# Studying for my Masters.



## AKFEnergy (Dec 28, 2018)

...and useful tools I might not know about.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Take a local study course, they aren't cheap but they are worth it. They will know what is on the test, they are the best resource for this information.

The most important thing is to not lose focus on the fact that your goal in this is to pass the test to get the license, *not* to learn code.

I learn more about code _that I actually use_ in one day of browsing this forum than I did in the months of studying for the test. The test is a barrier for entry, nothing more. It's meant to be hard, which helps stop everyone from obtaining the license. The calculations are unrealistic, as is the time limit.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

When I took my test years ago, I took a class at our community college. NEC code class for exam preparation. Master and journeyman.
The class was not about how to be an electrician. The class was geared to help you pass the test. Nothing more.


Some things we learned were to never leave any question unanswered. Even if you have no idea the answer, guess. You got a 1 in 3 chance of getting it right. Gamblers would love those odds.

Move through the exam at the speed you will already have learned. If you don't know the answer, move on. You can come back later and guess if you have to.
So take practice exams timed. Our class did timed practice tests each Thursday night.

I took mine long ago and your test will not be in the same format. But I bet the old ideas still work today.


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

Check your state's test requirements.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

I took the Maryland test. at the time I wanted to learn the code inside and out, not just pass the test. So I forked out 1200 bucks and bought Mike Holt's test prep cds with the books and practice tests, studied for a year, and passed on the 1st try (only needed to get a 70 to pass). I highly recommend it, if you are really interested in learning the code.


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## AKFEnergy (Dec 28, 2018)

wildleg said:


> I took the Maryland test. at the time I wanted to learn the code inside and out, not just pass the test. So I forked out 1200 bucks and bought Mike Holt's test prep cds with the books and practice tests, studied for a year, and passed on the 1st try (only needed to get a 70 to pass). I highly recommend it, if you are really interested in learning the code.


I feel those positive vibes :wink:


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## zoltan (Mar 15, 2010)

HackWork said:


> Take a local study course, they aren't cheap but they are worth it. They will know what is on the test, they are the best resource for this information.
> 
> .


This^^^

Also, find out what materials they give you at the testing site. Like if they give you a copy of the ohm's law wheel, VD formula, and make you use their copy of the NEC. If you can bring your own code book Tom Henry makes a nice one with quick reference guides. 

I'd recommend also to go thru the test and do the code questions first and save the calcs for last. 

The index in the front of the NEC is a quick way to find the sections you're looking for.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

The local test prep classes are best. You want to know if there is material on there unrelated to code like business law for your area. Maybe things related to how the state electricians board is made up, etc. Math for calculations like transformers, motors, and service size calculations. Being able to navigate the code book rather than outright memorization. Knowing these things are great. As Hack says, passing the test first is better. Not to minimize the importance of knowledge, but taking and passing the test and knowledge are somewhat different goals.


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## Coppersmith (Aug 11, 2017)

I used Mike Holt's test prep and passed on the first try. I waited until I was laid off from a job. That was the last job I ever worked for anybody but myself. I studied full time for about three months.

If your test is open book like mine was then you only need to learn how to do the load calculations and how to find things in your reference material including the NEC. Generally, the answer to the question is an exact phrase from one of your reference books. Just find the phrase. If you know where to look, the answer is usually obvious. Get very familiar with the organization and contents of the NEC. Use the index to find key words. Highlight all the section titles with a marker. (I like yellow ).


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Coppersmith said:


> I used Mike Holt's test prep and passed on the first try. I waited until I was laid off from a job. That was the last job I ever worked for anybody but myself. I studied full time for about three months.
> 
> If your test is open book like mine was then you only need to learn how to do the load calculations and how to find things in your reference material including the NEC. Generally, the answer to the question is an exact phrase from one of your reference books. Just find the phrase. If you know where to look, the answer is usually obvious. Get very familiar with the organization and contents of the NEC. Use the index to find key words. Highlight all the section titles with a marker. (I like yellow ).


This is a good example of why you should take a local course.

All of this stuff about finding phrases in the "reference material" wouldn't work in my state and many others since you are only allowed to use the code book.

Also, a local study course will help you pass the test, the exact test. They know the questions and teach them. And they only take a few days, not full time for 3 months (wow). And they might cost a lot, but not much more (often less) than the Mike Holt study material. 

Remember, the Mike Holt material teaches code, NOT the test you are taking.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

HackWork said:


> Remember, the Mike Holt material teaches code, NOT the test you are taking.


To be fair, Mike Holt does in fact offer courses for the Florida exam since he is based there, as is Coppersmith.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MTW said:


> To be fair, Mike Holt does in fact offer courses for the Florida exam since he is based there, as is Coppersmith.


The OP isn’t. 

Plus, I doubt Mike Holt is paying people to take the test and give him the questions like the local study courses do. :biggrin:


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## Coppersmith (Aug 11, 2017)

HackWork said:


> And they only take a few days, not full time for 3 months (wow).


Must be your state's test is much easier than mine because three months full time is a very short time to prepare for it so yes "wow".

We actually have two tests: one business/legal related; and one technical related. IIRC, each is 100 questions. The questions are drawn from a pool of thousands of questions so the test is different each time and for each individual. It's open book. The questions are drawn from (IIRC) 17 reference books (a stack about two feet high). You are supposed to study all 17 before taking the test. I didn't study in detail the ones where I expected just one question to be drawn. But I did skim every reference.

You say these local test courses have employees take the test and get the questions and then they teach just the questions and answers. Am I understanding that correctly? Not only does that sound like cheating, but it also sounds like the resulting licensed contractors would not be very skilled in the code since they didn't learn very much to take the test. Sounds like your state is doing a major disservice to it's citizens.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Coppersmith said:


> Must be your state's test is much easier than mine because three months full time is a very short time to prepare for it so yes "wow".


 No, not at all. My state's test is actually very hard. But if you take a local study course you won't have to spend 500 hours studying for it.



> We actually have two tests: one business/legal related; and one technical related. IIRC, each is 100 questions.


 We have 3 tests. The NEC, business, and fire alarm.



> You say these local test courses have employees take the test and get the questions and then they teach just the questions and answers.


 Not employees as much as people getting some cash out of sight. It's no secret.



> Am I understanding that correctly? Not only does that sound like cheating, but it also sounds like the resulting licensed contractors would not be very skilled in the code since they didn't learn very much to take the test.


 This right here is the point that you simply are not understanding. This is a test, it is NOT to learn the code. They are two completely different things which I explained earlier. 

If I took the test again right now without studying again, I would definitely fail it. However, if you put me up against a youngin who just passed the test and gave us *real world scenarios* (what we actually do in electrical contracting), I bet I would beat him in knowing the code or finding it quickly.

The test is a barrier to entry. It does not make you a good electrician nor does it mean you have any idea what you are doing.


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

the one thing that was drilled into my head when I studied for the Maryland Masters

RTDQ ( Read The Damn Question ) I actually had a label made with the letters RTDQ on the front of my code book when I took the test

Most people DO NOT READ the entire sentence or phrase. Our minds have been trained to skim them. Your doing it and do not even know your doing it. It is very important to focus on reading every word in the questions !


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## AKFEnergy (Dec 28, 2018)

OK Ok, so how about this: 

Anyone have a good resource for answering code questions. I don't mind paying for them.


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## Recta Fire (Jan 19, 2019)

I’ve taken got my journeyman’s but this apply: buy the tabs! Page tabs for the code book work great to get you where you need to go quickly. Also helpful to me was the “loose leaf” or 3 ring binder. When you open the pages they stay open.


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## cwsims84 (Jan 21, 2012)

Completely depends on the state. My Colorado Masters compared to my Washington Administrators, and my Arkansas Masters were all completely different. Washington Administrators exam was the easiest code test of three but it had two other sections, major load calculations and the Washington administrative code, that were fairly difficult. I bought Tom Henry’s calculations book and studied the dog piss out of it for the Washington admin test. The other states required no studying other than code, grounding and motors seem to always be big parts of those tests.


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## sparkee13 (Aug 29, 2018)

Taking a prep class is a great idea, but do your homework - find out from people who've taken the class how it was. I took a prep class but felt it was just a waste of time and money...
As far as studying, I borrowed a book of practice questions from a coworker. I timed myself on the practice tests, and I also used flash cards - any question I got wrong I wrote down on a card, with the answer and article on the back. I did that for about a week, and I did just fine. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## AKFEnergy (Dec 28, 2018)

Would you happen to know what the name of the book is that has those test questions?


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Spend the money on the course. It's so much more efficient with your time.

The typical test prep course is going to lift your score 10% to 30% -- depending.

Some of the test questions used are so screwy that you'd never imagine them... ever.

These are the ones that the test prep boys will give you the answers to.

Studying the NEC Handbook or Codebook is absolutely no help for these questions.

You should think of them as 'ringers.' 

The test may well include exotic wire types that you'll never see in thirty-years of practice. (Ours did.)

The way the 'system' is set up, you just about have to use a test prep shop.

The entire affair is merely a hurdle. Passing it does not mean that you know your stuff.


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## sparkee13 (Aug 29, 2018)

AKFEnergy said:


> Would you happen to know what the name of the book is that has those test questions?


If I'm not mistaken there are a number of different ones out there. The one I used was actually from Dewalt. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

sparkee13 said:


> If I'm not mistaken there are a number of different ones out there. The one I used was actually from Dewalt.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


 Mike Holt has one also.
https://www.mikeholt.com/productite...rchtext=&product_type=Book&category_from=Book
https://mikeholt.com/documents/catalog/Catalog_Exam_Preparation.pdf


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