Understand the material, tab your references, then get fast at finding answers. Aim for 80%+ on the timed simulation before you book the real exam.
Step 1 — Put your time where the exam is
Over half the exam is Accounting Functions (32%) and Administrative Duties (26%). Start there. The remaining areas — Government Regulations, Establishing the Business, Trade Operations, and Human Resources — matter, but they are smaller slices.
Step 2 — Study to understand, not memorize
Work the study guide one content area at a time. Read each question, answer it before you peek, then read the explanation — even when you were right. The exam rewords concepts, so understanding survives where rote memory fails.
Step 3 — Tab your open-book references
You can bring approved references in, tabbed and highlighted. Set them up before exam day so every topic has a fast path. Not sure which books? See the approved reference list.
Step 4 — Drill reference speed
This is the step almost everyone skips. With ~3 minutes per question, fumbling for the right book is what sinks people. The Open-Book Finder shows you a question and a 20-second timer; you pick which reference you would open, then see the exact section. Its results tell you which books to tab the heaviest.
Step 5 — Simulate until you're comfortable
Take the full 120-question timed simulation with your references on the desk, just like the real thing. When you are consistently clearing 80% with time to spare, schedule the exam.
Build the plan into a habit
Quiz, study guide, Open-Book Finder, and a full timed sim — all in one place. First 5 questions free.