WHAT TO DO BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER BOARD EXAM.

NOTE:What you're going to see are just POINTERS WHAT TO DO BEFORE AND AFTER the board exam. So brace yourselves and get ready for the next big step...

Before exam:

1. PRAY.  ALWAYS. No need to explain this further. Pray to the Lord that he may give you the strength and courage to go on and survive with this battle. Ask for guidance to comprehend what you've learned. I had my St. Jude Novena posted on my wall and I always pray with it before studying.
2. Choose the best review center - know what they can cater and their reputation. Why going to review centers? It's because self-review is not enough.The best thing about going to review centers are the lecturers.  The lecturers will be a big help in your review as they will teach you the important lessons to be studied and those possible questions that would come out. Also, they will serve as your motivators as they will share their experiences when they took the board.
3. Attend review classes and its exams. Don't skip classes, you might be missing a very important topic.
4. Devote yourself to study everyday..
5. don't procrastinate..always tell yourself DO IT NOW before it's too late!
6. a day before exam.... 

• get your uniform ready and make sure you're still comfortable with it
• skim read what you haven't studied, just a quick glance of the LEAST important topic, Some may come out from it so better to have stock knowledge in case. 
• prepare what you must bring: the right pencil AND ITS EXTRA, eraser, ballpen, sharpener and most especially the NOTICE OF ADMISSION (NOA) please
• take note the subjects to be taken on each day and your room number

During exam:

1. arrive early (30 minutes before exam starts is enough).. dont make a scene. You can't beg the proctors to get in once the exam starts
2. Every now and then, listen to the instructions. Never haste to fill up. 
3. RELAX..RELAX..RELAX..CONCENTRATE..DON'T PANIC 
4. Take time to read each questions but be quick in answering.. write your answer first on the test paper provided before putting your final answer on the ANSWER SHEET
5. be alert in answering tricky questions such as except, not all...ANALYZE
6. Choose your instinct or educated guess to some difficult questions
7. Make sure with your shading (it should be FULL BLOCK) and less erasures please
8. Review your answers before passing the paper. Don't be overwhelmed if half of the class will pass their papers.
9. Be positive and keep going on answering.. thank God for giving EASY questions :-)
10. Don't discuss answers to classmates/roommate., This might interrupt your momentum for the next subject. 
11. Take toilet breaks allotted. Eat during lunch breaks. Review pag may time!

After exam:

1. PRAY: Thank God for a job well done and pray that you'll pass the board exam in accordance to his will.
2. At last! Have yourself a very good night sleep.
3. Be confident at the same time HUMBLE. If asked how's the exam going, just tell them: 'It's alright. Just wish me luck.'
4. Keep updated with the results. In our exam, it came 3-4 days later but others may take months or a year so keep posted. Always check the PRC website.

Well guys, it's normal for us to be nervous or tensed during board exam but please, don't let these emotions control you. Overcome it and aim to pass! Your license is waiting for you. Kaya, best of luck na lang sa mga magte-take ng board exam. I hope this helps. Alam kong kaya nyo yan! ;-) God bless!

STUDY TIPS TO PASS THE BOARD EXAM ... click here

STUDY TIPS TO PASS THE BOARD EXAM

Before I discuss the WAYS, You need to have THREE THINGS,,

1. Motivation
2. Discipline
3. Faith

To pass the board exam needs to sacrifice in order to get closer to your dream. So are you ready for your next big step? Try to follow some of my study habits and let's see if this works for you.

   1. Create schedules

      - One of the hardest things to do and to follow when reviewing. When creating schedules, be realistic. I suggest you only study two or three subjects for one day (like one subject in the morning, one in the afternoon, and another in the evening). Concentrate and stick to it. Do not be pressured. It would be better if you put the hardest subject on the time you're most alert.

   2. Adjust your body clock

     - During the review, I can't stand studying till late night (unless you are the other way around). Tendency is there's no more room for some info after a long day listening to the lecturers. Take note, your body needs a rest to recover and to help remember information effectively.That's why I make sure to sleep at least five hours to keep my body energize then get back to work AGAIN. Let's say, I go to sleep usually by 9:00PM then I set my alarm at 2:00AM. That makes early mornings the best time to study.  NO NOISE + YOU ALONE  = MORE CONCENTRATION

    

   3. Read reviewers and scan notes

     - Don't just rely on one review note. If possible, collect as many notes as you can and select those with best outlines that highlight important facts. Moreover, choose the review notes coming from distinguished/known lecturers in your field (I know you know one). As for books, ask someone (perhaps your professor or a friend who passed the board) what are the essential books to read. Advice: NEVER read the whole book (esp. a 4000 page book). Remember, you have only limited time to study all the subjects for the boards. For medtechs, read the article REVIEW MATERIALS FOR MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY BOARD EXAM .

     - Another is to have a copy of board exam recall questions. Your lecturers might give you a pool of questions that came out or has a tendency to come out during board exam. Pay attention to them and study them closely from time to time.

   4.  Improvise study notes
     - Most effective in studying. You can make your own outline if you want. The more you write what you have read, the more you can easily recall. An outline need not to be lengthy. Do not copy all that were  stated from the book. It will lose its purpose. Just write the important terms and the KEYWORDS to describe the term, Use  MNEMONICS OR CODING device to make outlines more interesting to look at.

FLASH CARDS (this is the biggest factor why I passed the board exam) are very helpful. It is very handy and ready to use all the time. I use my flash cards when I have spare time like riding a bus or waiting for something. Use your time wisely dude!
 
   5. Assess your knowledge 

        - There are two ways to assess... you can do it by yourself or you can do it with other people.

        YOURSELF: After studying, discuss like a teacher. Explain as if somebody is listening. Talk about all what you've learned from the subject and internalize. After that, search for review books that contain questions with rationalization. Answer them honestly and count your score. Take a look on your mistakes and find out where you went wrong. Take every opportunity to take all the exams and attend reinforcements given by your review center. 

        WITH PEOPLE: As they say, 'two heads are better than one' . It will be best if both of you should study ahead. We call it BRAINSTORMING rather. Studying with other people is another way to obtain new information. With other people, you can find answers to some of your difficulties and you can also learn their techniques in studying. Find your study buddy (a person you can exchange questions to). Just arrange a schedule and agree for a topic, Make it a habit for some time.

     6. Make a study environment

      - Creating a suitable environment is a must. Place your study table not facing a bed or something that can make you fall asleep. Observe a good LIGHTING. When you study, sit up straight and set a proper posture. Do not study while lying on your bed. Stay away from things that could destruct you like phones, laptops, talkative people and so on.

      - But Weird as I, I post visual aids on the wall, on the door, and even in the CR. Just like making flash cards, tabulate important facts (eg. basic formulas, definitions) on each subjects. Take time to read it when going in or out of your room

     7. Reward yourself
      - There are so many ways to reward yourself. After long hours of studying, take a break for 10 minutes. You may want to listen for your favorite music to stay awake. Any music will do but as for my case, there is one lively music that not only keeps me alive during the night but keeps me inspire. Do you know what it is? It's Vice Ganda's song BOOM KARAKARAKA... Yes, I'm maybe weird but if you listen to the lyrics, it made me motivated. It tells us that you gonna have to do it your way and you should learn at your own pace.

 'DAPAT INSPIRADO, Hindi desperado.'

       - Another thing, treat yourself with food, games, internet or hanging out with friends for a day. I think there's no harm for spending a day without thinking of heaps of chapters to read. But be careful, keep in your mind that the best reward comes after board exam and that is TO PASS IT. So do this when you're almost finish with all of your subjects.

      8. Again and again and again

      - I learned from our psychology class that to repeat every piece of information is to store a memory that could be retrieved every time you recall it (and that sort). After finishing the whole subject, read it AGAIN. Try this process..

                Step 1: Read the topic word by word (understand and internalize what has been said)

                Step 2: Read again (this time highlight the important facts)

                Step 3: Read again but concentrate into the part you've highlighted. Make an outline.

Well, these are my study tips. I know there are lots of things to do to keep our goal alive and that is TO PASS THE BOARD EXAM. Remember, these are just suggestions, so it's still in your hands how to make it MORE effective. So before I end this blog, whatever endevour you take on your way, start it with a PRAYER. No weapon could ever beat the power of a prayer. So, have faith everyday and believe in yourself. If others can why can't you? Happy studying.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER BOARD EXAM... click here