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Have you ever felt well prepared for an exam only to get there and freeze? Well, this happens because getting ready to take a test requires more than just knowing the material, and this is especially true when talking about the electrical exam you have to pass to get your electrical license renewal. Besides knowing the Code, the concepts, and the calculations, you have to know how to take the exam the right way. You develop this skill with practice, and designing a strategy.

Here we give you 7 tips to help you develop a winning strategy to pass the electrical exam:

1.  Do not change your answers

It is a big temptation to change answers when you are checking them before handing back the test. Even if you’re not sure, most of the time your first choice is right. Change an answer only if you are certain it is incorrect.

2.  Review your work

Make sure you marked each answer in the right spot. You might mix the questions, or mark the test booklet correctly but not the answer sheet.

3.  Guess

If you’re running out of time and haven’t finished the questions, make a guess. Do not leave questions blank.

4.  Make sure you have all the supplies you need

Buy everything you will need several days in advance, and make a list. This is an example of a good list:

• 6 sharpened #2H pencils.

• 2 quiet, paperless calculators.

• 2 sets of extra batteries.

• All your reference material; they will tell you what you can and can’t use there.

• A bottle with something to drink.

• Fruit, nuts, candy, aspirin, etc.

5.  Loosen up

At least try to, because it is critical to your success. When you’re stressed you freeze and can’t think clearly. Ask yourself to relax, sit comfortably, and wear comfortable clothes.

6.  Round your numbers

Round all the numbers in your answers. Numbers under .5 round down, and numbers over .5 round up.

7.  Leave difficult questions for last

Answer first what comes easy to you and then go back and carefully analyze the questions you found difficult, because you will probably not have time to finish the exam if you linger on something you don’t understand.

This is what you should do:

• Start reading the questions and answer what you know. If you can’t answer it, move on; you will probably find the answer when looking up another answer in the book.

• Go through the questions again but take a bit longer – 60 seconds – on each question. If you can’t answer, move on.

• Check the questions you haven’t answered. If you still don’t know, guess. Do not leave them blank.

• Use the last 30 minutes to carefully copy your answers from the exam booklet to the answer key. Make sure you chose the right answer for each question. If you still have time left, try to find the answers for the questions you guessed.