Ok, it’s a few weeks until the CNSC Exam. Here’s what you need to do to reduce test-day anxiety:
1. Do a Dry Run.
I know this sounds silly, but trust me. The last thing you want to worry about is traffic, parking, or logistics on exam day. Here’s what you need to do:
- One week (7 days) before your scheduled exam, get ready as if you are going in for the exam
- Drive to the exam location in traffic, at the time of day you’d need to get there on time on your actual exam day with everything you need
- Park, and walk up to the PTC office to lay eyes on the testing center
- Then, get yourself a coffee and go home 😊
3. What to Bring on Exam Day:
- A clear (see-through) water bottle without a label with water only inside
- Your ID (your ID must match your test registration exactly)
- Empty pockets (they will check)
- Any last-minute things to peek at in the car before you go in (write a single Post-It note with 2-3 items on it; don’t over-do it)
- No jewelry other than a wedding or engagement ring
- Kleenex and ear plugs will be provided, upon request
- Food, drinks, and a bag/backpack will be put in a locker
- You’ll also be given a whiteboard or scratch paper, and writing utensil
4. Review Test Computer System
- Candidate Handbook: https://ptcny.com/pdf/NBNSC.pdf (review the last few slides)
5. What to Expect on Exam Day:
- The exam is 4 hours long with one 15-minute break
- There are two parts, you cannot go back after you finish part 1 (once you finish part 1 and take your break, you begin part 2)
- You can go forward and backward through each section of the exam
- You can flag questions to return to later
- You can take unscheduled breaks, but the timer will continue running
Here’s my best test-taking strategy:
- Go through Part 1 in sequential order
- Answer any questions you can answer in ~2 minutes with a good degree of confidence
- Flag any questions you’re unsure about, or need more time to think about
- Go back through all flagged questions, in sequential order, and answer whichever ones you can
- Don’t change any of your answers to prior questions!
- Keep any questions flagged that you’re totally unsure about
- At the very end of Section 1, you’ll probably have 5-10 questions you need to guess on. Guess strategically (eliminate 2 answers you know are incorrect, and randomly chose one correct answer. Don’t make this laborious; choose at random. Systems at this point are not going to help)
- Take your break
- Continue to Part 2, and use the same system
If you’re taking the CNSC Exam next session, you need my study guide. Join over 200 dietitians who trust Edge Clinical Nutrition to help them pass the CNSC Exam!
