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LICENSE EXAM PREPARATION TIPS
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THE WAY TO LICENSE EXAM SUCCESS
The best preparation for state license exams is no different than the best preparation for quality practice. The key elements are...
Take a clinical practice curriculum in a graduate school committed to quality.
Obtain supervision from articulate practitioners who expect you to validate your clinical impressions, articulate the basis for your clinical decisions, and describe the therapeutic relationship process as it develops between you and your clients. (For information about how to develop effective Supervision Learning Plans, see... SUPERVISION FOR LICENSE EXAM SUCCESS.)
Gain experience in a variety of fields of practice.
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Develop self-awareness for clinical practice by participating in psychotherapy or other practices designed to enhance self-exploration and personal growth.
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Keep up to date by reading journals, books and participating in continuing education courses.
Practitioners who build their knowledge and skill on this five point foundation have a solid, realistic base for confidence in clinical practice and in their license exams as well. They need little additional exam preparation other than perhaps reviewing their State's Candidate's Handbook and other exam descriptions issued by your State licensing board.
Obviously, not all future licensees have had the opportunity to build their professional practice on such a secure foundation. Here are some of the ways in which others have made up the difference for a stronger license exam performance.
WRITTEN EXAM PREPARATIONHome Study Courses, especially those that include clearly articulated frameworks, reference guides, exercises and practice examinations, are available. Several, including BTA's, have achieved a high success rate. While these courses cannot address issues that can only be learned through participation and experience, they do allow you to clarify core concepts and terminology relevant to license exams. Practice examinations are useful in learning effective techniques for responding to multiple choice questions, learning to pace yourself, and identifying your relative strengths and weaknesses....but only when they present you with challenging questions which meet or exceed the level of difficulty presented on actual license exams. (For information about BTA's Home Study Courses, available for states throughout the US and Candada, see... HOME STUDY COURSES
Exam Preparation Overview Workshops. These workshops usually involve a concentrated presentation over two days, with lots of opportunities to ask questions and discuss the material. Professional associations such as NASW, CAMFT or AAMFT offer these workshops, usually at a reasonable price. For many years the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter, included the BTA Written Examination Workbook in the cost of enrollment. Now it is included in BTA's own license exam preparation workshops.
Specialty Content Workshops and Publications. Once candidates are able to identify their strengths and weaknesses through use of Practice Examinations or Exam Overview Workshops, many find that they could benefit from additional study in their weaker areas. We have found that exam content areas related to Biopsychosocial Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning have been particularly challenging for many candidates, especially if these subjects have not been covered very thoroughly in their graduate classes or in post-graduate supervision. BTA offers these workshops throughout California (and we offer speciality publications in these areas as well), but they are available through many other Continuing Education services throughout the country.
PREPARATION for the CALIFORNIA LCSW and LMFT "CLINICAL VIGNETTE LICENSE EXAMS"
Exam Preparation Workshops, such as those offered through BTA, provide a concentrated opportunity, over a one or two day period, to become familiar with the second part of California's two part license exam process. These workshops emphasize the kind of comprehension, synthesis, and integration of clinical practice information that is needed when responding to clinical vignettes on a multiple choice exam.
On-Going Practice and Study Groups. Unlike a one or two day workshop, these are smaller practice groups that meet over a series of several weeks. They usually cover the kinds of information addressed in an Exam Workshop, plus they provide an opportunity to get individualized coaching and assessment of your exam performance. Because they occur over several weeks, participants have an extended opportunity to practice what they learn between sessions. These Practice and Study Groups are available through BTA in the San Francisco Bay Area, and through other training organizations elsewhere in California.
Participate in Clinical Discussions. One of the best ways to prepare for California's "clinical vignette exam" is to sit in on as many Case Conferences, Grand Rounds, and other settings where clinicians raise diagnostic and treatment planning dilemmas, and work toward solution. Often these are available through local psychiatric hospitals, especially teaching hospitals, at no cost.
Attend Selected Continuing Education Courses. If your clinical training has not addressed a particular topic that is important on the license exam, make up for what you've missed by selectively attending CE courses. Topics identified as especially helpful by previous exam candidates include differential diagnosis, clinical risk assessment and management, treatment planning for specific disorders commonly encountered in clinical practice, and clinical practice laws and ethics.
HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD I LEAVE FOR PREPARATION?
Your preparation time primarily depends on how well your clinical training met the five standards listed at the beginning of this article.
At Berkeley Training Associates we have found from our nationwide surveys that exam candidates spend an average of about 50 to 60 hours working with Home Study Course materials in preparation for Written Exams. With this degree of preparation they have reported scores averaging 85.5 on the ASWB license exam used nationwide (except California), approximately 10 points more than what is needed to pass the exam in most states. (Scores on California examinations fluctuate dramatically from one six month period to the next.)
In preparing for California's "Clinical Vignette Exam" it would be wise to establish a regular schedule of discussing cases and clinical vignettes with colleagues. It is particularly helpful to attend clinical discussions and case conferences in which you have an opportunity to think about how practitioners in various fields of practice approach client engagement, assessment, diagnostic formulation, treatment planning, intervention strategies, progress evaluation and termination.
These are general observations. Each exam candidate needs to determine the quality of their preparation for clinical practice and prepare accordingly.
Successful exam candidates who entered their exams thoroughly prepared often report that they now use this information regularly in their actual practice. Our customers often send us comments such as "I sure wish they had taught me this in school." These exam candidates are more thorough in their diagnostic formulations, more comprehensive yet focused in their psychosocial assessments, and more articulate about the basis for their clinical decision making. It's clear that the best preparation for clinical license exams is not primarily about the exams. It's about preparation for good clinical practice.
PREPARING FOR THE EXAM
Considering the wide range of content that is covered on State license exams, it's not hard to understand that most of the questions you will answer correctly on the written exam would be answered correctly whether or not you engage in any further preparation.
In other words, for the reasonably competent social worker or marriage and family therapist, most (if not all) of what you need to know to pass your license exam, you already know!
This impression is based on feedback from hundreds of examinees who have used a variety of study guides, courses and techniques for license exam preparation. Repeatedly they have said that, although they feel they might have answered some of the questions correctly as a result of their advanced preparation, most of the questions were such that "you just had to have a feel for the right answer."
Of course, since you don't know what your score is going to be it's reasonable to think that even a few additional correct answers can put you over the line. For that reason alone it's worth putting some time into preparation. Besides, everything you learn in preparing for the written exam can strengthen your performance in actual clinical practice.
So, to the extent that you are able to prepare for the license exam, you might want to consider the following suggestions in order to make the most of your limited time.
* Study for an essay exam.
Research has shown that those who study for an essay exam do better on multiple choice exams than people who study for a multiple choice exam. Very simply, this is because people who study for a multiple choice exam typically make the mistake of focusing on discrete facts. People who study as if they were preparing for an essay exam are more likely to...
• analyze,
• apply,
• synthesize,
• and evaluate...what they are learning.
When, in your studies, you come across information...
Ask yourself how you would apply that information in a specific case.
Ask yourself why that information, rather than its opposite, is true.
Try to explain the information to yourself.
Try to explain the information to another person.
* Don't limit yourself to book learning.
Most of what you have learned as a practitioner over the past several years was not read in a book. Most people who take and pass the license exam say that they don't remember seeing many of the questions' content in anything they've ever read, yet they knew the answers to most of those same questions.
Going into the state license exams after preparing primarily by reading study materials is like trying to ski down a challenging slope after learning about skiing by reading a book.
Excellent sources of preparation for the license exam include....
• writing about and talking about your studies, not only thinking about things
• making presentations at case conferences
• discussing cases with colleagues
• providing supervision or consultation to interns
• attending continuing education workshops, colloquia, or public education presentations on mental health and social issues
• participating in experiential training programs
• and your own personal psychotherapy or other personal growth work
* Choose your Practice Exams wisely.
Some people assume that they should practice taking an exam on the computer since the actual exam is administered on a computer. However, most people find that the computer program used by test centers is very easy to use, even by people who rarely use computers. Many exam candidates prefer to use Practice Exams printed in a book. There are several advantages including...
- Portability....it's easy to take a book with you to work, to the kitchen table, or out on the deck
- You can highlight important concepts to review again later
- Your can make notes on the text and in the margins
- You can share your Practice Exams with a friend
For those who prefer the computer based approach, BTA offers Practice Exams on SkillMaster software which follows the format of the actual exam. It has the advantages of...
- Automatic scoring
- On screen timer showing time elapsed and time remaining
- Identification of each question's content area
- Unlike Internet based examinations, SkillMaster is loaded onto your own computer....you can access it whenever you want and for as long as you want
The choice is yours.
* Begin preparation well in advance.
Allow yourself at least several months to prepare. Allow enough time to think through the issues, apply them to cases encountered in your actual practice, and discuss them with colleagues and supervisors. Remember that cramming facts into rote memory is not a very effective strategy when you are preparing for an exam that emphasizes your ability to comprehend, synthesize, and apply information to a broad variety of practice situations.
* Schedule your preparation time and make a commitment to stick to it.
Most of your formal learning has been in school where someone else has given you the assignments and told you when to complete them. Now you need to become your own taskmaster.
Decide on how much time you have to devote to exam preparation and schedule your study sessions -- actually write down dates and times -- on a regular basis. Even small installments will accrue and compound benefits much faster than most people anticipate.
* Prioritize the content areas you will focus on.
Unless you have far more time for exam preparation than most people, don't try to cover the full range of possible exam content except in the most cursory fashion.
What material should be the focus of your time and attention? The answer should be determined by two factors:
What subject matter gets most attention on the exam(s)?
What are your own weakest content areas?
Judging from the content outlines issued by ASWB, AMFTRB, and the California BBS, most of the exam relates to two broad content areas.
- Direct Practice with clients (psychotherapy, treatment planning, treatment)
- Assessment and Diagnosis
Examinations in California, Florida, Utah and Wisconsin also contain substantial information regarding state laws.
EXERCISE: To identify the content areas needing greatest attention, try this simple approach.
1. Look at the full listing of written exam content areas available from ASWB, AMFTRB, or the California BBS (you can find it by clicking on the LINKS button at the left margin of this page).
2. Spend a few hours in a psychology, counseling or social work library, a general university library, or with your own textbooks from your masters degree program and look for books related to these broad content areas.
3. Next, look through each book's Table of Contents to see what is included. What looks most familiar and least familiar? Then look through the Index for an even more detailed listing of key concepts. Again, what looks most and least familiar?
You can also test your relative strengths and weaknesses by taking Practice Examinations, available through BTA and several other exam preparation services.
When you score the Practice Examinations pay special attention to your relative strengths and weaknesses in the exam's various content areas. BTA's SkillMaster Practice Examinations (on computer disc) will do this for you automatically, but even our printed version of the exam has a check list that allows you to sort your scores into the various exam content areas. In this way you can clearly identify your strongest and weakest areas.
* Learn to relax.
Most people focus their energy on reviewing exam content, and such sublimation is a good way to contain anxiety. But if you find that you are experiencing exceptional anxiety about the exam you ought to consider special techniques for overcoming the problem.
Some people learn simple but systematic relaxation techniques, perhaps involving deep breathing, imagery, the AA "Serenity Prayer", or personal affirmations. Practicing these just before or during study sessions will help you later when you'll want to use such techniques during the exam itself.
When exam anxiety does not respond to such simple techniques, many candidates have successfully used hypnosis. A few sessions with a qualified hypnotist can be very effective in building a sense of confidence and competence.
EXAM TAKING TIPS
The best strategies for taking the State written exams for licensure are virtually the same as those appearing in preparation handbooks for most multiple choice exams. These points may seem like common sense but they are worthy of your consideration.
* Avoid last minute cramming.
It only increases anxiety for most people. However, if you are absolutely sure that last minute cramming truly does reduce your anxiety, then by all means do it.
* Arrive at the test site early.
Be sure to have enough time to find the site and find parking. Some people say they like to "acclimatize" themselves to the general environment for fifteen minutes or a half hour before entering the testing room. Others say this just makes them more anxious. What has worked for you in prior exam situations?
* Pace yourself through the exam.
The Standard Written Exams used in California have 200 questions and four hours are allowed to complete them. The ASWB exams used in all other states have 170 questions and four hours are allowed to complete them. The California Clinical Vignette Exams have between 30 and 40 questions with an average of three minutes per question allowed to complete them.
If you want to leave some time at the end to go back and review difficult questions, pay attention to how much time you have for each set of 50 questions (or each set of 10 questions on California's Written Clinical Vignette Exam). The computer screen will provide you with information about time elapsed and/or time remaining.
Don't rush on the first few questions. See how long you naturally tend to take on each question. Will you need to "press" yourself beyond your natural pace? If so, how much? After you get a sense of this, you probably won't need to think about it too much more, but do notice how you are doing at the half-hour or hour marks to be sure you're still on target.
* Read the instructions carefully.
At BTA we have found that many exam candidates have a tendency to misread exam questions in a way that's unique to themselves. Some have difficulty with questions which state that all of the following are true except one...which one? Others have difficulty accepting the stated premise of a question if that premise is contrary to their personal values. Still others tend to ignore the agency setting presented in a question and, instead, answer the question based on what would be true in the specific agency where they work. Each exam candidate should become familiar with his or her own pattern of misreading questions. This can be done by taking practice examinations. Simply becoming aware of such tendencies usually goes a long way in overcoming them.
* Glance through several questions before you grapple with the first question.
Get a feel for the "lay of the land."
* Read the stem (the part of the question before the multiple choices) carefully.
Notice the key concepts. Look for "qualifiers" such as...
• "most"
• "not"
• "except"
• "best"
Very often more than one of the multiple choice answers could be seen as possibly correct, but if the stem is asking for the answer that is "best" or "most" correct, that's the one to look for.
* Read the multiple choices carefully.
Again, look for the key concepts and any qualifying words or phrases.
* First eliminate options that you know are incorrect.
Even if you don't clearly know the one right answer, this technique can leave you guessing between two choices instead of between four choices.
* Don't expect "trick" questions.
All questions are designed to be correctly answered by a person who knows the answer. None of the questions are written with the intention of confusing you.
* The pattern of the correct response options is left to chance.
Take each question on its own merits. Don't assume that if "A" was the correct answer twice in a row, it couldn't possibly be correct the third time. Similarly, just because "C" hasn't been the correct answer for the last ten questions, that doesn't mean it is any more likely than the others to be correct on the next question.
* If you're unsure of an answer, make a note of it and come back later.
The computer will allow you to mark a question that you want to return to later. As you answer subsequent questions you will be learning and recalling important information that may help you infer the answer for an earlier question. You will need to balance the use of this technique with how well you are able to pace yourself.
* Don't become distracted when other candidates leave before you.
How long you take has no bearing on your score. You're there for one purpose only, to make your best possible performance on the exam. Save the people- watching and self-flagellation (if you must) for later.
* If you still don't know the answer after coming back to a question you were unsure of earlier, guess.
There has been no penalty for guessing on the ASWB, AMFTRB, or California exams. Check your exam instructions to be sure that this policy has not changed.
* If these, or any other set of exam taking techniques seems too complicated or hard to understand, forget them.
Keep in mind that suggestions of this sort are only useful if they help to reduce anxiety and improve performance, not if they become anxiety arousing performance problems themselves.
© 2009 Berkeley Training Associates
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