Exam Day Prep series – blog 2
Hey There!
I’m going to share a possibly controversial tip in today’s post!
That controversial tip is a “Cram Block”. Yes, I know it’s a couple of days before the CNS Exam test week begins. If your test is scheduled for the first day or the last, this tip can be helpful for you. I know that many responsible test advisors and prep companies may advocate against this, but in my opinion and from personal experience, it worked for me! Now, back when I was studying for the CNS Exam earlier in the year, I didn’t call it necessarily a “cram block” when I was prepping for the exam, but in essence, this is literally what I did.
Now, if you came to one of my virtual prep sessions earlier in the year, you may have heard me mention that I didn’t cover/study every single topic on the exam content outline, and I still passed with a great score. At this point, don’t stress about what you don’t know. I recommend setting aside 2 hours, no more, maybe less, to cover the surface-level information on topics you have not had a chance to really dive into before the exam.
Let me get more specific and tell you how.
#1 – Write down or highlight topics on your content outline that you have not gotten a chance to really study or dive into. For me, this consisted of most of the MNT section and herbs/botanicals, just to name a few topics.
#2 – Budget in 2 hours, no more, maybe less, to cover the surface information on these topics. This is your “Cram Block”.The cram block can be done all at once or broken up over a few days or just two days. I recommend taking a break between hours 1 and 2. Also, consider reserving the “Cram block” a couple of hours before bed so that the new information has a chance to consolidate overnight.
#3 – The Best time for a cram block is a few days before your exam or the day before, in the morning or afternoon. Don’t stress over the cram block; the purpose of this time is to help you – not hurt you, so if you find this stressful or overwhelming, then disregard. In my personal experience, it ended up helping me a lot.
By scheduling in a cram block, this will allow you to apply the information you have already studied and learn new details that you will be able to potentially recognize on the exam. Association is the key when it comes to learning topics for the CNS exam. The goal is not to necessarily know every minor detail on every topic, but to know enough on each topic to be able to select the best answer choice.
You can pass this test!
It’s Time to Prep like you Mean IT!
Zoie
See yesterday’s blog post below!