Exam Preparation Strategies That Work

When we actively recall/retrieve information our brains put a little hashtag on it: #useful. And those tags compound with more retrievals. In addition, memories are best strengthened if they are retrieved just before we forget them. This means that the time between retrievals should increase with each one. Furthermore, the fewer cues we are given for recall increases the likelihood of making more associations between new information and prior knowledge. As such, learners can think analogously & apply concepts across contexts. Strategy 1: Use low stakes formative assessments as retrieval practice to enhance memory retention. Strategy 2: Incrementally increase the space between retrieval practice to maximize the effect. Strategy 3: Gradually increase the complexity of retrieval practice using the three types of recall to enhance depth of understanding. 3-4 of these retrieval events will suffice at about 15 minutes per. 🧠 Go for recall over recognition:  Don’t use multiple choice questions as a summative assessment because in the real world they won’t be given a set of options where one is the correct answer. Learners being forced to generate the information is more effective. Free recall is more effective than cued recall and recognition, though it’s prudent for learners to work their way up from recognition to recall. 🔠 Make sure the context and mode of retrieval is varied:  Mix it up. One day they post a video. Next, have them write something. The Later, have them create a diagram or map, etc. Generating information in multiple modes is even more powerful than being presented information in multiple representations. What’s more, this also goes for practicing related information in varying combinations. See Interleaving. 🌉 Make sure retrieval practice is properly scaffolded and elaborative:  Go from concrete to abstract, simple to complex, easy to difficult; from questions to answer to problems to solve. Each retrieval event along the curve should be increasingly more involved to create a Desirable Difficulty. See also Bruner's Spiraling Curriculum & Reigeluth’s Elaboration Theory. 💡 Push creation of concrete examples, metaphors, and analogies:  Concrete examples and analogous thinking have a high positive impact on memory. Especially if it is learner-generated. This provides students with the opportunity to put new, abstract concepts in terms of what they already know. It updates their existing schemas. 🔁 Give feedback, and time it right:  If you’re not giving feedback that is corrective and often, your learners might suffer from confusion or even start to develop bad habits. But don’t wait too long to do it. Check out PREP feedback and Quality Matters helpful recommendations. Be sure to fade feedback as student develop mastery. #instructionaldesign #teachingandlearning #retrievalpractice

If the IT cert you're working on for 2025 is starting to overwhelm you, take a step back and recalibrate. One of my cert instructors from back in the day made a point that helped me with that "overwhelmed" feeling. Plan the work. Work the plan. What's a cert study plan look like? First, recognize that a cert isn't one big thing you have to ingest all at once. You're not guzzling 2 liters of water. You're pouring a small glass of water and drinking it. When you're ready for more, you pour another glass. Your plan is an outline of what you're going to pour into the glass & drink today. The cert blueprint should be the foundation of that plan. Each point on the blueprint is a glass of water. On any given day, that's all you have to drink. For example... 1️⃣ Monday 13-Jan - read chapter 1 from the official exam guide. 2️⃣ Tuesday 14-Jan - answer all the chapter 1 review questions. Write a blog post that summarizes the key points. 3️⃣ Wednesday 15-Jan - lab day. Do three exercises recommended by the book (or your instructor, etc.). 4️⃣ Thursday 16-Jan - make a list of everything that was hard about chapter 1, where you still lack confidence. Research & review until you're comfortable. 5️⃣ Friday 17-Jan - take a day off. (Yes, you need to schedule those!) 6️⃣ You get the idea... You might or might not like the approach I took above. No worries--the specifics aren't the point here. The point is to come up with a weekly structure that works for you. Then iterate week by week until you've planned your entire study path. Plan the work. The plan becomes the task list that you know you must follow to get through your studies. Work the plan. As each day comes up, all you have to do is see what's on the plan for today, and do that. Nothing more. Also...nothing less, or else you never get through the work. You can't skip leg day every week and expect your back squat to increase. So, how does a study plan help with feeling overwhelmed? A plan means you're *in control*. Using a plan, you've defined exactly what you need to do, and a realistic timeframe in which you can do it. A plan is a visualization of exactly how you're going to get from where you are to where you want to be. A plan isn't vague. A plan isn't..."Oh, I guess I should hammer through some of the book on Saturday." A plan is methodical, specific, and targeted. A plan is intention. Control. You don't have to guzzle all the water at once. One glass at a time is enough. #certification #ccent #ccna

Here are some takeaways from my latest CPA exam group sessions: Simulations are a signal. If your sim scores are much lower than your MCQ scores, it’s a sign you might be memorizing, not understanding. Slow down, revisit the concepts, and focus on application. Audit’s all about mindset. When stuck between two answer choices, ask: What would a skeptical, objective auditor do? Let the core themes of the section guide your decision-making. Don’t always trust people who haven’t taken the exam. Well-meaning family and friends may push unrealistic expectations (like studying 8 hours/day). Unless they’ve been through it, their advice may do more harm than good. Celebrate every exam you sit for. Don’t wait until you pass to feel proud. Sitting for a section is an accomplishment worth honoring no matter the result. Avoid the “Becker bump” myth. Some claim you’ll magically score higher on test day than in practice. Don’t count on it. If your practice scores are within 5–10 points of passing, it might be time to take the shot. Mix up your study materials. Switching between test banks (like Universal, Glime, or Ninja) prevents memorization and exposes you to more question styles. Use AI to simplify your studies. Upload tough textbook content into ChatGPT and ask for real-life analogies. You can also use AI to read answers aloud during chores or drives to reinforce learning passively. Don’t force a perfect routine. Morning, lunch break, or late at night, study when you have energy. One member uses midday breaks; another relies on audio during commutes. Find what fits your life, not someone else’s. Overthinking ruins solid answers. If you initially picked an answer choice with clear reasoning, trust yourself. Only change it if you missed a keyword or read the question too quickly. Social media is not reality. During score release weeks, you’ll see everyone’s wins. But remember: you’re seeing their highlight reel, not the whole story. Let it inspire you—not make you feel behind. If you found these helpful and are looking for a community to be a part of for support and guidance spout the way on your CPA journey, please reach out to me!