An exam review course is a course that prepares students for an upcoming exam, such as the bar or CPA exam. It sounds silly to purchase a course that helps you study to complete another course, but many local and international students alike benefit from using this prepping tool.

5 Things You Should Know About Exam Review Courses

Whether you’re preparing to earn your law degree or you’re interested in earning an extra certificate for your professional career, learn these 5 things before using a review course.

1. Review Courses Help Students Prepare for Licensing Exams

It’s well known that studying for your SATs or medical exam is a long, complicated process. You have a limited time to prepare, and you can only guess what topics will be on the test. An exam review course can help structure your study time and test your skills with example questions.

Plenty of students have to retake their final exams, but review courses double your chances of success. For example, you can go to this site to learn how to pass the CFA exam on your first try. If you’re aiming for high marks, investing in a review course is the smartest move to make.

2. You Can Choose Between a Virtual or In-Person Classroom

Exam review courses cater to multiple learning styles and needs. A student living in India will have a hard time finding an American CPA prep course nearby, but online schools remove these barriers. Keep in mind that virtual classrooms aren’t always one-on-one or independent.

If you learn better in a brick-and-mortar classroom, there are plenty of options available, many of which come with a flexible study schedule. But if you prefer more structure because you have difficulties with self-motivation, look for a course with strict deadlines and periodic testing.

3. Most Exam Review Courses Have a Minimal Access Length

Students don’t have access to most exam review courses forever. They’re typically available for 12 to 18 months, which sounds like a lot of time, but a year can go by pretty quickly. Don’t buy an exam review course unless you know you’ll have 12 to 18 months to spare for studying.

If you don’t want to face time constraints, consider purchasing a course with an “Until You Pass Guarantee.” This keeps the course available until you pass your exam. Failing that, there are providers that offer unlimited access, but you may need to pay additional fees for the privilege.

4. Exam Review Courses Often Come With Personal Support

At some point in your studies, you’ll likely have questions about the material. A great prep course will set you up with a teacher or counselor that can give you the support you need to ace your exam. But pay attention, as some courses limit your available counseling sessions.

Even if they do, you can still look for support in the course’s online forums and discussion boards. If possible, look for a course that offers one-on-one mentoring. Your course mentors can help improve your studying skills and give you a confidence boost when you need it.

5. Not All Exam Review Courses are Helpful or Worth Your Time

While plenty of exam review courses can adequately prepare you for a difficult exam, there are others that exist to make a quick buck. You can judge a course's quality by its pass rates. If a course's pass rate is below 75%, find something better. Aim for an 80% to 90% success rate.

Companies proud of their pass rates will display them on their website, but you can always content them directly to enquire. If the pass rate is high, start researching the company’s online ratings and read reviews of past students. Look for money-back guarantees for non-passers