BEFORE THE EXAM
- When studying, less is more. Rather than cudgeling your brains for 60 minutes, break it in three 20 minute power sessions focused on your weaker points.
- Have index cards on hand to create your own questions, note salient points, and jog your memory.
- Draw mind maps.
- Make comparison charts.
- Use mnemonics (rhymes, acronyms, songs, memory palaces) - they have worked for people for thousands of years, so what makes you so special they won't work for you?) 😉
- Have fun, and give yourself meaningful rewards. (Walks, music, mindful contemplation can really help with your journey and your overall health.)
- Track your progress by keeping a study journal,
- Rather than cramming 100 questions at a time, take 10 questions and really think about WHY the answer is the best one.
- Drink water (hydration will help you and your brain)
- Eliminate "must," "should," "ought" from your vocabulary.
- Nothing is (OK, few things are!) "do or die."
- Look at this as a journey down the sometimes wide, sometimes narrow, fascinating path of information security. This is just a beginning of a continuing journey.
- Take frequent breaks.
- Never judge yourself harshly.
- Do you the best you can.
DURING THE EXAM
- Likely nothing you have seen, read or studied will appear exactly as it does on the exam.
- Be calm.
- Believe in your preparation.
- Know how much time you need for questions (on the CAT you cannot skip questions - AFAIK), so be certain before you commit the answer.
- Slow your breathing, and act calmly.
- Be methodical.
- Work from the bottom up (D,B,C,A)
- Read the question entirely, and take a second to ponder it (sometimes the wording is asking you what NOT to do!)
- Eliminate the wrong answers first, then choose the most likely one.
- You have a whiteboard and a marker, use them!
- Do not hurry.
- Do the best you can.
- Be positive.
AFTER THE EXAM
- Congratulate yourself; whether you have passed or failed the exam you have achieved a milestone.
- Recognize your FUD
- Recognize you have really done the best you can.
- Accept the result.
You deserve respect, and the only one who can give it or receive it is You.
Good luck!
