CSCS Exam Tips: Don’t Neglect This Skill

One thing the often gets lost in the shuffle is the fact that the ability to take multiple choice tests is a skill. And like any other skill, some individuals are better than others and everyone has the ability to improve with practice. Yes, this test is about strength and conditioning, but do not neglect this skill set.

Skilled multiple choice test takers like poker players use deductive reasoning and the laws of probability to increase their odds of success. When taking oral or essay exams you have to know the right answer, but multiple choice exams are not the case. You can correctly answer multiple choice questions without knowing the right answer.

This bears repeating, you can correctly answer multiple choice questions without knowing the right answer.

You might not know the correct response off the top of your head, but you can eliminate choices that you know are wrong. If you can eliminate all but one choice then by default you are left with the correct answer. Even if you cannot eliminate all choices, you still increase your odds of choosing correctly with each one you eliminate.

There are highly skilled test takers out there who can have just modest familiarity with a topic and still score very well on multiple choice exams because of these skills. Now here is the best part, the CSCS exam now only has 3 choices instead of 4. As a comparison, some high stakes multiple choice exams have 5 and 6 choices.

Your odds of choosing correctly on this exam are well in your favor.

In fact, if you knew the right answer on half the questions, and eliminated just one choice on the other half of the questions, then the law of probability says you would get a 75% on the exam, which is passing. If you eliminate one choice then there is a 50/50 chance you will choose correctly.

Food for thought, practice, practice, practice, and take all the time you need (there is no bonus for finishing the test early). Make sure you understand what the question is asking, eliminate choices that you know are wrong, and watch your scores improve.