Stage 1: Neuroticism

I have been studying for the EPPP these past couple of weeks using study materials from Academic Review, and I am finding myself feeling incredibly overwhelmed with the amount of material. This is not to bash the materials, I'm just realizing they don't work very well for me personally. I'm finding myself creating insane amounts of flashcards after also trying outlines - either of which I am not finding to be helpful in absorbing the dense material. I've decided to look at other study programs, specifically PsychPrep's program, which seems to present more condensed materials, and more prescribed program of study.

PsychPrep offers a free introductory package to those interested in getting a taste of their materials, including 1 section from learning/behavioral theory study materials, a set of mp3 tracks to listen to the associated lecture material, and the mp3 tracks and lecture materials for their free study strategies workshop offered in California (that normally the rest of us wouldn't be able to get to).

After listening to the study strategies workshop, I identified with a lot of the faults in my current study habits, like doing endless amounts of flashcards or outlines that don't help you absorb the materials. At this point, I am planning on using PsychPrep's program to get through the rest of my studying process. They can be a bit pricey, but I don't know a set of materials that isn't at this point, and additionally you can still receive some return when you sell the materials after you pass the EPPP, which I don't believe is hard to do considering all of the used EPPP study materials I replied to and they told me the materials were already sold.

Either way, if you can sample study materials, you might be able to get a feel for what is best for you. Most study material companies have return policies on their materials, so you should be able to purchase and give it a try. If it's not for you, return them and find a system that works best for your study method! In addition to PsychPrep, the Taylor Method also offers an online trial of their materials. If you are considering either of these methods, they are worth a try before you buy!

Flashcard Exchange and Quizlet Apps

Flashcardexchange.com and Quizlet.com are excellent resources for both making your own flashcard sets, or borrowing from others who have made EPPP flashcards. I've been wanting to make my own for on-the-go use, using my iPhone or iPad, and you can easily upload flashcard sets from the exchange to your mobile device. I'm a technology lover personally, and so I love to take any opportunity I can to incorporate the excessive amount of money I have spent on electronics. Here are some of the top apps for flashcards. All of these apps are compatible with Flashcard Exchange, Quizlet, or both.

Quizard ($2.99) and Quizard Lite (free!) - Has flashcard, quiz, and test mode. Warning - the "lite" version only allows sets of 20 cards, so it won't be long before you'll have to purchase the full app.

Mental Case Flashcards HD ($5.99) - This app allows you to record audio and add photos to your flashcards, and can upload flashcard sets from Flashcard Exchange or Quizlet. This app looks beautifully designed and is also available for iPad. They also have software for Mac computers.

Flashcards Deluxe ($3.99) and Flashcards Deluxe Lite (free!) - This one seems to have some of the best user ratings on the iTunes store. Offers a variety of study modes and can hold over 10,000 flashcards. Again, the free version is more like a demo version to see if you want to purchase the app - it allows 4 decks with 6 cards each.

Flashcards++ ($3.99) - High user ratings like Flashcards Deluxe, offers over 20,000 flashcards in a deck (most of these apps are designed for foreign language study), and like Flashcards Deluxe, you can rate yourself on how well you know the answer. This one seems more aimed for foreign language study, so I think I would go with Flashcards Deluxe.

Flashcards to Go ($3.99) and Flashcards to Go Lite (free!) for iPad - This app, like most apps specifically designed for iPad, can have more features and fit more on the screen due to the iPad's screen size. It's more organized, prettier, but has a lot of similar features to the other apps. You can record audio with the flashcards, and beyond using Quizlet or Flashcard Exchange, you can also use CSV and other file forms to upload cards.

If you're up for technology, check out some of these apps for flashcard studying! You can also search for pre-made decks from those before us so you don't have to reinvent the wheel! Click on the "Free Study Materials" link above for links to previously made EPPP flashcards on FlashcardExchange.com and Quizlet.com.