There is just one more hurdle to overcome before you can practice as a licensed Occupational Therapist® (OTR®) or Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA®), and that is passing the NBCOT® exam. Read on. The information below will help you maximize your chances of passing.

The following process is recommended to boost your study efforts and ensure you get the most out of your exam prep.

Formulate a Study Schedule

It may seem like the best way to proceed is to try cramming for the exam to get it over and done, but this rarely works out. You must give yourself time to arm yourself with all the tools you need to conquer this exam. That is why developing a realistic, comprehensive study schedule that fits your daily life is beneficial. Your exam date should be determined by how much prep you will need. Taking an assessment test where you can get feedback on your strengths and weaknesses will help you formulate an effective study plan that reduces your overall study time and test anxiety.

You should also study your weakest areas first and work towards your strongest areas as you get closer to your exam. This will help you feel less overwhelmed and reduce test anxiety and overall study time. You should spend 70% of your study time focusing on your problem areas and 30% focusing on your stronger areas. The best way to figure out your strong and weak areas is to look at your overall assessment test results.

Break down your study material into manageable bite size pieces.

Once you start studying the topics that will be on the exam, you will start noticing that there will be certain topics that you will understand more quickly, and then there are those which you need help understanding and retaining. It is best to study one topic at a time and ensure you have mastered it before moving on to the next study topic. Focus on one or several topics at a time and master those topics before moving on to the next study topic. This will allow you to reduce your overall daily study time and decrease your chances of overwhelming yourself and developing brain fog. Remember, achieving excellent results is not determined by how long you study each day. It is determined by how efficiently you study.

Take advantage of your learning style

Every person has their way of studying for an exam. Some prefer studying using just one study guide, like a book, and others prefer multi-modal material such as videos, audio, and highlighted study charts. There isn’t just one approach when it comes to preparing for a test, but using study material that best suits the way you learn will make your studying more effective. Using your preferred learning style will not only lead to a better outcome on your exam but it will also help you feel more confident when the exam day comes.

Identify how well you retain the information by using timed exams

Timed exams simulate similar conditions to the actual exam and test your stamina and how well you understand the material under time pressure. Use these exams to determine how well you retained the information. This will help you better focus on which areas you still need to improve on in order to pass your exam.

Working with a Tutor to master the material

No matter how smart you are, you will come across complex topics that will be hard to grasp on your own. This is why obtaining help from a professional tutor with a proven track record is always beneficial and highly recommended. Experienced tutors possess the training and the experience to help you understand what you are struggling to grasp. With their help, you will better understand the topics that are problematic for you, and your studying will be more efficient.

Test your overall knowledge with a cumulative timed exam that simulates the actual exam.

Approximately a week before your actual exam, it is best to take a comprehensive timed exam to confirm your readiness for your actual exam. After analyzing your results, it is best to review the questions you answered incorrectly and understand the rationale behind the correct answer.

Get One Step Closer To Passing The NBCOT ® Exam With Our Help!

At Pass the OT, we offer effective study prep for the NBCOT® exam. We provide our students with comprehensive program includes over 2900 questions, timed/untimed questions with written and video rationales, 114 highlighted charts with text-to-speech feature, 60 hours of streamable audio/video content that can even be streamed anywhere, a 200-question/100-question timed assessment tests & comprehensive exam with a scoring review that includes a color-coded strengths/weakness analysis, a suggested study plan based on your assessment test, Live group one-hour tutoring sessions, 134 hrs. of prerecorded group calls on all the topics, Live chat VIP recommendations: understand study content better, choose the next best study step, set the proper test date, and select the most beneficial tutor/tutors, and optional one-hour private tutoring sessions at a $30 discount from the non-member price.

We also have fourteen dedicated professional tutors who are all licensed practitioners with extensive knowledge and a proven track record of helping our students accomplish their individual goals. We can guarantee that with our help, you will be able to pass.

Get in touch with us today, try our 5-day free trial, and learn more about our current classes and tutoring options.