I just completed the Exercise online 8 week course and have been working with the Exercise CD. I scheduled my exam for the end of April. I will study until the day of the exam. Is there anything else I need to know about the exam?
I just completed the Exercise online 8 week course and have been working with the Exercise CD. I scheduled my exam for the end of April. I will study until the day of the exam. Is there anything else I need to know about the exam?
Hi,
Definitely practice the practice tests that came with the ACE package as well as the CD-ROM, especially the written simulation problem (they also have one at the ACE site which was great for extra practice). Also, I would recommend purchasing the 60 question practice test. What's great about that is that you can print out a PDF of the test that explains why the correct answer is correct and why the other 3 options are not. I spent a lot of time going over that printout.
Each day I would do about 5 questions from each of the relevant sections of the CD-ROM, and do several from the various printed tests as well. You may not need to do this, but it definitely gave me more confidence rather than only doing the CD-ROM because after a while you can just memorize those questions. I found the exam did have some tricky moments (especially the first 5 questions or so) and then things started looking more familiar. By the time I finished the exam I felt I had done pretty well and fortunately it worked out that way.
Still, there were a few curve balls here and there but that was not representative of the whole test, most of it was pretty straight forward and if you're well prepared you should do really well!
One specific thing about the exam that Nora (Tekva) mentioned, that helped me a lot, was the fact that when you get to the final section (the written simulation), you can't UNselect any options that you choose once you choose them. For the main part of the test you can change them at any time before you complete it, but not the final section.
It says it on the exam (if I remember correctly) but I was glad to know that in advance because I was pretty mentally drained by that point in the exam and might have missed that bit of information. :)
Oh, one other thing that I wish I had done, is on any questions that you might want to skip until later, you have the option of selecting to "mark" them. I didn't do this and it was tedious having to scroll through the questions I didn't answer right away.
For the most part I did do the test in order and give an answer but there were a few here and there that I passed on the first time through so that I could conserve mental energy.
A final thought that helped me a lot is that I actually brought some food in my car with me and ate just before I went in to take the test. I used all but 30 minutes of the alloted time to take the exam and I found I got pretty depleted (plus is was exactly a month from the day that I had cervical spine surgery so I was still trying to put weight back on which I lost).
I also brought some water and a nutrition bar which I figured I'd get to eat after the exam but lady at the testing site allowed me to bring them into the room with me (I was the only one taking the exam that day). I don't think this is typical, I was pretty lucky about that.
Before the final section of the test I actually ate that bar and closed my eyes to regroup. Plus being able to hydrate during the test helped me a lot.
Everyone is different with this sort of thing, but I tend to eat lots of small meals throughout the day (about every 2 hours or so) so a 3 1/2 hour period is a long time for me to go w/o eating. :)
Either way, if you are like me in terms of the eating thing, the least I'd recommend is probably having something nutritious to eat just beforehand and make sure you are well hydrated.
Best wishes and good luck,
Scott
-- Edited by Scott60 on Saturday 28th of March 2009 04:12:30 PM
Scott: Thank you so much for your quick response. I am finding that I am beginning to remember the answers on the CD ROM as well as the online Ace 60 question practice test. How many questions were on the written simulation portion? Did you take the online prep class from Exercise Etc?? Thanks again.
Scott: Thank you so much for your quick response. I am finding that I am beginning to remember the answers on the CD ROM as well as the online Ace 60 question practice test. How many questions were on the written simulation portion? Did you take the online prep class from Exercise Etc?? Thanks again.
Hi,
The written simulation is where you are given a scenario and you have to choose all the possible appropriate responses. Some would be considered "Clearly Indicated" (you get points for these) some "Neutral" (you don't get points but you don't lose any either), and there's "contraindicated" (you LOSE points). I think there was also just "indicated" (or something like that, it's amazing how much I don't remember about the exam since September :)).
Anyway, it's exactly like the one that should have come with your package (it should have come with a "marker", sort of like a highlighter which you use to go over the answer you choose and it'll tell you where it was "clearly indicated" or "contraindicated" etc.). If you don't have one you should be able to find a different one on the ACE site which you can practice with (it's a free thing). It's worth practicing it so that you'll get comfortable with that portion of the exam.
To me, it was the easier part of the exam for sure but I was still glad I prepared well for it because I had a definite comfort level with it by test time. I'm sure if someone was on the border between passing and not passing doing well on this portion could make a big difference.
I believe there were two written simulation questions, BUT they are several pages long. In other words, it gives you the scenario, then after you choose the first bunch of possible answers you go to another page which is related to the first and you select appropriate answers on that page and so on. It's easier to see than to describe :)
I never took any classes for the exam, but I spent about a year studying several hours a day, did an insane amount of flash cards and recorded all the flash cards to tapes (which I still use. I listen to a few minutes in my car each day to try to retain all the info, especially since I've been studying other things since the exam from CEC's and other stuff:)).
Take care,
Scott
-- Edited by Scott60 on Tuesday 31st of March 2009 04:20:21 PM
I just passed the test in March and found all of those tools you are using (Ex. Etc. Quizzes, pracitce tests, online course) very helpful. The thing that really solidified it fo rme was doing the ACE two Exam Review workshop. It just happened to be offered at a good time and at a close lcoation, so I went and did it. It was absolutely fabulous, and it was so great to be ale to ask questions and interact with an ACE intsructor live and in-person! AFter that course, I felt like I coudl take the test the next day and pass. They give you an exam review booklet which you fill out throughout the course which became my study bible! It is expensive, but it was so worth it for me! I guess I am just a bit old-fashioned - I learn best in an actual tradtional classroom, so this was right up my alley! Best of luck! You will do fine! I didn't find the exam too tough - just VERY long!!! an endurance test to be sure! I found the simulation part not bad, but I used every bit of the thirty minutes alloted to finish that part. There is a lot of chocies to sort through, and therefore a lot to read and compare, so I needed the time. Best of Luck! Susan
I just wanted to let you know I PASSED the Ace Personal Trainer Exam today. I was tougher that I thought, but your input was a tremendous help. Thank you!
