"Combining" Studies for Written Exams

[AggieMike88]

In another forum, there have been discussions and suggestions on "combining" studies for the various exams and taking the related "advanced" exam very soon after the primary one you were working toward.

Their logic is that a large number of questions from the "advanced" exams pull from the same question bank as the one you are studying for. So it's simpler to just "add to" your studies for the primary exam than to re-study the same questions later.

An example is: If you're working through the Instrument Airplane, go ahead and study for and take the AGI and CFI-I

Thoughts?

What are the possible combinations?

 

[EdFred]

CFI-I is the same test as IA - or used to be. Still have to take it twice though.

 

[denverpilot]

I took every written I was going to need before I did all the flight training. Would study for one, knock it off, do the next, etc. The CFI is essentially the Private, and the CFI-Instrument is essentially the Instrument. No major differences there. Same with AGI and IGI. There’s some overlap with Commercial in the CFI as I recall also, regs stuff.

I actually had to let the CFII written lapse after all this time due to recent work schedule and airplane breakage, so I’ll get the “joy” of re-doing that one. But got all the others used up. Ha.

 

[AggieMike88]

CFI-I is the same test as IA - or used to be. Still have to take it twice though.

Yup, I totally get that you need to sit for and complete both exams.

The question and the thread was how to be a bit more efficient in studies by learning the material once, then taking all of the exams related to the material.

But we also need to know which of the exams are related to each other. As you said, IA and CFI-I are related.

What others are are related to each other?

 

[EdFred]

FOI - related to nothing
IA/CFI-I related
Private/CFI-A related
Commercial is sort of on it's own, has some overlap with everything, but not enough to combine study time.

Just study for each one.

You don't take algebra, trig, geometry and calculus all at the same time in HS and they are all math. You don't have the roofers and siders show up when the masonry guys get to the construction site. Why would you do that for flying? Get a foundation. Build on it.

If you actually LEARN it and don't just memorize it for the exam, you don't have to combine studying. You already have the foundation. Problem is most people who are looking for shortcuts don't want to learn, they just want to pass the test. Don't just pass the test.

 

[dmspilot]

Yup, I totally get that you need to sit for and complete both exams.

The question and the thread was how to be a bit more efficient in studies by learning the material once, then taking all of the exams related to the material.

But we also need to know which of the exams are related to each other. As you said, IA and CFI-I are related.

What others are are related to each other?

There is considerable overlap between the question banks for these but they aren't identical:
Commercial, AGI, and CFI
IRA, IGI and CFII
Private and BGI

 

[sarangan]

FOI - related to nothing
IA/CFI-I related
Private/CFI-A related
Commercial is sort of on it's own, has some overlap with everything, but not enough to combine study time.

Just study for each one.

You don't take algebra, trig, geometry and calculus all at the same time in HS and they are all math. You don't have the roofers and siders show up when the masonry guys get to the construction site. Why would you do that for flying? Get a foundation. Build on it.

If you actually LEARN it and don't just memorize it for the exam, you don't have to combine studying. You already have the foundation. Problem is most people who are looking for shortcuts don't want to learn, they just want to pass the test. Don't just pass the test.

I would agree with this. Even though a lot of the written test is rote learning, there are some aspects that do help set the framework for continued learning. You have to make the best of these exams instead of treating it as something to get gotten over with.