Study Tips

murdatapes

Just need some feed back.

Just wanted to know how you guys studied after reading a couple of pages or chapters? For example, after I finish reading about 8 or 9 pages, put the book up and come back that night or the next day to the book, do you go back and read or skim through the pages you read before or just continue were you left off? I find myself wasting valuable time cause I go back and read the highlights, because I make sure I understand the information completely. Only problem is I having problems getting through the chapter. 3 or 4 days of reading and still on same chapter. Would it be better to just read through the chapter then come back and re-read the highlights then move on to the next chapter?

thank you

dynamik

I doubt it's going to be a big deal one way or the other. Give the alternative a try and see what works best for you.

murdatapes

Yeah I am going to try that way so see my time gets a little more efficiently.

Thanks Dynamik.

murdatapes

What's the total average study time you guys are putting in a week for these MS exams?

dynamik

10-20 maybe.

nielpeel

If I'm working through an MS-Press book I don't go back. While I'm reading through each chapter I make brief notes in MS Word, and make sure I do all of the questions, labs and troubleshooting exercises at the end of each chapter - this usually helps to reinforce the material. When I'm doing my last few days/weeks of serious study I annotate these notes with more detail, and then use them for last minute cramming.

Some of the stuff that the MS Press books cover doesn't seem to turn up in the exam, so I tend to look to exam simulators like Transcender to give me an idea of what I need to concentrate on during the lead-up to the exam.

At the minute I'm doing around 15 hours a week for the 70-293, but I always either book time off work or schedule the exam around a holiday so I have a few days solid to fully prepare for the exam. This might be overkill, though, if you are already experienced in the subject area.

genXrcist

I read my way through the entire book but I do at a pace that I know I will retain most of the info. For the tables etc. that need to be memorized, I make a note of it and just read it briefly. Then when I'm finished with the book, I go back and make sure I have the tables memorized.

While reading the book I also go through the labs etc but for me, it's one time through and then I spend a few days reviewing (couple hours a day) before taking the actual test.

Works for me, haven't failed a test yet! *knock on wood*

HandyMan

I read about someone who studied for certification tests and I adopted his way myself and use this method for every cert exam. It seems effective and I haven't failed one yet.

- Research the best book(s) to use for a particular exam, from other recommendations.
- Read the book through one time, quickly and not too deeply. Gives a general idea of what's going on.
- Read through again. This time taking hand-written notes of everything that you didn't already know. Do all the practical exercises.
- Type up your notes in to a presentable document in MS-Word. Use those notes to revise from. You won't need the book any more.
- Find some practise tests and go through in detail - especially those with answers that are explained thoroughly.
- Book the exam and try to aim towards that date without having to change it.

murdatapes

Thank you very much. Good tips. It just seemed like I am wasting to much time. But I am going to take the tips and see works best. Thanks again.

calaverasgrandes

My method is to read thru at about a chapter every couple of days or so. Then take a practice exam that can give me some pointers on study areas. I think it is worthless to take practice exams over and over just to practice taking the exams. To me its a mid term, to give me an idea of progress and point me to my soft areas. Then I study up on my soft areas and go take the exam!
One thing that I try and do is NOT psych myself up, out, down or at all. Just walk in, take it, and pass or fail. If you succeed move on, if you failed, you learn by failing!
I also dont study the day before at all. The practice of "cramming" totally backfired on me everytime in college. I would end up with a muddled pile of info in my brain. With no understanding.