What to Do the Week Before You Take the Contractor Licensing Exam

You’ve got the experience and you’ve been approved to take the contractor licensing exam. When you’re one week away from the exam, it might seem like it is going to take forever to arrive. Here’s what you can do to ensure that you have what you need and are in the best shape to succeed.

Review Key Concepts
Experts in education say that learning a concept isn’t the same thing as understanding it. This means that once you’ve studied and had an opportunity to practice, you’ll still need to review before you take the exam. Taking tests can make you nervous, which can make you doubt your understanding once it comes down to crunch time. Review under calm circumstances helps you confirm that you have the right information and can apply it correctly. In turn, this can relieve test-taking stress and increase your chances of getting the right answer.

Take a Practice Exam
One of the best ways to figure out what to expect from the exam is to take one as a practice. This may not be particularly useful while you are still learning the concepts you’ll be tested on. But once you are winding down to test day, practice exams are great. This is a good opportunity to evaluate how you handle yourself during the exam, as well. For example, if you have a tendency to try to answer the question before reading it all the way through, a practice exam may help you learn to pace yourself.

Verify Testing Procedures
The contractor licensing exam in California has two components, both of which are multiple-choice. You probably have at least some experience with multiple-choice exams from your years in school. Otherwise, it’s important to find out what the procedures are for the location in which you’re taking the test. Find out:

• Where you need to go
• What you can bring
• Supplies you can use
• What to expect when you get there

This can help to make sure that you arrive relaxed and ready to take the exam.

Adjust Your Schedule
Once you’ve got an exam day and time, it’s important to think about what that day and that time typically looks like for you. You’re not likely to be taking the exam in the middle of the night, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be tired while you take it. If you need to adjust your schedule earlier or later to make sure you’re fully alert, you should give yourself at least a week to do it. This way, you’re not shocking your system by getting up too early or staying up too late. Creating a routine, even temporarily, will help your body to adjust to functioning well at that particular time.

Plan for Comfort During the Exam
Testing locations do what they can to minimize distractions while you’re taking the exam. However, there are some things you may need to do to ensure your own personal comfort on test day. Specifically, you should plan to:

• Eat a good meal an hour or two before the exam
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Wear comfortable clothing appropriate to the season
• Avoid activities the day before that are likely to make you feel stiff or tired

These simple choices can make the difference between being able to focus on every question, and running out of steam too quickly.

Preparing for the contractor licensing exam eventually culminates in a last week of getting ready. These tips make you more likely to succeed. For more information about how CSLS can help you study to become a licensed contractor, contact us today!