. Follow Cook's advice to the letter. Under no circumstances should you be looking at both exams at the same time. Select one of the two, and start with that one. The other will wait patiently for you to come along.
   
2. When developing your personal schedule, start with inputting all the non-academic must-do things (going to work, necessary family time, doing dishes, laundry, a bit of exercise, etc.).
   
3. Input the necessary time, along with a bit of time buffer, for your actual courses because those are on a timetable you cannot alter.
   
4. Schedule a minimum of fifteen minutes each day AFTER your regular course study time to glance at the study material for the ONE CLEP on which you're currently working.
   
5. Add extraneous things like watching television or sleeping (yeah, it's extraneous for the next six months, haha!) only after your necessary personal items, actual coursework, and 15 minutes of CLEP study are inputted.
   

My timeline looked something like this:

Monday-Thursday

• 6:30AM-7:15AM - Wake, get ready, get kiddo ready
  
• 7:15AM-8:00AM - Kiddo to school, self to work
  
• 8:00AM-5:00PM - Work
  
• 5:00PM-6:00PM - Pick kiddo up, go home
  
• 6:00PM-7:00PM - Make and eat dinner with family
  
• 7:00PM-8:30PM - Dishes, laundry, clean a few rooms each night (kitchen/dining on Mon, living/office on Tues, both bathrooms on Wed, kiddo/parent bedrooms on Thurs)
  
• 8:30PM-9:00PM - Read with kiddo, tuck him in
  
• 9:00PM-11:00PM - homework/papers/study for actual courses
  
• 11:00PM-11:20PM - workout
  
• 11:20PM-11:40PM - post-workout snack while reviewing CLEP/DSST/ECE study materials
  
• 11:40PM-12:00AM - shower/ready for bed
  
• 12:00AM-6:30AM - sleep
  

Friday
(Same as Mon-Thurs from 6:30AM-9:00PM, where for cleaning I would go back over the previously-cleaned rooms for spot cleaning)

• 9:00PM-12:00AM - homework/papers/study for actual courses
  
• 12:00AM-1:00AM - (same as 11M-12:AM Mon-Thu)
  

Saturday-Sunday

• Wake whenever mood strikes me (or 6AM if kiddo had a say)
  
• 11:00AM-12:00PM - Get showered and moving for the day
  
• 12:00PM-3:00PM - Grocery shopping, errands
  
• 3:00PM-5:00PM - Take care of household things hubby had not yet done, whether it's mowing grass, or spot cleaning around house that's needed
  
• 5:00PM-9:00PM - homework/papers/study for actual courses
  
• 9:00PM-10:00PM - workout
  
• 10:00PM-12:00AM - post-workout snack while reviewing CLEP/DSST/ECE study materials
  
• 12:00AM-1:00AM - shower, sit down with hubby and spend a few minutes catching up / watching TV / read a book for fun / whatever
  
• 1:00AM - whenever - sleep
  

The daily time for doing homework/papers/study for actual courses is where I could get flexible, because not all days needed the full amount of time. I might actually be able to sit down with my hubby, turn on the television, or start and take more time for my workout and/or CLEP time early and take a bit of extra time. Some days, I needed more time than was budgeted, so everything behind it got pushed back. Most days, I went to bed later than scheduled because I'd put in a bit more time on CLEP study, spend an extra 15 or 20 minutes on the treadmill, whatever. Some days, the plan got tossed out the window altogether because I was sick, or my son was having a hard time in school and needed Mommy to help with homework because Daddy's methods weren't getting him there, or something else cropped up.

The important thing is putting a schedule on paper. Plans can be revised - and they'll need to because life tosses us curveballs for giggles -but without a plan, trying to squeeze in everything on your plate is a near-impossible, stress-inducing effort. With a plan, it takes the frustration out of figuring out how to make it all balance.

[UptonSinclair]

Those who have busy lives might benefit from audio books. I am currently listening to a 40 hour unabridged audio book called Battle Cry of Freedom. It is one of the textbooks recommended for the Civil War DSST.

[Jim_Nasium]

You can do it. I've not taken either of those but I do know that feeling of, "well I don't know any of this crap." There is always a lot of stuff I don't even have a guess on when I'm working through the instantcert questions. That is how it starts. Even if you have no guess just read the answers and don't worry too too much about how much you're retaining.

I always like to do them in sets of 5 questions. I'll go back and work through them again. Then I restart the section, do it all and focus on the ones I've missed. Sometimes that is like half the section. Then I move on to the next section.

Eventually you get to a point where you are getting most of it right the first time through.

[Lindagerr]

I agree with all of the above. I had forgotten that before I joined IC I downloaded The audio version of the Vietnam book recommended for studying. I never drove far enough to listen to it in the car so I would play it as I fell asleep at night. Other then that I only had some poor quality study aids. I ended up getting one of my highest grades on that test. So maybe we do still learn things when we think we are asleep.

I would say study for History I first some of that will help with American government.

I also suggest if you have not already joined IC join and DON'T forget to check the exam specific feedback it can direct your study to the more important areas.

[lowjohn19]

I dropped it in another thread, but I'll post it here too. This guy does a good job of getting the basics across without losing you. You will need to supplement with other study aids, but check it out. http://https://www.youtube.com/user/hughesDV