Study Tips to Ensure You Pass the PSI Exam on the First Try

I just recently passed my state real estate exam to get my Kentucky real estate license and I could not be happier. Though the process was tough, being on the other side I can say that it is well worth it. I took the course here at Perry Real Estate College. Today I am going to be sharing some of the helpful tips and tricks I used to help me pass the test on my first try.

Schedule Schedule Schedule

The first tip that helped me the most was having a schedule. The best way to create a schedule involves a couple of things. The first is to be realistic about how much time you can truly dedicate to the coursework. Most of us are very busy people with demanding lives. You do not want to stretch yourself too thin. Everybody learns in different ways in different time frames and only you can know these things about yourself.

The second thing is you must stick with the schedule. Once you have a realistic idea of how much time you can dedicate to the course, it is time to plan it out. For me, I did one module a week for 12 weeks and then took an additional two weeks after completing the course to review the materials altogether. It is very important you stick with your schedule because it is much harder to try and play catch up on the course. Plus, once you have a habit of not sticking to the schedule is hard to get back into it.

What to focus on

Now you have your schedule, and you are in the course but what do you do to learn the materials? For myself, this was a combination of different things. The first thing I did was make flashcards with new terminology for myself. Some of the information you may have heard before either while purchasing a home or just existing in the world. So, I found this very beneficial to have my own set of terminology specific to my needs.

The next thing I would recommend would be to take each module test a couple of times. Each module test has a large bank of questions to pull from, so you see a larger variety of questions. This really helps you see a larger variety of the different types of questions you may see on the actual state testing. Another helpful tip that is important to remember is to read ALL the additional information under the documents vault and the resources tab. These materials are typically different articles that relate to the materials in each module that unfortunately get overlooked.

Review

When you have finished the course, it’s time to review before the licensing exam. You will likely have a few weeks between completing the course and taking the licensing exam. It’s important to review at least some of the material every day to keep it fresh in your mind. 

How I did this step was simple. I would go back through the coursework and then retest myself over the material. Anything I did well on I would move on to the next module and thing that I struggled with I went back through my flashcards, note, and the coursework to see why I was struggling and then I would retest myself to make sure I had it down. Then after getting through all the modules for a second time, I went through and took the national and state practice exams. I took these several times until I was confident I could get above a 90% on each test. They contain comprehensive questions over the whole course and not just the different subsections. This was especially helpful in pulling all the information together in one place.

The final thing I did was take a Perry Prep+ Kentucky. This is a cram course of all the material included in the course. I did not go through the entire course though. I only used it as a tool to help me identify areas of struggle. The prep course has tests at the beginning of each section before any of the actual course materials, making it the perfect way to test what you already know.

The PSI Exam

The time has come to sit for your licensing exam, which is administered by PSI in the state of Kentucky at a local testing center. When you arrive at the testing center, they take your licensing photo and have you confirm all the information you had previously given them to schedule the exam. Then they will have you put all your belongings into a lock box, and they take you into the testing room.

At your testing computer, they have a small calculator, a sheet of paper, and a pen. The test is broken down into two sections: a national and a state portion. You will complete the national portion first and then the state portion. They give you two and a half hours to complete both portions. Once you pass, they give you a breakdown of your score and an application to fill out and send in along with a list of all required documentation. You and your broker would fill these items out together and send them in for approval to the real estate commission.

Conclusion

It is important to remember to create and stick to a schedule. Study, study, and then go ahead and study some more. Do not forget to review everything altogether before the state testing and to read all the required reading and take a prep course. You already now know what to expect at the testing center so there will not be any surprise there. And if you are nervous right before you walk in, remind yourself you have this in the bag and you are going to pass.  

This is a general walkthrough of some of the best practices for studying and preparing for state testing. If you stick with these helpful tips, you will pass the exam with flying colors! Let us know on our social media what studying tips you found to be the most helpful for you in passing your real estate exam and check out our blog about traits that make a successful real estate agent and a complete guide to getting your license in Kentucky. 

Meet Richard White! Richard is the person to go to whenever you have any questions about your course or the process of obtaining your real estate license.