Study Skills & Test Prep Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-06-2022

The decision to become a U.S. citizen is one of the most important choices you can ever make. Before you can become a U.S. citizen, however, you first must be a lawful permanent resident of the United States. A lawful permanent resident is a foreign national who has been granted the privilege of permanently living and working in the United States.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-26-2022

The first step toward acing the Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT, is to study each test event and understand what Uncle Sam expects from you. From there, it’s all about functional fitness training and giving your body the right fuel to succeed.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-26-2022

The Miller Analogies Test (MAT) is an aptitude test used for admission to graduate programs. Although it's lesser known than the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), many universities base their assessment of potential students on the MAT score, and the test has been around for more than 50 years. Knowing how the test is structured, how to best plan your study regiment, and how to decipher and share your test results will help you earn a place in the program of your choice.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-14-2022

As any professional military commander will tell you, knowing your enemy is the first step in winning a battle. After all, how can you expect to pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) if you don’t know what’s on the test? Here are some test-taking tips and key info about ASVAB test formats and ASVAB subtests to help you score well on the ASVAB, get into the service of your choice, and qualify for your dream job.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-13-2022

When you're preparing to take the PANCE or PANRE, you may feel like you have to know an endless amount of information. How will you ever remember all the details of so many diseases and conditions? Here, you can review some useful mnemonics that will not only help your recall as you prepare for your physician assistant exam but also improve your clinical acumen.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-11-2022

The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is your gateway to getting into the graduate school of your choice, maybe even with a scholarship, and then the doors to your career path are open wide. This Cheat Sheet is a collection of tips and key information that can help you score well on the GRE, get into graduate school, and further your career goals.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-08-2022

The key to success for any method of study is having one. So if you’re preparing to take the ASVAB, set up a structured study plan using the following guide, and stick to it. Before you put your study plan into action though, be sure to review the tips included here on how to fine-tune your studying experience for success and kick-start your memory retention powers.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-05-2022

Taking a state real estate exam is necessary for becoming a licensed real estate agent. Every state requires real estate agents to have a license — and to take and pass a state examination to get that license. You need to cover a lot of ground in preparation for the test, but your efforts are well rewarded by a fun, exciting career.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-05-2022

When you take the GMAT, make sure you take the required items with you to the test. Use these guidelines to help you get through the math, critical reasoning, sentence correction, and reading comprehensions questions — as well as for writing your analytical essay and conquering integrated reasoning questions.

Article / Updated 04-05-2022

It can be very difficult to get down to studying if your mind wanders or you’re hungry or just plain bored. It’s easy to get distracted by email or Youtube. It can help your concentration if you build in small bribes and treats to break up your studying, provide goals and give you something to look forward to. A few examples of how to treat yourself You know yourself and what can motivate you, but the following list offers a few suggestions that might help you complete a task or work consistently (with coffee/tea or loo breaks included) for a couple of hours. Promise yourself the reward and make sure you deliver. A relaxing bath with scented bath oil, alternatively, do the washing up with lots of lovely suds and hot water to blow bubbles with as well, if you’re short of time. 45 minutes in the pub with friends, back in time to get to bed before 11.00 p.m. A really delicious oral indulgence – dark chocolate coated ginger, seaweed peanuts, chewy salami – taking time out to savour whatever you fancy. A quick spot of window-shopping nearby in the early evening, when it’s quiet, to look at that great dress, jacket or pair of shoes. Television break to catch the news for half an hour or watch a favourite soap. 30 minutes to listen to some favourite music – really listen, not as a background to revision. 15 minutes to knead dough with your hands, or rub butter and sugar into flour to make breadcrumbs for crumble. (These can be put in the fridge to bake the next day.) It’s very tactile and relaxing. Half an hour or so to read a chapter of a thriller or other non-revision reading. A foot or shoulder massage to your flatmate and get them to return the favour. Time to stroke the cat/dog that lives nearby, or any other furry, accessible creature. Ten minutes to stand in front of a window and practise deep breathing, especially on days when you won’t go out till later in the day. Listen to ‘A Book at Bedtime’ (on BBC Radio Four) in bed. Being read to conjures up feelings of warmth and security in many people. Make sure you get out every day, even for a short period of time, for a change of air and scenery. More things to consider Little bribes and treats should include some that appeal to several senses as these can help you relax as well. They will also work as markers or a framework on either side of the revision you are doing and help you remember it. You will also find that you can get more out of the time between treats than you could if you just carried on working, with no breaks or ‘bribes’. This is where you hit the rule of diminishing returns. You need to spend more time to learn less if you don’t build in breaks and little escapes after an hour or so of concentrated work.