Preparing for your electrical exam means more than just knowing Code, calculations, and electrical fundamentals;
it also means being prepared for the anxiety and stress of studying and test-taking. The following suggestions are designed to help make the
studying process as stress-free and productive as possible.
Invest in the right study material.
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Mentally Prepare Yourself and Your Family
One of the ways to keep yourself motivated while preparing for an exam is to figure out your why.
Are you taking this exam to make more money? To open a business? Or are you taking it because you want to take your
career to the next level? Understanding why you are taking an exam will go a long way toward helping you stay focused.
Staying focused on your goals will also help you push through obstacles and barriers when studying gets hard. The path
to passing your exam is the direct result of how disciplined you can be with your study plan.
Write out your goals to remind yourself why you are working hard and as a reminder to all of the opportunities that will
open up for you once you pass.
The way you talk to yourself has a huge influence on how you approach studying. If you get overwhelmed and start to get
stressed it can impact your ability to learn new content.
If you stay positive and view the process as a good one, it makes it much easier to stay on task. Say positive affirmations
like – “I’ve got this,” “I can do this,” and “It will all make sense in the end.” This positive approach will help you approach
the material with an open mind and improve your ability to learn. This positive attitude will also help you on exam day while
you mentally gear up for the task in front of you. Remember, you've got this!
Imagine how passing your exam will feel, and how it will change your life. This visualization and mentally seeing yourself
passing and holding the passing grade in your hand is a super powerful technique to prep for success. This is how professional
athletes prepare for competition, visualizing success before it happens, and studying for an exam is very similar.
Often, we get intimidated by hard things because we start to think of worst-case scenarios. When thinking of taking an exam we
start to worry about all that can go wrong. Instead, focus on how much you have already accomplished in your career and in your
life and not on your fears or worries about the outcome. Stay focused on your successes so that you can remind yourself of all that
you are capable of and to counteract the negative thoughts that may be holding you back.
One of the reasons that people don't pass exams is because of stress impacting how their learn. There is a lot that you can do to reduce the
stress around taking an exam or even studying for an exam. Some ideas to de-stress before studying include a walk with your family or a pet,
listening to music, exercising, spending time with family, praying, meditating, or sitting down with a favorite book during a break. How you
manage your mental approach is going to have a big impact on what you are able to learn. So, make sure that you start your studies with a clear
mind and you will find that you learn faster and retain more.
Studying is hard work and it will take you time and will impact your entire family. Communicate to them how passing this exam can
change all of your lives and explain to them the specifics of why you need to study and when you need to study. If you do a good job of
including them in the process it will be easier for them to understand the changes that will affect the family dynamics. Remind them that
this is a short-term commitment that will have lifetime benefits.
Take Care of Your Health
Studying for an exam and taking an exam put a lot of strain on your eyes.
Visit the eye doctor to make sure that your eyes are healthy, and confirm that you don’t need glasses.
You will be doing a lot of reading, and you don’t want to struggle with the content or strain your eyes by not having the proper glasses, if needed.
Make sure you get plenty of rest at night – this gives your body (and mind) time to recharge. Most adults need 7 – 9
hours a night to be well rested. This may not be possible but great sleep habits will be important to help you retain
the information you have learned.
Try to add at least 10 minutes of physical activity every day to feel more energized. Stretch if you start to
feel yourself tense up while studying.
Fuel your body with a diet low in fats, sugars, salt, and avoid excessive red meats, which can make you feel drained
and run-down. Instead, try foods that provide a slow, steady release of energy, like fish, blueberries, nuts, yogurt, and seeds.
Research the Exam Details & Select the right Study Material
Check with your Local or State Examining Board to get as much
information as possible, as each exam is different. To find out the
requirements
for your state visit www.mikeholt.com/statelicense.
Review the Candidate Booklet.
Which Edition of the NEC is the exam based on?
Is the exam open-book?
If yes – can you use your own copy? What kind of
markings can you use? What kind of notes or highlighting,
if any, are you allowed to take in the exam room?
What items can you have while taking the exam? This includes
both professional items, like reference books, extra tools
such as calculators and pencils, and personal items, like a
watch,
bottle of water, or jacket.
What reference books will be used on the exam?
What types of questions will you be asked, and how many of each
type?
What works for someone else may not be as effective for you!
One of the most powerful ways to ensure that you pass your exam is to use the right study materials. Sometimes it’s hard to
know which product to choose. Are you a good test-taker? Ask yourself the following questions:
What is your learning style? Know if you’re an auditory, or visual learner, so you can choose the program that will support your learning style.
How long have you been working in the field? This will impact your familiarity of the content, and what gaps you may have.
Have you gone through a formal apprenticeship program?
On a scale of 1–10, how do you rate your current knowledge of theory, Code, and electrical calculations?
All of these questions will help you understand your existing knowledge base and help you in selecting the right study material.
We want you to feel confident walking into the exam that you’re ready and prepared to pass.
Mike’s products are designed to help you succeed. There are several different programs available, designed to accommodate your
specific strengths and weaknesses, and current level of training and knowledge. Understanding all those choices will give you the information
you need to decide on the right program.
Click here to review the design, features and benefits of the exam preparation products.
Make a Plan
Know the date of your exam, and work backwards to create a study schedule that fits your needs. Give yourself enough time to
study! One of the biggest reasons people fail their exams is that they simply didn’t give themselves enough structured study time.
Put your study times into your calendar and try to plan it for the same time each and every week.
Study at the times where you can be the most productive, whether that is in the morning when you first start the day, or at night,
when the stresses of the day are behind you and handled. You know when you are most able to absorb new material and should plan your study schedule accordingly.
If you feel yourself drifting while studying, then give yourself a 5- or 10-minute break to rest, and start again. This will help you keep your study time productive.
Make sure you also schedule time for more than just studying. Factor in time around your work and study for rest, meals, and time
with friends and family. By setting aside time to spend with your family it will be easier for them to support you if they know what to expect.
Sticking to a routine each week and pacing yourself will help you avoid cramming at the last minute
Set up a private study location that is quiet with good lighting. If it’s not quiet enough, invest in good quality noise-cancelling headphones.
All your work material should be in one place, so you don’t waste time setting up each time you sit down to study.
Find space in your home to keep your reference books, mobile devices, supplies and study materials.
Keep your tools organized, so it is easier to learn, and you don’t risk misplacing important parts of your study program.
Keep organized folders for notes, exams and answer keys, and miscellaneous items—if you are allowed to use resources during your
exam, it will be quick and easy for you to find what you need.
If possible, always have an extra copy of your study book(s) with you, or keep the essential ones on hand, so you can study anytime,
anywhere! If you have purchased a Mike Holt Library, it will include copies of Mike Holt’s textbooks in a digital format. Be creative in finding moments to study.
Successful Study Tips
The quicker you can find information during a timed exam, the easier the exam will be. One of the best ways to pass your exam is to be completely
confident with your NEC book, and this only happens with practice.
To Tab your Code book for quick reference. Need tabs? Visit MikeHolt.com/Tabs If you’re using your Code book for an exam, you’ll need to
confirm with your testing authority that a tabbed Code book is allowed into the exam room.
If your State Board allows it, highlight important details in your Code
book. Remember to confirm this with the board.
Drink water and have a light snack if you haven’t recently eaten.
Turn off your phone and let your family know that you are in “official study mode.”
Review the headings before reading, so that your brain knows ahead of
time what material you are mastering.
Continually ask yourself questions while reading through the content.
This helps you stay focused, retain more information, and learn where specific topics are
in your materials.
Pay attention to the graphics, they support the learning, and in many
cases will explain the specific topic you are learning.
Work through the practice questions. Research tells us that testing
improves learning and the ability for your brain to retrieve the information later. So
those questions not only
help you determine if you have mastered a concept, but they also help
you learn it.
Remember that any marks you make in your books should be in accordance with the rules of your Exam Board.
Every person is different, but plan to take a 5- to
10-minute break every 30 – 50 minutes so you can stay focused and productive during your study
time. Try moving around during your break, or just get up and stretch instead of
checking your phone or messages.
If listening to music helps you study, make sure it is low
and instrumental.
Be sure to look up occasionally while studying. Our eyes are designed for survival, and the combination of small
text with close-up continuous reading puts a large amount of strain on our eyes.
You are more likely to study if you have a friend to be your “accountability partner.”
Students who study together perform above average because they try different approaches and discuss ideas and solutions. So,
if possible, set up an occasional study session with others preparing for their exam.
Everyone learns differently, and you can improve your retention by recognizing the method that best suits you.
There are different schools of thought about how people learn, but one of the most popular breaks down learning into three styles:
Auditory: If you are an auditory learner it is important for you
to hear the material.
Watch videos, read out loud sections from your textbook that may be
difficult for you to understand,
study with someone else and talk about the material. Remember to work in
a quiet area so that noise is not distracting to you.
Visual: Since you learn better seeing pictures and visual
stimuli, here are some strategies
to maximize your learning: If you aren’t taking a class, watch a video
so you can see the instructor interact with the images and content, create
your own pictures to work through difficult concepts,
color code your notes, work with flash cards, and take notes or create
outlines to memorize the material.
Tactile: A tactile learner is a “hands-on” person who prefers to
touch, build, or physically interact with
what they are learning, taking them apart and putting them back
together. As a tactile learner, hands-on activities
like grouping flashcards with similar ideas, physically highlighting
your textbook, or finding ways to create a
physical connection with the content will be the best way for you to
learn.
Often students make studying harder because they get intimidated by the work ahead.
Take it step by step and understand that with time and practice the material will start to make sense. Break up your study into manageable sections.
This way you can conquer the content section by section.
There are valuable ideas to be shared in the classroom setting, and there is nothing wrong
with asking for clarification or more explanation. Others may have the same questions that you do!
Ultimately, timing is an element of your exam, so the more you can practice, the faster you
will work through your questions on exam day, and the less stressful the timing element will be for you mentally.
Ready to get started in selecting the right study program for you? Visit
www.MikeHolt.com/examprep or call 888.632.2633. We are here to help
you and have been helping other electrical professionals pass industry exams for
over 50 years.
