There are some great tips you can find related to acing exams of all sorts. Certain tips and tricks will apply to any exam you take at any time. For example, flash cards are a great way to help your brain with word association, repetition to memorization, and also short-term memory to long-term memory conversion. As such, utilizing flashcards is always a great strategy to utilize as part of your study system for any exam that you may have to take along your path.
On the other hand, there are also exam tips, tricks, and suggestions that will specifically apply to a single type of exam, or perhaps a field of exams. For example, there are a wide variety of tips to help people get through their accounting exams specifically. This is a niche field of exams, and therefore has created certain practice and study techniques unique to that niche.
The same can be said with a field like personal training. Personal training is a very popular career path and side hustle for people these days. It’s a good way to learn about the human body, musculature, workout routines, and other health and wellness practices. Not only that, but it can be a great career path that offers a lot of flexibility and earning potential.
If you’re looking to pass a personal trainer exam like the NSCA CSCS, one of the harder and more complex personal training certificates, you’re going to want to look at the tips below.
1. Getting a Study Guide
First and foremost, there’s nothing better than having an idea of what the test material is going to actually cover. This is why a CSCS study guide can be such a powerful study tool that helps prepare personal trainers to pass on their first try.
Backing up a few steps, the NSCA CSCS is the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification offered by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. This is one of the longest lasting certifying associations around. It was founded in 1978, and today is considered one of the best certifying associations there is, with a very highly regarded reputation.
The CSCS study guide offered by Trainer Academy gives trainers preparing for the CSCS exam a leg up on the competition and a much smoother ride toward passing on the first try. This is an important note to make because on average 44% of trainers fail the CSCS on their first try.
Meanwhile, Trainer Academy students who use the CSCS study guide see a 99% pass rate on their first attempt of the CSCS exam. This is over a 30% boost to the first try pass rate on the CSCS exam. If you’re serious about taking and passing the CSCS, it’s more than worthwhile to utilize the Trainer Academy study guide.
2. Using Flash Cards
Flash cards were already mentioned a bit above, but they’re such a fundamental study tool that they’re worth bringing up once again. Flashcards are great at helping us convert short-term memories into long-term memories.
While there are a lot of theories on the best way to retain information, almost all of them have some element of repetition and memorization involved. This is especially where flashcards thrive.
Flashcards rely on repetition and memorization as tactics to help us retain pertinent information and train word association patterns in our synapses.
3. Study With a Friend
While we can certainly accomplish a lot on our own, there is also significant power in studying with a friend. Combining a bit of social interaction with your studying can make it feel easier, and a bit more fun.
Creating enjoyable experiences while you study can also train you to enjoy the act of studying and learning itself. So consider working with another trainer, or a partner to help switch up your study routine from time to time.
4. Take a Practice Test if Possible
Just like the study guide, a practice test is an excellent way to prepare yourself when it comes time to actually take the exam. Practice tests are great because they simulate the style, length, and types of questions that might appear on the exam itself.
While a practice exam might not give you exact problems that will appear on the exam, it should give you a good idea of the length and difficulty level, which in turn should help you gauge how ready you are for the actual exam.
5. Consistency is Key
When it comes down to it, the main ingredient to learning anything and passing any exam is consistency. Whether you want to be the best personal trainer there is, learn the piano, or learn how to high dive from 20 meters, it’s all about consistency, dedication, and putting in continual work.
A few Last Thoughts
If you have an exam coming up that you’re hoping to pass take a look at the tips above and see if implementing them into your study routine helps you ace the exam when it comes time.
