It’s hard to believe but today it’s been one year since I took and passed the state exam. Although I had to wait a few days to get my results I pretty much knew I had passed. My advice to anyone taking the exam is to prepare yourself until you are confident that you can pass. In CA we can pass with 70% (105 out of 150 questions) so I think that with good preparation it is very doable. If you don’t pass the first time you can always retake it but then you have to pay the fees again (and in L.A. the $14 parking fee!).

On the morning I took my exam there might have been about 50 of us taking it at the same time. I remember one of the examinees was still studying when we were lined up waiting for the elevator to go up to the exam room. Then she said something to the effect that she was still confused as to what a trust deed was. Once in the exam room we were explicitly told what items we could have on the desk and what items we could not. We were also told how and where to write our names, etc on the bubble-in form and amazingly there were people who just did not get it! The time allotted for us to finish the exam was 3 hours. The room was almost empty when there were still 45 minutes left. I was wondering if they aced it or simply gave up. I had to admit that I began feeling self-conscious as people were leaving and I still remained. But I could not leave without checking, double checking, and then checking again. In the last five minutes of the exam there were only two of us left.

This year I want to make the leap into the business. I will have to go part time because I am not financially ready to leave my job and go in full time. It is so hard to save $. I know there are mixed opinions out there on whether it is smart or not to go part time but in the end it is a personal decision and I am eager to begin. I’ll keep you guys posted. Thanks for the advice!

Dewdrops, half of that year is now up. How is it going for you?

wow, thank you MovingCareers for those great site.

Once I pass the exam, KW is the company I will be working with.

Monica
Baton Rouge, La

in Texas they are done on a computer...i just took it about a month ago so things are still fresh. Let me know if you have any other questions.

good luck on the exam!

I would get this Real estat trainers cd program...and also take a crash course the weekend before :) GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for sharing your experience! For those just now happening upon this thread, you can watch this video to know what to expect on test day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjlJbm_BQuo&feature=related

They should give you a few things, but I would take the essentials with you just to be on the safe side. On another note, these tests are not very straightforward; make sure to read over the questions to make sure you understand.

The exam is just an exam and as long you as you studied you should have done well. Good luck in real estate - the exam is only one of many hurdles!

why not try enrolling to California real estate exam preps to better prepare for your examination.

Most of the questions on this exam preps mimic the same questions found on the actual state exams. I already tried using such services and it help me pass my exam on the first try

I know you didn't ask this question, but I've gotten my real estate License twice. Both times I took the Real Estate Exam Prep course, and both times I aced the test. I highly recommend you take the course..

Good luck! :)

This are the tips that I follow whenever I take an exam, it always help me with my exam and hopefully it can also help others who will be taking any kind of exam :

1.Read carefully. Don’t miss out on words like not, except, always, never, least, and most. These words change everything!

2.Read the answer choices carefully. The first obvious answer may be correct, but may not get you a point.

3.Some answer choices may contain an element of truth, but may not get you a point. Some questions call for the best answer.

4. Do not spend too much time on a question if you do not know the answer, skip that question and move on to the next question, just come back to the question when you have answered all other questions.

Take your time with the test. Both in the agent and broker test i was the last to leave. Not that I was unsure of my answers but i blazed trough most questions and the ones I was unsure of I made a note to go back and re-read to make sure I answered correctly. Peolple asked if I tought I passed the first time around on both licenses, and both times I was confident in saying yes, which I did. Good Luck

You can use a basic calculator in CA. They will usually have 2 administrators there, watching you, making sure that you do not cheat. Different parts of CA use different systems. Northern CA is using the instant scoring system, but Southern CA is still waiting on that and you currently have to fill in the bubbles and wait 5 days or so, to find out if you passed. By the way, I am a broker looking for agents in CA. You can work from home and I can mentor you over the phone. I offer higher splits than most. 85% and broker paid E&O or you can pay $3995 up front and keep the rest of the commission on every transaction for the next 12 months. I pay 75% commission on the first 3 deals for new agents because of the training time, but most companies only pay 60% and also charge you a franchise fee and make you pay your own E&O insurance. Would love to have you join my team!

Michelle Edmunds
Home Connections Real Estate
951-704-9091 cell

By scientific you mean financial calculator right? How is it that you calculate well anthing without it ? That's ruff.