Looking for tips on how to pass California real estate exam? You’ve come to the right place. Here at First Team we help prospective agents from the moment they consider a career in real estate until they’re settled in the right company as a practicing agent. Here are the best tips to help you not only survive your real estate exam, but pass with flying colors.
1. Answer what you know first and come back for the rest.
There will be two kinds of questions you encounter on the test that you can’t answer immediately. First, there will be questions you think you know but are not absolutely sure of and secondly, there are others that are very long and simply take time to figure out. The best strategy is to skip these types of questions and mark them so you can return to them later. Working through the exam this way ensures you won’t leave any simple questions that you know for certain unanswered.
When you’re finished going through the exam the first time, check back through to see how many questions you’ve answered. In most cases, it’s going to be more than 105 questions. What does that mean? It means you’ve already passed if you’ve gotten all of those correct!
2. Arrive Early.
You should get to the exam site at least one hour early and use the waiting time to study your outlines. Refreshing your memory right before the test is a great way to get in some last minute studying and help you feel ready the morning of. If you’re taking the exam in the morning in San Diego, consider staying overnight somewhere the night before to avoid traffic.
Arriving early will calm your nerves as well. If you hit traffic, if need to stop for gas, if you want to grab a cup of coffee before the exam there will be plenty of time for all of that. You don’t want to feel rushed and the best way to avoid that is by giving yourself that extra time.
3. Don’t Study The Night Before – Rest!
Cramming all night the night before your test will likely do you more harm than good. If your exam is in the morning, review your outline, then before you head out.
If you still have a couple of days or a week before your exam, diligently review your outline, the keywords, and highlights EVERY day until the exam. These are the things you need to keep in your short term or working memory.
4. Avoid Distractions.
Leave your cell in the car, have a family member or friend watch your kids, eat a full meal beforehand so you’re not hungry during the test. Making sure these little things are out of the way and taken care of will help you focus on the task at hand – passing your exam. Distractions on the day of will take your focus away from the test and that could negatively affect how you score. Simply taking the time to prepare for the test and making arrangements for the day of will help you be more relaxed and 100% focused on doing your best.
5. Don’t Rush.
Don’t worry about time management, it will be just fine. Three hours and fifteen minutes is more than enough time to get through 150 questions. Remember to read the questions carefully so you understand it and then read ALL four possible answers before answering the question.
Remember tip #1 as well, answer the questions you do know first and come back later for the others. Read every question thoroughly and completely and if you don’t know the answer, simply mark it for later and move on. If you rush, you might skip over some questions you didn’t realize were actually pretty simple.
6. Breathe!
Your brain will work much better with oxygen. Focusing on your breathing and keeping it steady will also calm your nerves and help you stay relaxed. Taking the time to steady your breathing will also help you avoid rushing.
7. Be Confident And Cool.
You’ve studied, you’re prepared, you’re intelligent, you got this. Having the confidence to pass the test is just as important as studying and learning the right test-taking strategies. Being confident and cool also incorporates all of the tips we’ve covered so far. When you’re cool and collected you won’t rush, you remember to breathe, you’ll be prepared by being on time and well-rested.
Confidence is key for anyone getting into the real estate business. Essentially you are an entrepreneur, in control of your own success. You have to believe you can do it and be willing to work hard to get what you want! So that’s it, you’re ready to take the California Real Estate exam and pass with flying colors!
