CEBS News

“I know there are a lot of thoughts on what that ‘one’ thing is that will help you pass the test!  While I can’t offer you the silver bullet, I’ll share what made me successful with every exam that I took.  First, be kind to yourself.  Celebrate the fact that you’re looking to stand out!  You’ve just tackled a lot of material and what you’ve learned during the many hours of preparation.  Second, literally picture yourself getting the pass notification on the exam.  It doesn’t matter if it’s your first exam or your last one—Capture and remember the smile that’s on your face and everything you’ve accomplished!”

Linda Bielski, CEBS, Executive Director CEBS/ISCEBS,
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

“I learn best by note-taking. Not only does note-taking make me think about and rephrase things in a way that makes more sense to me, but also the physical act of writing something seems to reinforce the concept and engrain it in my brain. So, I took notes in the margins of my Study Guide. When I was done with the entire course, I typed all those handwritten notes into a document. This gave me further reinforcement of concepts, and then I had a shorter study aid.

I also found the Online Study Groups very helpful. Access to the instructors notes, quizzes and flash cards were incredibly helpful. In many cases, the instructors explained the concepts in ways that stuck in my brain and helped me understand better than the textbook for the course.

Finally, ALWAYS take the practice exam! It will point you to the items you need to study up on more when you’re prepping for the test.”

Amanda Gilszmer, CEBS, Sr. Video Editor Producer,
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

“• Be overly detailed in your study plan (e.g., cover one module per week). Vague goals make for poor results.

• Use multiple study avenues to reinforce concepts (create flash cards and Word documents, view the digital study guide, etc.)

• Create flash cards with basic terminology. Then you can cover those topics when completing other daily tasks.

• Break study time into small chunks. Instead of cramming for hours over the weekend, add an hour of study time to each workday.”

Justin Held, CEBS, Associate Director, Research and Education,
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

“When I made flash cards, on the front I’d write a question and on the back, I’d write the answer. On the front, I’d also note the chapter/section, so it was easier to re-read information.

I also found it helped me to read out loud. Sometimes my husband would help me study. When I took the test, I could imagine him asking me questions and telling me the answer. Other times, I’d read the textbook out loud to myself. After my youngest was born, I would read to her while we snuggled. It helped put her to sleep and help mom finish up U.S. GBA/RPA 3!”

Jen Mathe, CEBS, Director of Member Services, ISCEBS

“My best study tip is to create flash cards of the Learning Objectives and Key Terms within each Learning Objective for each module of the Study Guide. 

I would go through the stack of flash cards, and if I felt that I could say all that I needed to about a topic, I would put the card in a ‘done’ pile. A week or so prior to the exam, I would review all of them and pull any flash cards I was really struggling with to spend extra time studying the content on the last few days leading up to the exam.”

Laura Scholz, CEBS, Manager, Continuing Education,
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans 

“My first tip is, the list of Key Terms in each module of the Study Guide is your vocab test from high school. Write out the definition of each term in your own words, and if you have an example of it from your own experience, noting that can help, too. Focusing on the Key Terms was a big part of my success, especially for course content that I had little to no practical experience with.

My second tip is believing that you can do this! Be confident and reward yourself along the way!”

Erika Turner, CEBS, Director Professional Development,
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

“My study tip is to use the Outline of Knowledge to create flash cards you can use to study. I find that creating flash cards is almost as beneficial as using them leading up to the exam. Also, remember to use the practice exam to prep for the real thing! It’s a great way to get you ready for the exam experience.”

Carey Wooton, CEBS, Director, Educational Program Development, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans