How to Prepare for Your ExamPreparing for Your Advancement Exam

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There is no quick or easy way to prepare for an advancementexam. It takes work, and you cannot wait until the last minute.Many E-3s have approached their first exam with littlepreparation. When they started answering questions, theyrealized they were not properly prepared for the examination.

The best way to prepare for your exam is to Start Early! Getyour BIB, develop a study plan, form a study group, and startstudying. Go to the NKO homepage https://www.nko.navy.miland click on "Launch Navy E-Learning" to register for coursesthat pertain to your rating. Know your rating!

How to Prepare for Your ExamAre You Eligible to Take Your Exam?

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Prior to taking an advancement exam, you must meet all eligibilityrequirements for the next higher rate. You must have met your servicein paygrade (SIPG) requirement and have the promotionrecommendation of your commanding officer (CO). Check box 45 onyour Evaluation Report to see if you have your CO’s recommendationfor promotion.

Check the SIPG table to ensure you meet the SIPG requirement. The *denotes a 1-year SIPG waiver for E-6 and E-7 candidates who havebeen recommended by their CO for early advancement on their lastperiodic evaluation (EVAL). Working hard and doing your job 'by thebook' can help you advance ahead of schedule.

Certain ratings and rates have additional mandatory requirements suchas performance tests, leadership continuums, and warfarequalifications. Check with your division Chief Petty Officer (CPO),Command Career Counselor (CCC), or your Educational ServicesOfficer (ESO) to see if you need to meet any additional mandatoryrequirements prior to taking your exam.

Service in Paygrade (SIPG)Requirements

Paygrade Service in PaygradeE-1 to E-2 9 monthsE-2 to E-3 9 monthsE-3 to E-4 6 monthsE-4 to E-5 12 monthsE-5 to E-6 36 months *E-6 to E-7 36 months *E-7 to E-8 36 monthsE-8 to E-9 36 months

How to Prepare for Your ExamGathering Your Study Materials

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After you are sure you meet eligibility requirements to take youradvancement exam, you need to obtain your current Bibliography(BIB) for your rating community and paygrade. To get you started onthe road to advancement:

Download your current BIB from My Rating or from the NavyAdvancement Center(https://wwwa.nko.navy.mil/portal/navyadvancementcenter).Locate the Occupational and Professional Military Knowledge(PMK) references for your paygrade.Check with your Command Career Counselor or EducationalServices Officer if you have trouble locating any of yourreferences.Log on to Navy Knowledge Online (NKO)

How to Prepare for Your ExamDeveloping a Study Plan

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After you obtain your BIB and references, you can use them to develop and focus your study plan. Since your BIBcomes out six months before your advancement exam, you need to develop a five- to six-month study plan. Thesuggestions below will help you develop a plan that is right for you:

Review all required references on the BIB for your exam to set your timeframe for study.Check your BIB date to ensure you have the BIB for the exam you will be taking.Review your BIB carefully.Determine which chapters in each reference were used to create your exam questions. You do not want tostudy too much or too little.

Develop a written study schedule with enough time to cover all references.Include self-study and group-study time in your plan.Develop a group-study schedule with your study group.

Remember, you are the one who is responsible for developing a study plan that will work for you.

How to Prepare for Your ExamTips for Successful Study

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Once you have developed your study plan, you must stick to it as closely as possible. There will be times when yourjob and duties will interfere with your schedule. But, you should get back on schedule as soon as you can because youdeveloped your schedule and study plan based on the amount of material you need to study prior to taking your exam.Follow these tips to help improve your study habits:

Start studying as soon as the BIB for your rating is posted.Follow your study plan.Use a planned approach to self-study.Form a study group with shipmates in your rating.Be proactive.

Attend command-sponsored training classes such as:Warfare qualificationsDamage controlRating-specific Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS)

Ask questions when you don’t understand something.Get a mentor.

Do your job ‘by the book’.Review manuals and instructions.Make sure you are doing your tasks correctly.

How to Prepare for Your ExamTips for Successful Self-Study

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Everyone has different study habits, and only you know how youstudy best. If you have had difficulty studying on your own inthe past, here are some tips you can use to make your studysessions more productive.

Start each study session with a review of information youstudied in your last session.Study in 15 min – 1 hr sessions rather than long marathon-type sessions.Break information into manageable chunks to study.Do not try to read a reference from cover to cover.

How to Prepare for Your ExamStudying Unfamiliar BIB References

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Some of the references you find on your BIB may be new to you. One strategy that will make your study of theseunfamiliar references more effective is the three-phase process:

PreviewReadReview

How to Prepare for Your ExamPreviewing BIB References

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When you go to the movies, you always see short clips, or previews, of new movies that will appear in your theatersoon. These previews give you an idea of what you will see in those movies. When you preview a chapter in a bookbefore you read it, it helps your mind focus and prepare for what you are going to read. Before reading a chapter in oneof your references, follow the previewing procedure in this table.

Step Action1 Preview the chapter by reading just the title, headings, and subheadings.2 Examine any pictures, diagrams, tables, or graphs.

3 Read the introductory and concluding paragraphs and the summary, ifone is included.

4 Turn each title, heading, and subheading into a question about thematerial you will be reading.

How to Prepare for Your ExamReading BIB References

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After you have previewed the chapter, follow this stepped approach to reading so you will become an active, involvedlearner.

Step Action

1 Read the information and try to answer each question that youdeveloped in the preview phase.

2 Focus on underlined, italicized, or bold words.

3 Underline or highlight important information in your reference, ifpossible.

4 Make notes about the text in your own words.5 Reread sections that contain difficult or confusing information.6 Write down any questions about information you do not understand.7 Ask for help when information is confusing or difficult.

How to Prepare for Your ExamReviewing BIB References

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After you read each section in your chapter, you need to review what you have read before tackling any new material.Then, after you have completed the entire chapter, you need to stop for a chapter review. Follow the steps in the tablebelow to help you review and remember new information.

Step Action1 Review what you have read at the end of each section in the chapter.

2

Recall the questions you developed and see if you can answer them frommemory. If you can’t answer a question, look back and find the answer.Do not go to another section until you can answer each questionfrom memory.

3 Try to anticipate additional questions from the material that mightappear on an exam.

4 Make flashcards from your notes to help you study.

5 Review all questions you created for the chapter. Do not go to anotherchapter until you can answer each question from memory.

How to Prepare for Your ExamDeveloping Flashcards for Study

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Flashcards are a great way to review vocabulary and specificfacts. You can stick them in your pocket and study them on yourown or with a shipmate when you have a few minutes of freetime. Follow these tips when creating flashcards:

Create one card for each fact or definition you need tolearn.Put the question or vocabulary word on one side and theanswer on the back.Study the cards in order.Quiz yourself by reading and answering each card.Flip the card to check your answer.Put the cards you answered correctly in a stack.Put the cards you answered incorrectly in another stack.Review the ‘don’t know’ stack and test yourself again.Continue this process until you know all the answers.

How to Prepare for Your ExamStudying with Your Shipmates

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Often it is helpful to study with other shipmates from your ratingcommunity and paygrade. Together you can help each other stayon task and focused on your upcoming exam. Follow these tipswhen studying with your shipmates:

Review flashcards you and your shipmates havedeveloped.Divide information and have group members teachsections from your BIB.Make it fun! Use a game style format to study information.Ask the experts! Your supervisors want to help youadvance.Ask your LPO or LCPO to work with your study groupwhen you encounter difficulties.Start each study session with a review of information youstudied in your last session.

How to Prepare for Your ExamOn-the-Job Training (OJT)

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On-the-job training (OJT) is one of the best ways to preparefor your advancement exam. Hands-on training reinforces theinformation you have learned from your BIB references andstudy sessions.

If you can operate it, then you can answer questions about itsoperation. If you can bake it, you can answer questions aboutbaking.

Ask your LPO or LCPO to assist you with this real-lifetraining.

How to Prepare for Your ExamVerifying Your Worksheet

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Prior to exam day you will go to your Educational Services Officer (ESO) and/or your Personnel Support Detachment(PSD) to review your Advancement-in-Rate or Change of Rating Worksheet. It is extremely important that all theinformation on your Worksheet is correct. It is your responsibility to verify the accuracy of this information. Afterreviewing the information on your Worksheet, you will sign it verifying that it is correct. On exam day, you willreceive a computer-generated Worksheet, and you will transfer some of the information on this Worksheet to yourexam answer sheet.

To view or print a copy of a sample Advancement-in-Rate or Change of Rating Worksheet, click on the Form iconbelow.