Test Taking Tips
Test Day:
- RELAX!!!
- Breathe!!! (through your nose and out of your mouth)
- Walk away!!! (sit back and clear your mind for 30 seconds)
- Stress is the top reason you don’t do well.
- Eat breakfast/lunch, but not right before the exam. Give it an hour before exam for any meal.
- Eat a small snack before exam (unless taking exam right after a meal; have a snack before the exam instead of a meal; snack on a banana, power bar etc,; Not chips, fatty, sugary and/or salty items)
- A LITTLE caffeine can help but don’t take it if you don’t regularly drink it. No energy drinks, 5 hour energy, etc.
- When the exam breaks (between the general and state), stand up and take a break, walk around, clear your head, jump around, shake your hands and feet, stretch, get your blood flowing.
- Ask proctor to adjust testing device BEFORE you start exam.
- Just stay F-it and take the exam. It is what it is now.
- Know that around 20% to 25% of people pass the first time, and it takes most 3 to 4 times to pass. The exam is not an indication of your intelligence of your ability to be a good agent, it is a test of your perseverance and ability to put concepts together. How bad you want it? Everyone that sticks with it, will eventually pass it.
Before Test Day:
- Create flash cards (engages your sight, sound and tactile senses)
- Understand terms in depth
- Take practice exams at the same time you are taking your state exam.
- Get sleep the night before test night. DO NOT cram.
- Stop studying the day before the exam. It’s okay to gloss over the terms if you feel you need to, but no heavy studying.
- Ask for accommodations with PSI if you have specific needs. Examples: quiet room, need more time, other medical conditions, etc.