What's your study process?

[Gypsy]

All things going well, I'll be sitting for my first CLEP exam tomorrow. (Principles of Management.) I didn't see a topic on this elsewhere, so please feel free to point my unobservant behind in the right direction and delete this thread if such a topic exists, but I thought it would be helpful to discuss how we prepare for these tests. I'm currently using a couple CLEP tests as a testing ground for this process, since the pass/fail standard is more forgiving and I want to maintain the best GPA possible. So far, here's what I've come up with.

1) Read the forum thread for the subject, and take note of recurring themes for further study.

2) Overview of the IC flashcards. Just once or twice through each subject, reading the additional information after each question. IMPORTANT: Go back and manually type each corrected answer before proceeding. I dunno, it really helps me to retain the information.

3) Review missed questions, and study those areas that need most attention.

4) Repeat step 2 and 3 until the desired results are attained. (For me, currently, the move-on point is 90% or better.)

5) Find some practice tests unrelated to IC, and take them. (Any suggestions for these are appreciated... I know of the $5 CLEP practice exams, and Peterson's $20 ones... any other alternatives? Free/cheap is preferred, but not at the expense of quality.)

6) REST. That's almost where I am now.

So how about y'all?

[irnbru]

Currently working through the ALEKS courses. My situation is fortunate in that I've done a fair bit of maths several years ago but without anything to show for it so hammering through them. College Algebra was a nasty bit of stuff and had to do a bit of refreshing, requesting assessments a couple of times before I hit over 70%. For these, it really pays to check, double-check and check again before clicking 'Next'. Have just bashed out trigonometry which felt absolutely horrible but was utterly surprised to hit 91% on first assessment.

Once these are done, will be heading to the other side of the UK to do the 'College mathematics' CLEP for 6 credits. Will then settle down for a bit of reading aiming to take the 'Analysing and interpreting literature' CLEP. May look at Straighterline for some of their online stuff through FHSU. First things first, do these maths and stats things and get them out the way. If anyone needs any help or has any questions, give me a shout as this forum has been so helpful if not a bit of an inspiration!

[cookderosa]

Well, here is what NOT to do:

Come to the board and notice how easy it is to pass exams.
Read the general forum for a day and go directly to the flash cards.
Memorize the flash cards for 2 days.
Take the exam.
Fail the exam.
Post about how none of the actual exam questions are in the flash cards.

hilarious

I always did a generic overview first- spending time in the subject so I could try and see what it was about.

Look up in the Official Guide, the percentages for each topic so I knew where to focus and what to ignore. (I always ignored things that were 5% and always focused strictly on anything over 25% first - then go back later)

Then use all the routine resources: IC, REA, Peterson's, Wikipedia, and maybe movies on Netflix.

Sometimes I found a used or discarded text book.

Schedule the exam (I never did it first because I didn't know how hard it would be until I started getting into it)

Hit the specific exam feedback section HARD. That is THE best resource hands down- but I saved it until I had a good general idea of what was going on first.

I also always took the CLEP practice test in the unofficial guide again.

Look for potential memorization problems (dates, laws, authors, etc.) and make little mnemonics or games.

Take the test.

(that method worked every time- I did fail one test, but I didn't use this method to prepare!)

[MISin08]

What Jennifer said, except that I use more books and tend to make a study out of locating/evaluating materials: the lesson planning is a learning activity. I find professors' sites with lecture notes as well as textbook sites with powerpoints and quizzes. If there's a Peterson's test for the exam, I use that. What I do is a lot like the exam study plans at Free University Project, only I create them myself, and I adjust for how much I already know about the subject, how much I expect to use the knowledge later. For example, I work harder at subjects in my major, or subjects that support the major.

[PeteDude]

First and foremost-- I try to read something about the subject matter in question. If I'm fortunate, there will be some small and compact item such as an Idiot's Guide or Barron's review I can review over lunch.

Second, I try using any practice test material I have access to. If there are questions and answers in the reading material, I use those first. Next are resources such as Peterson's exams, REA CDs, textbook test sites, etc.

Third, if any test resources point out weaknesses in my study, I go back and review those in the texts and pore over any printouts I can get from the test materials.

I then repeat the second and third steps until I feel I'm ready to sit the exam.

The reading part is really important to me. Passing exams via credit by examination should mean you've worked with the subject matter (e.g. reading, classes) or otherwise absorbed it well enough to comprehend it (e.g. work experience).

[lwmcc]

The reading part is really important to me. Passing exams via credit by examination should mean you've worked with the subject matter (e.g. reading, classes) or otherwise absorbed it well enough to comprehend it (e.g. work experience).

I agree 100%! With the exception of the Computer/MIS & English/Lit tests (I have lots of working experience in these fields), I've always read at least 1 text on the subject (and often several), in addition to researching further on the web, taking practice tests, etc. Though I know lots of folks on the board espouse the 'pass is a pass' philosophy, I tend to want to gain, for myself, as much knowledge as possible on the subjects I've chosen, not just pass the test. My feeling is that even though the means of gaining college credit for knowledge is non-traditional, the true goal should be the acquisition of knowledge and implementation of that knowledge in everyday life. Even though I'll just get a 'CR' on my transcript, if I truly learn the material to my own personal standards than it means more to me than just a piece of paper. Admittedly, I haven't necessarily enjoyed all of the subjects I've studied (economics being one I truly hated), but giving oneself a well-rounded education carries intrinsic benefits beyond just the paper degree. Okay, jumping off my soapbox now....

[barcotta]

What Jennifer said, except that I use more books and tend to make a study out of locating/evaluating materials: the lesson planning is a learning activity. I find professors' sites with lecture notes as well as textbook sites with powerpoints and quizzes. If there's a Peterson's test for the exam, I use that. What I do is a lot like the exam study plans at Free University Project, only I create them myself, and I adjust for how much I already know about the subject, how much I expect to use the knowledge later. For example, I work harder at subjects in my major, or subjects that support the major.

When asking a question such as the one proposed in this thread, I would recommend that you weight the answers based on performance. In other words--take a look at the scores achieved by MISin08. Do you see that perfect Psych score? His study method should be weighted more than, say... mine--as I was only able to dip into the 70's a few times. However, he only touched on his method in this thread. Lucky for you I happen to remember that he posted in more detail earlier--and you can find that post here:

http://www.degreeforum.net/off-topic/634...#post46949

If I wanted big scores--I would do that. You can also check out my methods by clicking on any of the test names in my signature below. I didn't always use the same method but managed to pass everything. Good luck!