Your First Step!

Is it December or early January? If you are reading this and it is you are well on your way to success. The biggest question students ask us is, "where do I begin?" "Do I pick up First Aid one day and just start reading?" That may be how your first day of prep starts. But it is right now, as you're reading this, that you are beginning your board preparation.

Research is king! In order to make a great schedule, devise a plan of attack, and beat the boards you need to gather lots of information. By reading this you are already starting that process.

Third and fourth year students at your school are your experts. Use them, pick their brains, see why they did what they did. An important fact to remember is that some students may not like one thing but really don't have any reasoning to back it. It is important to find out the reason they chose certain review books, courses, and other study materials more than why they didn't! People hate to be wrong. Some older students won't admit that they made mistakes in their preparation. Take each opinion as just that- one persons opinion. Add you own thoughts and come to your own original conclusion as to the best approach.

Surf online! There are plenty of resources out there to gather more information. Be sure to keep some notes on key points you find while you are surfing the Internet. If you don't take any notes or write down good websites (www.boardaid.blogspot.com- shameless plug) you are wasting your time. Remember "gather" information don't just let it fly in one ear and out the other.

Find out what prep courses actually are from the people who run them. How many times have you read a review about a book, course, or question bank? Now how many times have you actually gone to the official website and read what the product is. It is highly recommended that you go to product websites and see for yourself what is included in particular programs. You might read a description and despite what anyone else says decide that that program sounds just what you are looking for.

There are an infinite number of ways you can prepare yourself for the boards. That's what makes it so difficult to start the process. What path should you take? If you are reading this you are on the right path. Remember, gathering knowledge is your first step on your way to boards domination!