(Originally Published October 2017)

I've written in the past about how I'm working through the study materials, both online and textbook. I realized it was kind of a general approach, and that there were some additional, specific, tips I have for successful studying.

Just a caveat that I used Rockwell online for my clock hours. I don’t know whether all online clock hour courses have the supplemental materials I reference below.

Don’t Make Your Own Study Guide. As I worked through the first four lessons, I was copying and pasting information from the Rockwell slides into a Word document and making my own study guide. But I stopped for a couple of reasons. One is that I noticed that I was having to refer to my study guide for answers quiz questions. I wasn't retaining much of the information. Second, my textbooks arrived. So, I knew I could refer to printed materials for review time that way. And finally, Rebecca told me about the "Cram" course on Rockwell. It's part of the test prep and sample exam feature and it walks you through the crucial concepts. So, I essentially had an electronic study guide at my fingertips. In the end I did just as well, or better, on the quizzes when I didn't have the study guide to refer to than when I did.

Teach it to Someone Else. I found that having to explain concepts or terms to someone else, helped cement those things into my memory. And the people I "taught" weren't aspiring real estate agents. They were my mom, or my best friend or my brother--anyone I could get to sit still and listen to me.

Take Breaks. I'd limit the number of hours you devote to studying at one sitting. I set mine at 1 hour before I took a break to rest my eyes, get up and walk around, breathe some fresh air.

Get Some Context. I work part-time for Rebecca in her real estate office, and I do some work for her from home. The time I spend doing those things and talking to Rebecca about some element of her business, have given me context for the things I'm learning about as I study. If you don't work for a real estate agent, maybe there are ways you can get a similar experience. Chances are someone you know, knows an agent. Could you call them and ask some questions? Or do an inventory of your skills. Are you a great writer? If so, maybe a local agent would love some help with content for their website, or writing a blog, or managing social media. Offer your help for free a couple of hours per week in exchange for getting some experience in the industry. There are legal limitations on the kinds of activities you're allowed to do without a real estate license though. So, make sure whatever you propose or whatever they suggest, complies with applicable laws.

Pay Attention to Your Study Space. Give yourself the gift of a comfortable space that's conducive to studying. Make sure you have enough light to see properly. Get yourself a comfortable chair and a desk with enough space for your computer, notebook and whatever else you need close at hand. Have some water nearby, turn your phone off (or switch it to silent).

Conduct Periodic Reviews. I didn't wait until I finished working through all of the material before reviewing it. After completing 2 or 3 lessons, I'd look through those slides again and make sure I could pass the lesson quizzes. It reinforced the material and didn't take much extra time.

Take ALL of the Pop Quizzes. I took every single pop quiz in Rockwell. And because I did, I spotted the areas where I missed little details that made huge differences in my understanding of the concepts. When I got a question wrong, I made sure I understood where my thinking went off track, so that I could pass the final lesson quizzes. I learned that reading the questions is really important. One word can change the whole meaning, so you have to pay attention to what the question is actually asking. The quizzes also helped me get comfortable with how the exam questions would be structured.

Get Out. I used to do this when I worked full-time in an office and noticed fatigue and/or lack of focus setting in. Go outside for 5 minutes and stand on your deck, walk around the neighborhood. Breathe in fresh air. Get your eyes away from the computer screen. It makes all the difference when you come back. You need a variety of sensory stimulation in order for your brain to work properly and for you to feel your best.

Prioritize Sleep. This is good advice for all of life, but is especially true when you're trying to learn something new and/or when you're preparing for a big test. There is also some evidence that if you study for a few minutes before you go to sleep, your brain will retain that information better than if you'd studied it that morning. If you are going to try that, I'd recommend studying from your textbook or other notes rather than online. Screen time before bed is associated with a difficulty falling asleep and more restless sleep. I'd also recommend doing your reading somewhere other than bed. Read in the awesome study space you set up for yourself for a few minutes, and then hit the hay.

Take the Sample Exams. Take as many as you can. If you're going to fail or get something wrong, you'd rather do that on a practice exam than on the real deal. The practice exams often have the very questions you'll see on the real exam, or at least questions that are close enough that acing them will leave you in good shape for the big day. Also, I found that the more practice exams I did, the less anxious I got about the exam experience in general.

There you have it. The 10 or so studying rules I lived by. Feel free to share your tips or questions below!