General Suggestions/Insights from Students

Test Content:

125 Multiple-choice test questions
Many questions ask for “best correct answer” (hard to differentiate between best answers)
Questions are not very objective and found more than one correct answer making it difficult to determine “most” right answer
The test requires you to do something in order to do well

Time Management:

Study early!
Start studying well before you are scheduled to take the examination
Study in advance
Spread study time out a couple weeks prior to the test to look at each section
Take all courses that will be on the exam prior to exam
Complete all basic business courses before taking the exam (don’t take it earlier) such as Marketing, Accounting, Management, and Computers
Take test in the summer if there are sessions offered allowing for more time to study without schoolwork on top of exam preparation
Take test on the first date it is offered in the semester before many projects/assignments are due
Do not take exam the Saturday before Spring Break (too excited and did not study)
Don’t think there is enough time to study for all the objectives unless someone studied for months
Didn’t know where to begin so start soon

Study Guide:

Look over study guide even if it does seem overwhelming
Print off the study guide
Look through the study guide provided and type out information on all topics in each sub-area that you are familiar with
Go through each standard and make sure you understand it fully
Fill out study guide given on the website
It will be easier to complete the review in sections rather than to complete it all at one time
Look over study guide provided online and complete practice questions for each section with answers provided
Utilize practice questions provided on the Internet
Study guide has sample questions (20 of them)
Make up own study guide with points you feel are important
Long, hard look at the review that is available on the ICTS website
Completing the study guide is the best bet to receiving a passing score on the exam
Don’t know if trust some of the study guides online
The objectives listed on the study guide were not aligned with what was asked on the test
After completing exam, frustrated and disappointed to see the questions were not really reflective of the study guide produced

Use Saved/Previous Resources:

Use old textbooks from past classes
Use previous textbooks from courses
Save your textbooks and use them for review
Used old notes and the textbooks saved from past courses
Review previous notes and textbooks
Use old textbooks with Accounting, Economics, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Management Law, and International Business
Obtain textbooks from the areas of Accounting, Marketing, Economics, Law, etc.
Textbook from Business 100
Reviewing course textbooks (if don’t have them, go to library and review reserved texts)
Look over chapter reviews and complete them
If question areas after utilizing textbooks, then turn to previous teachers/professors for additional information.
Look back to old notebooks from previous semesters
Keep and use old notes from all previous classes
Recommend students save all notes
Keep all notes and binders from past business classes especially Management, Business, Economics, and Accounting to review before the exam
Review notes from Educational Psychology class
Educational Psychology class will benefit the area of the test dealing with management of the classrooms
C&I classes will benefit in other areas
Utilize the Internet
Use the laminated quick reference guides that are available in the book store

Group Study:

Broke review in half with partner and each completed half (took approximately three weeks)
Study with at least one other person to help clarify questions you might have and provides additional resources
Work in partners and have partner create a 30 question practice test in specific area and vice versa
Find out other students who are taking the exam and as a group meet on five separate nights to discuss each different area of the exam

Identified Difficulties:

International Business and Entrepreneurship subjects hardest because not as much experience/classes in these subjects
No class provided to prepare for entrepreneurship or career development
Problems with Entrepreneurship section
Second guessing causes confusion

Some questions to consider that are recommended by the Illinois Certification Testing System:

Have you obtained and reviewed the test objectives for this test?
Have you completed all or most of the teacher preparation coursework in which the content of this test is taught?
Have you obtained the study guide for this test?
Have you reviewed the sample test questions in the study guide?
If you identified any objectives that represent areas of weakness for you, have you gathered and reviewed additional study materials for these objectives?
Do you know the date and location of the test administration?

Make sure to be aware of these testing suggestions and to make sure you are well aware of what is on the test and all the objectives of the exam.

Other Insights:

The Basic Skills test gave a false sense of security because it was so easy. This exam was much more difficult
Make sure to have information regarding every area of the exam
Hard to study for due to many objectives listed on the study guide
Obtaining valuable information and study materials for this exam are very difficult
A lot of information on the test has been taught to you before, but recalling it without prior study makes it very difficult to remember during the test
Subjects to focus on include Entrepreneurship, Business Law, Economics, etc.
Went to community college and had economics in two parts (Micro and Macro) so had opportunity to learn more in the area of Economics
Talk to someone who has taken the test recently and get opinions/suggestions
Study trick--eat a good breakfast
If taken the test previously, review score to determine which section(s) scored lowest