What You Should Do to Prepare for Your Insurance Licensing Exam
When it comes to your budding insurance career, the licensing exam is serious business and requires adequate preparation. Just like a professional athlete can’t have success on the field without extensive training, you can’t expect to pass the state exam with a last-minute, bare-bones effort. But, by following a few basic strategies, you’ll be able to pass the exam with flying colors.
Your first strategy: Study throughout insurance school, rather than just prior to the exam. The insurance licensing exam tests your ability to retain and recall insurance-related information that was presented over the course of weeks. This likely means you’ll need to study lots of insurance licensing study material from class. By arranging and sticking to a study schedule during the length of the class, you’ll end up being more prepared than the classmates that crammed at the very end. Alternatively, if you waste time and expect to catch up on a month’s worth of study time in only a few nights, you’ll not only put a lot of pressure on yourself but also likely end up with a failing grade.
Find out as much as you can about the licensing exam. Be sure you know all about the format (multiple choice) of the upcoming test. You should also know how long the test is and how it will be given.
Keep an eye out for hints. In the days and weeks before your insurance exam, your instructor may drop hints about what is likely to show up on the test, so be aware and listen carefully. Pay attention to particular sections of course material that your teacher emphasizes as they may show up as questions on the exam. And just as important, be on the lookout for clues as to what not to study.
Establish a schedule for studying in the weeks leading up to the exam. Create a list of possible topics and subtopics. Then divide the different sections of course material for each topic by the amount of time you’ll need to set aside for studying. Determine how many hours of study to dedicate to each section and topic. Then stick to the schedule!
Be sure to organize all your study materials into a coherent framework. Have all your practice tests, class notes, course texts and online study materials in one centralized location, if possible. Clear any clutter away from your dedicated study area and remove any non-study materials that may act as a distraction.
Use the learning style that works best for you, the one that is most efficient and effective. As an example, if you’re more of an auditory learner use as many audio-based learning materials as possible. If you’re more of a visual learner, create mind maps, make flip charts or take advantage of video tutorials. Create visual cue cards that you can go through to help retain information. If you’re a kinesthetic or tactile learner, try using the audio learning materials while you’re walking, running or doing some other physical activity.
Try studying in a group setting. By this point, you probably know what type of setting works for you. While some individuals need silence and solitude to study and retain information, some others benefit from the dynamic of a small study group. Try them both and discover what style works for you.
Use the textbook or online study materials sensibly. Textbooks and other learning materials have come a long way in the last few years. Pay close attention to subheadings, key definitions and terms, sections that may be emphasized, and especially review questions at the end of chapters. These are often intended to highlight the most important sections relative to the exam.
Write out questions on notecards with the answers on the back, then go through them periodically. Not only will the repetition help you learn, but the very act of writing down the questions and answers can help you retain information. And you may be pleasantly surprised to find that many of the same questions will show up on the exam. Take the cards with you wherever you go, and when you have a spare few minutes take them out and go through a few. Make new ones when the answers to the first bunch come easily, but be sure to go back through the old ones from time to time.
Practice, practice, practice. After doing a basic review of the material, spend some time on high-yield activities which test subject retention. Do this by using flashcards, mind maps, diagrams, mnemonic devices, diagrams, photos, and illustrations. Many have suggested that attempting to teach someone else the information is a great way to help remember it.
As already noted, review frequently and stick to a schedule. Arrange a schedule that allows you to review a topic once, and then go over it again either later that day or the next day. This will quickly enable you to determine what topics come easily to you and what you may need to spend more time on.
Understand the logistics well in advance of the exam. Be sure you know the time, date and location of the test. Though it may sound like a time-wasting exercise, consider visiting the exam location in advance at the same time as your exam to find out how long it will take to get there and to give yourself some familiarity with the location.
Though it should go without saying, make it a priority to stay healthy. Stick to your normal eating schedule, but try to eat foods that promote health leading up to the exam—and stay clear of any foods that may cause indigestion. Avoid junk food as much as possible. Go for walk before the exam to help clear your head and reduce anxiety, if the weather permits it. If you work out regularly, don’t skip workouts in the days leading up to the exam.
Do not cram for the exam the day before the test. If you follow the tactics in this article, you shouldn’t have to cram. Remember to take a measured, long-term view of studying to prepare for the test. Start weeks in advance and not the day before.
When it comes to your budding insurance career, the licensing exam is serious business and requires adequate preparation. Just like a professional athlete can’t have success on the field without extensive training, you can’t expect to pass the state exam with a last-minute, bare-bones effort. But, by following a few basic strategies, you’ll be able to pass the exam with flying colors.
Your first strategy: Study throughout insurance school, rather than just prior to the exam. The insurance licensing exam tests your ability to retain and recall insurance-related information that was presented over the course of weeks. This likely means you’ll need to study lots of insurance licensing study material from class. By arranging and sticking to a study schedule during the length of the class, you’ll end up being more prepared than the classmates that crammed at the very end. Alternatively, if you waste time and expect to catch up on a month’s worth of study time in only a few nights, you’ll not only put a lot of pressure on yourself but also likely end up with a failing grade.
Find out as much as you can about the licensing exam. Be sure you know all about the format (multiple choice) of the upcoming test. You should also know how long the test is and how it will be given.
Keep an eye out for hints. In the days and weeks before your insurance exam, your instructor may drop hints about what is likely to show up on the test, so be aware and listen carefully. Pay attention to particular sections of course material that your teacher emphasizes as they may show up as questions on the exam. And just as important, be on the lookout for clues as to what not to study.
Establish a schedule for studying in the weeks leading up to the exam. Create a list of possible topics and subtopics. Then divide the different sections of course material for each topic by the amount of time you’ll need to set aside for studying. Determine how many hours of study to dedicate to each section and topic. Then stick to the schedule!
Be sure to organize all your study materials into a coherent framework. Have all your practice tests, class notes, course texts and online study materials in one centralized location, if possible. Clear any clutter away from your dedicated study area and remove any non-study materials that may act as a distraction.
Use the learning style that works best for you, the one that is most efficient and effective. As an example, if you’re more of an auditory learner use as many audio-based learning materials as possible. If you’re more of a visual learner, create mind maps, make flip charts or take advantage of video tutorials. Create visual cue cards that you can go through to help retain information. If you’re a kinesthetic or tactile learner, try using the audio learning materials while you’re walking, running or doing some other physical activity.
Try studying in a group setting. By this point, you probably know what type of setting works for you. While some individuals need silence and solitude to study and retain information, some others benefit from the dynamic of a small study group. Try them both and discover what style works for you.
Use the textbook or online study materials sensibly. Textbooks and other learning materials have come a long way in the last few years. Pay close attention to subheadings, key definitions and terms, sections that may be emphasized, and especially review questions at the end of chapters. These are often intended to highlight the most important sections relative to the exam.
Write out questions on notecards with the answers on the back, then go through them periodically. Not only will the repetition help you learn, but the very act of writing down the questions and answers can help you retain information. And you may be pleasantly surprised to find that many of the same questions will show up on the exam. Take the cards with you wherever you go, and when you have a spare few minutes take them out and go through a few. Make new ones when the answers to the first bunch come easily, but be sure to go back through the old ones from time to time.
Practice, practice, practice. After doing a basic review of the material, spend some time on high-yield activities which test subject retention. Do this by using flashcards, mind maps, diagrams, mnemonic devices, diagrams, photos, and illustrations. Many have suggested that attempting to teach someone else the information is a great way to help remember it.
As already noted, review frequently and stick to a schedule. Arrange a schedule that allows you to review a topic once, and then go over it again either later that day or the next day. This will quickly enable you to determine what topics come easily to you and what you may need to spend more time on.
Understand the logistics well in advance of the exam. Be sure you know the time, date and location of the test. Though it may sound like a time-wasting exercise, consider visiting the exam location in advance at the same time as your exam to find out how long it will take to get there and to give yourself some familiarity with the location.
Though it should go without saying, make it a priority to stay healthy. Stick to your normal eating schedule, but try to eat foods that promote health leading up to the exam—and stay clear of any foods that may cause indigestion. Avoid junk food as much as possible. Go for walk before the exam to help clear your head and reduce anxiety, if the weather permits it. If you work out regularly, don’t skip workouts in the days leading up to the exam.
Do not cram for the exam the day before the test. If you follow the tactics in this article, you shouldn’t have to cram. Remember to take a measured, long-term view of studying to prepare for the test. Start weeks in advance and not the day before.