# Failing the test...



## Greg (Aug 1, 2007)

Where in Fl are you? Relax and don't stress about the test. Is it for the masters or journeyman?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Keep in mind they are _test questions_... not _real life situations_. Remember MINIMIMUM. And there will be lots of smoke screens (like _custom home_ instead of _dwelling_).

The test is designed to make you fail. Once you pass, you are no longer a potential customer, so they want you to fail and keep coming back.

Go back and look at each answer you put down. Is it the one you wanted to put down? Did you answer it at all, or did you skip it intending to come back to it?

If time is running out, just take a shot in the dark. In multiple choice, you've got a 25% shot just with a random guess. You may be able to immediately discard one or even two of the choices, so now you're up to a 50-50 chance of getting it right. And a correct guess counts the same as a correct answer.

Take the total time alloted for the test. If it's a 2-hour portion of the test, take all 2 hours. Even if you finish it in 1½, go back and double-check your work. I said double-check, not second guess.


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## rinburevolution (Jun 30, 2008)

Journeyman's test, Brevard county.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

Here's how I take any kind of test;

1) Go through and answer all the questions that I absolutely know. Skip the ones I am not completely sure of. Now, i figure my score. At this point, it's usually around 30-50%. 

2) Usually, some of the questions will involve a fairly simple look-up. These are next. I figure I'll miss one or two of these, then I'll figure my score again. 

3) Next, some questions will involve math of some sort. If it's fairly simple, I'll do these. I also figure I'll miss one or two. I figure my score again.

At this point I'm likely sitting at 70% or so. If there's quite a few left, and I just take a wild guess at them, I can probably gain another 5 points. If I'm not comfortable guessing, then I'll go back and do the ones that require a bit more look-up or math. 

I've found that if I keep track of my score, and see it going up each time, it makes me less nervous, and I can concentrate more on the tougher questions. 

I used this method when I took the City Of Reno journeymans test years ago, we were given 2 hours, I got done in about 1/2 hour, they wouldn't tell me my score, only that I passed. Same with the Union test. All my pilots tests were done the same way, I usually got 80's to 90's on those. 

The key is to relax, seeing progress helps a lot. Keep on keeping on, and eventually you'll get there.

Rob


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## Billy_Bob (Aug 25, 2008)

The following link is a search of google.com for the words (including quotes)...

2008 nec "wiring and protection"

http://www.google.com/search?q=2008+nec+"wiring+and+protection"&btnG=Search&hl=en&sa=2

The next link below is a search of google.com for the words (including quotes)...

2008 nec "Equipment for General use"

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=2008+nec+"Equipment+for+General+use"&btnG=Search


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

micromind said:


> Here's how I take any kind of test;
> 
> 1) Go through and answer all the questions that I absolutely know. Skip the ones I am not completely sure of. Now, i figure my score. At this point, it's usually around 30-50%.
> 
> ...


2) Then I try and muscle through the rest.

Have you taken a review course?
Have you taken code classes?
Do you have study material?
Do you have practice test?
Study?

And keep at it till you pass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Billy_Bob (Aug 25, 2008)

Something which has helped me to learn something new is to learn the "words" or "terminology". This is a BIG help toward understanding what they are talking about!

So say the text book says something about a "zoozoozolt" (not a real word), well I will look up that word and learn all about it. Then the next time I see that word, "click"!

I used to have to go to the library to do this. But these days we have the handy-dandy internet, so much easier now.

Another thing is learning from a book. Someone once told me to first go through and look at all the pictures - read the captions. Then read the front of the book and the back of the book including the glossary. Then begin reading the book from page 1 on. Take notes of important stuff.

That is a good one. Taking notes of stuff. Writing things down on paper helps me to remember things better. And you know how I know this? Because when I was in grade school and getting a lot of failing grades, I was also misbehaving. One teacher made me write out the chapter summaries each time I misbehaved!  Well I got an "A" in that class because I wrote out EVERY chapter summary..... (Bad kid...)


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## patrick35205 (Jul 12, 2008)

I have never tried the Tom Henry material. My company had a test prep class that used the Mike Holt system. From what I am told the Mike Holt is much truer to the test. What helped me was taking practice tests, and a lot of them. I would time myself to see how I was fairing. By the end of our classes I was not concerned at all with the time factor. The tests also taught me how to quickly identify the keyword(s) and by the time of the test I knew about where most of the sections I wanted were. I aslo did as micromind suggested by only answering the ones I knew on the first pass. These questions I answered I marked to look up at the end of the test, time permitting. I still looked up every question, I had discovered during our classes that some things I had been taught as code by others coming up were wrong. I also skipped every question relating to osha till last so that I did not have to try to have two books working at the same time. I ended up missing one question on the test. Good luck.


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## Rong (Feb 23, 2008)

RELAX you DO know the answers I am sure. Read the questions carefully they will add alot of stuff that really has no value in the question. Break it down to what they really are asking. I myself used Tom Henry but if I had to do it again I think I would try Mike Holts study guides. 

I passed the block test the first time. I was amazed that I did. Halfway trough it I bout threw everything on the table and walked out. I was stressed to the max. I had been in the trade 24 yrs before I took it in '95. 

Good luck and dont give up.:icon_wink:


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## TheRick (Apr 13, 2008)

rinburevolution said:


> So it seems like I have been trying way too long to pass this thing, in my area it's administered by Prometric, open book, and a 75% required to pass. So far, I have panicked twice and failed horribly, came within a question or two the other three times.
> Rinbu


 
Keep taking the practice tests, and work on just finding the code references. If it is an open book test you need to get profecient at finding things in the book, use tabs if allowed, and RELAX. In order to succeed at taking a test you need to go in with the attitude that you are going to kick it's A**, nerves have shot down many that knew the subject matter but just "froze-up" at test time. When I took my Journeyman's test I barely passed with 76%. But when I returned to take my Master's test with more experience, and more importantly *CONFIDENCE,* I almost aced it with a 96% score.

Just relax, and think positive and you will do just fine:thumbsup:

GOOD LUCK


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## TheElectricalGuru (Jan 16, 2007)

RinBu,

I suggest getting Mike Holts Exam Prep Book and DVD....watch it, pause it, watch it again and you should have no problems.

The biggest problem I see with students is they panic and forget basic code articles and sections...like they all of a sudden draw a blank on the locations.

Make sure you code book is tabbed out properly, learn to use the index and contents portions well and most of all RELAX.....do not over think the question and eleminate the obvious......you will pass it.......NEVER give up !!!


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## rinburevolution (Jun 30, 2008)

I am seriously questioning my decision to have taken the Tom Henry material after being reccommended the Holt's guides so much here. I was rather ignorant, though, that there were forums available where other electricians chatted like this.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

rinburevolution said:


> I am seriously questioning my decision to have taken the Tom Henry material after being reccommended the Holt's guides so much here. I was rather ignorant, though, that there were forums available where other electricians chatted like this.


There was no Mike Holt material when I got 7 different masters and Tom did more that fine for me.

Both have excellent material.


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