Hi, Team. This is one of the most asked questions since I started teaching. It’s really hard for me to answer this, because a lot of it depends on the person asking. Since I don’t have the opportunity to get to know all of you on a personal level, let me offer up a kind of self-diagnostic test. Answer these to find out what you should study first.
1. If you already took the exam before, which part did you score the least at?
If you’re taking the Civil Service Exam again, there is a way for you to find your rating. This will show you which part of the test you need to work on. That’s where you should pay more attention to especially if you still have time to prepare. To find your rating, click here. Be ready with your personal information. Your examinee number would help, but you can also retrieve it using your complete name and the examination date.
2. Which particular question/s did you have a hard time with?
It’s impossible to remember all of the questions in the examination. The ones that stand out are usually the hardest. Which ones did you spend the most time on? Did you have a hard time recalling vocabulary words? Did the grammar questions leave you feeling unsure? Which questions forced you to just guess to save time? These are the things that you should study first. Gather as much information on those topics. Find sample questions of the same kind and practice solving them to build up speed.
3. Scan the official coverage of the exam. Which part made you say, “Uh-oh!”
Each examination is a little different than the others. They share most of the topics especially in Math and Language, but there are slight differences. Do your research and find the coverage for the exam you’re planning to take. Take this for example:
That’s the coverage for the Civil Service Exam. Which topics don’t sound too familiar? Which ones made your heart skip or speed up? If you’re a little anxious about them, that means you are not confident about your abilities to deal with those questions. Start studying those.
4. Try to get your hands on a practice test. Which parts did you score the lowest on? Which parts made you scratch your head?
This is important whether you already had experience taking the test or if this is your first one. There are a bunch of free resources circulating in the web. Just try to see if their sources are credible. It would also be best if they are paired with the Answer Key. You can also buy the ones that are available for sale. It’s important to gauge how well you possibly can do on the actual test before actually taking it.
That’s why when people started requesting that I write my own reviewers, I started with practice tests. All of them include an Answer Key as well as exclusive video explainers showing how you can get the correct answers. If you want to get your own copy of the reviewers that I made, send a message through my Facebook page by clicking here.
I also made a free short Math diagnostic exam if you cannot afford getting the full booklets. Click here to take the quiz and see which questions will give you a hard time.
5. Do you have any friends or workmates who took the test before? Ask them which topics challenged them the most?
Experience is the best teacher. That’s the same with aptitude exams. Go and ask people who have firsthand experience. The beauty of the Team Lyqa community rests in how willing everyone is to help others. If you aren’t part of Team Lyqa’s Facebook group, you can join by clicking here. You have thousands of teammates who are ready to help.
Here’s another bonus for you. I made a Study Outline which can help you plan your study time in advance. I discussed the importance of having one in this video as well as how you can get that free outline. Watch the video to get the password.
Download your Study Guide here!
Happy learning!