Certificate of Qualification Exam Prep, Tips from the Frontlines

My entire third block (advanced) was pretty much self-managed, and it was left to the students to learn. We basically got our books and were told to read… see you later. That’s not to say that I didn’t benefit from learning in that environment, it was just very different then full instructor-led classes I’ve had in the past. I found that my learning was mostly self-directed and the instructor, and peers, were there as a resource should I needed help.

When I prepared for my CofQ, I was told to try apps. I did not use any, but if you decide to, it’s worth noting that some work better on Apple than on Androids. One of my peers downloaded the resource from CSA to his computer (not mobile), and they found it extremely helpful in prepping for their CofQ test.

My strategy for studying was to focus on pre-exam questions and practicing being proficient with how to use the codebook. If you need help on this, ask your instructor, for a copy of any pre-exam questions (past or present, you’re just looking for examples) so you can get familiar with how to navigate through the codebook. Also, look for codes you would never have thought to look for, like mobile-home related questions. Explore new and unknown topics too (ask your employer for examples or possibly they have an experience they can share with you). Having a story alone, will help you recall the information. I found that understanding how to expertly navigate the codebook helped immensely in taking the exam.

This leads me to my next point. You do not need to do the questions in order. I would advise that you take the time to read over the entire exam, identify the questions you don’t know and the ones you’ll need more time on. Doing this ensures that you are answering all the ones you know with confidence first. And then you can go back and tackle the ones you need more time on, and then lastly, the ones you don’t know.

May I also suggest reviewing crane hand signs. Everyone I’ve talked to has mentioned they’ve had at least one question that focuses on that, so be sure to review that topic.

Also, remember the power of positive thinking. There’s this thought (aka theory or rumor) that "everyone fails at least once". While this might be a reality, please do not go in thinking like this. I passed my first try because I didn’t think I would fail. If you go in thinking you’re going to fail, you probably will. If you go in thinking, you'll pass you more like will do just fine.

One last piece of advice, and this has nothing to do with what you’re studying, but rather what you’re putting in your body, eating healthy foods (this means fish, nuts, fruit, etc.) helped me with my focus and therefore, my studying. I’m not sure if it helped, but I did everything, even the smallest thing to try and relieve stress and help keep my mind focused and healthy. Healthy eating, exercise and rest should be part of your routine either way, but when preparing for an exam, it’s probably more important, and often overlooked as a strategy, to ensuring your mind is prepared for the test.

I really hope I was able to provide some insight and relieve some of the anxiety. Just study to be prepared, stay focused, get plenty of rest and think positively, and you’ll be just fine! Good luck!