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Do-It-Yourself Learning
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Go Electronic
Self assessment tests (see Test Your Knowledge with Practice Exams )are another popular self-study tool. In the Prometric study, 44% of respondents favored using them. They are an excellent way to both learn new material and become familiar and comfortable with the testing environment. They are especially useful for pinpointing which objectives you are strong in and which need more work. You can also learn new material as you work through them. Prices for practice exams range widely, from about $30 to as high as $150.
Computer based training (CBT) courses are no longer made up of talking heads that put you to sleep. Instead, the latest CBT courses have many benefits, including that they are interactive, self-paced, and less expensive than classroom training. CBT courses vary widely in price in format. A few such courses can be found free online, such as for programming in a particular language; others cost up to $1,000 or more and are available either online or on a set of CD ROM discs. We feel that CBT Nuggets has some the best computer-related and computer-based training, which is why we have partnered with them for a long time now. You will definitely want to check out some free lessons and see what they are like.
Get the Picture
Videos are another, not quite as popular training resource, but many people like them nonetheless. They are especially useful to people who are visual learners – i.e. they remember information best when they see it rather than just hear it or read about it. .Training videos are often packaged as part of a kit that contains additional learning materials. Common components include workbooks, textbooks, and self-quizzes.
Efficient and Effective Habits
Whichever resources you choose, the keys to successful self-study include planning, persistence, and use of effective study habits. The most important step you can take is to schedule your exam now. Doing so will give you a specific deadline and keep the pressure on you to move forward. Otherwise you may fall victim to the procrastination beast. To set the date, figure out how long you think you’ll need to prepare, add a week or two for unexpected delays, and call up the testing center with that final day in hand. You can always reschedule if catastrophe strikes, or if you feel ready before your original target date.
Next, plan when and where you will study. If possible, choose a specific time of day and a consistent place. This is a mental trick that allows you to condition yourself so that when the designated time arrives, you almost automatically go into study mode. Similar to Pavlov’s famous dogs, who became conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell, you will become conditioned to crack the books and start learning on cue.
 
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