Must see advice for provisionals sitting the Australian National Psychology exam (for the 4+2/5+1)
If you're sitting the National Psychology Exam soon, you're likely stressed, feeling overworked and perhaps quite worried about failing. This is a very common experience for even the most prepared provisional psychologists. That may not be so comforting sure, but please be assured, there are lots of support options available to you.
Best to start here on the AHPRA site but there lots of other hints and tips below which may help:
https://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/registration/national-psychology-exam.aspx
1) The most important advice we can suggest is the importance of going into an exam centre to sit the exam (as opposed to doing it at home). There are countless horror stories of provisionals having the technology fail mid way through the assessment when completing the NPE at home. Don't risk it. If AHPRA doesn't run any assessments for you locally, perhaps an interstate 'holiday' can be timed for when you have an exam.
2) Join an NPE course or study group. There are lots of options around. We run a comprehensive multi-week peer group program here:
This is available to access live or by accessing the recordings. Check out the NPE page on our website for the next start date: http://psychologysquared.com.au/products-for-provisional-psychologists
3) It is super helpful to get some practice with practice exam questions. Practice exam questions are fantastic because they can help you become more comfortable with thought provoking questions. Plus, it gives you a heads-up on what topics you may need to brush up on. You also get practice in working under pressure and seeing how quickly you can answer the questions, and then manage your time accordingly. If it's been a while since you've sat exams, these practice questions can be invaluable in helping you adjust.
Amanda Moses has produced some awesome questions:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083218767761
Psychology Squared also has Practice quizzes (2 are up at the time of writing but further to come soon) on Kahoot! which are online and practicable with a 2 minute limit per question. Challenge your friends. Details here: http://psychologysquared.com.au/products-for-provisional-psychologists
4) Social media groups. Check out Facebook pages for the National Exam, for example the National Psychology Exam Australia Support page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1422558734468549
5) Use tools to help with finding Exam resources.
On the National Exam Australia Support page on Facebook, a Google Sheets page offers easy links to the Reading list. Also, the Psychology Squared Book Finder has a direct link to all the NPE books and it's free :)
http://psychologysquared.com.au/products-for-provisional-psychologists/npe-book-finder
5) Plan your learning needs
Have a look at the reading list to decide what you need to prioritise. Identify the key topics that you need to focus on and use a range of techniques to learn them (e.g. use diagrams, make notes, test yourself-as above).
6) Give yourself enough time
Allow plenty of time for studying and practice questions. This is a critical success factor in passing the National Exam, so make sure to build in plenty of time for revision.
7) Seek individual help
If the group supervision mentioned above is insufficient, then consider seeking an experienced Supervisor for individual supervision on the NPE.
8) Get plenty of rest
This is another important factor in passing the National Exam. Make sure to take breaks from studying and get enough sleep each night.
9) Remove distractions
Create a study environment that is free from electronic devices, TV and noise. You need to be able to concentrate when studying for the National Exam.
10) Believe in yourself
It's easy to feel overwhelmed when studying for the National Exam, but try to focus on the positives and don't forget to believe in yourself.
11) Finally, make sure you are familiar with the exam instructions before you begin your examination.
You don't want to waste precious time on the day of the exam reading through the instructions!
Have a great night's sleep the night before your exam and get to the exam centre early.
Good luck and best wishes