How to Create an RD Exam Study Schedule?
We all live our own unique lives and have different personal needs! A customized schedule is a crucial component of the studying process and one that will help ensure success. Creating a schedule to study for the RD exam may sound daunting but with these easy steps, you can create your own in no time! We HIGHLY recommend you create a realistic schedule to study for the RD exam as the 1st step of your studying journey.
A schedule will:
Be a great motivator to conquer this monster of an exam
Reduce stress and fear around forgetting to study certain materials
Hold you accountable for your studying
Help you keep track of your progress
With these 5 easy steps, you can create your own RD exam study schedule in no time:
1. Assess how much time you have to allocate to studying on a daily basis.
Are you a student who is still taking classes or completing your internship? Are you completing your bachelors or masters program? Capstone project or a thesis? Are you a parent taking care of not only yourself but also your family? Did you finish school and now have leisurely time to study? Your RD exam study schedule will be unique to YOU.
How much time can YOU put down as personal study time? Can you STICK to it? That’s what matters most, whether you can allocate 2 hours or 8 hours per day.
2. Pick a time slot in your day and keep it consistent.
We like this method because it takes away the guesswork of when and where. The consistency can motivate you to work towards your end goal: conquering the RD exam.
Studying at the same time every day can help enhance your ability to learn and memorize. In fact, we recommend picking a test time that corresponds with your study time because your brain will already be adapted to working during that time slot. For example, if you study/work best from 8-11 AM, pick that as your test time!
3. Decide how much time you will need to study before taking the exam, and pick a date!
This is once again very personal. Perhaps you feel very confident with the material already and only need 1 month to study. Maybe you only have enough time to study 2 hours a day and will need to study for 3 months. This is up to you!
We recommend that you try out some RD exam questions online to assess your knowledge first. Then, decide how long it will realistically take for you to feel ready for the exam. Once you’ve decided on a time frame (1-4 months), set your test date on Pearson Vue. This will pressure you to stick to your schedule as much as possible.
4. Create a calendar!
Google is truly a pal on this front and a great tool to create your calendar. Make sure to add in the study time and the material you selected to study. I like to work on this by domain (remember there are 4) and then sub-categories within each domain. For example:
Monday 10-12pm/3-5pm → Domain I
Watch lecture on Minerals and Vitamins
Understand their alternative names, food sources, functions and deficiencies
Complete worksheet
Let me be clear: DO NOT feel bad if your allocated time wasn’t enough for you to fully learn a concept. Some topics will click more easily than others, and schedules are adaptable. We recommend starting with material you find more challenging to give you more time to memorize. For example, if your weakness is food-service management, then make it your goal to learn it first. Remember to refresh them periodically to burn the concepts into your long-term memory bank.
5. If your schedule shifts for whatever reason, adapt your schedule and keep moving forward.
Life is a highway, and none of us know what is going to happen. This is normal and do not let changes stress you out. Like we stated before, try to be consistent with your schedule. But if it needs to change, make the shift and keep working towards your goal. It can be very easy to fall off the bandwagon and lose sight of what is happening especially with an exam as extensive as this. Organization will truly be your best key to success.
And that’s it!
Once your schedule is made, pat yourself on the back and take a well earned break (e.g. whether it be elevenses, luncheon, dinner or supper). This can be a bit of a process but we are very adamant that organizing a schedule can make or break an exam-studying experience. You will feel empowered, ready to move forward and try your best!
We hope this post will help you RD2BE’s and reduce your stress levels. Believe us, we passed the RD exam not long ago and we FEEL your pain. Email us at team@preptable.org if you have any questions! Best of luck!
