Alright, everyone. We’re halfway into October, and you’re probably wondering “OK, I know I have A LOT to study, but how can I jam all of this information in my head in time for the exam?” I’m going to do a countdown of 5 of my personal best study tips and tricks!
My study tricks are not the same as everyone else’s, but hey, that’s okay! We all study differently. These are the 5 things that I did:
#5 — Answer other people’s questions
Nothing like practicing for that horrid exam like answering other peoples’ questions, right? If you have ever been a participant of my Free Zooms, you know that I require members to answer the questions for a quiz. It’s not because I want to make your life horrible, it’s not because I want you guys to suffer… I promise. It’s because on the day of your exam, you’ll have to analyze 160 questions (this is including the 10 pool questions), and it’s important to practice reading them! Answering questions helped me figure out how I could read them slowly and analyze them objectively.
#4 — Write your own questions
OK, so it’s a lot to step out of your comfort zone and write a question. I get it! I wrote TERRIBLE questions when I first went Rogue. And hey, I’m STILL not the best question writer in the universe. One of the best things about writing your own questions is that you can get effective feedback. The Rogue Girls on board arephenomenal about giving you feedback in a quick, effective, and friendly manner. If you’re ever too afraid to publish a question on the board, the Rogue girls have your back and would love to look over your questions.
#3 — Take the BAS Exams
I cannot stress enough how much I love Behavior Analyst Supervisor. Their exams are so close to the real thing. They have Mini Mocks (currently over A, B, K, and ethics), they have their Timed exam, and their Untimed exam. One of the main reasons why I loved them was because they give you a Score Report the first time you take it. It highlights what your strongest and weakest areas were. Personally, I took the Timed Exam the week before my exam and I also did Mini Mocks B, K, and Ethics (only because A wasn’t out before I sat). There were a few people I knew who took the BAS exams for the first time as a Baseline of what they need to study, and then took them again a week before the exam. I wish I had done that route, personally, because I think it would have helped me figure out more of a focus for studying!
#2 — Join a Study Group
Rogue has an amazing pool of study groups — between the courses, small interactive groups, and our free Zooms that we do 4x/week, Rogue has got it all! Before Rogue came to life, Sarah had a group called Behavior Bosses that focused on the multi-test takers. I also joined study groups and even formed a few. It was effective for me. These were amazing for me, personally, and I learned a ridiculous amount of information in just over a month in a half. (And passed!)
#1 — Lead a study group
OK, you thought writing questions was going outside of your comfort zone? Try leading a zoom! .. OK guys, both are a little uncomfortable, I completely get it. Anyways, my most effective tip is to lead a study group. Why? First of all, you can get all of that knowledge out, and share it with your fellow study members. Second of all, it opens the floor for feedback. I know when I led study groups prior to passing that exam, I wasn’t always right. And heck, I might not always be right now, but the feedback is especially helpful for the next time.
That’s all I have for now. I hope my study tips have been helpful!
I’ll leave you all with a question: What are some of YOUR favorite study tips? Leave a comment and we’ll be sure to read them!
All My Love,
Michelle
Studying for the BCBA exam? Pass the big ABA exam with our ABA exam prep materials: ABA exam prep audio, BCBA exam prep flashcards, ABA study groups, and so much more!
Awesome post, the article is truly intriguing http://certswarrior.com/ I have bookmarked of this article. Much obliged for sharing.