Should I Practice with an FRM Mock Exam?

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

 

10 Reasons to use one in your study routine

Are you looking to fare well in your upcoming Financial Risk Manager examinations? If so, then it’s high time you considered using an FRM mock exam to advance your preparations.

In case you don’t already know, mock tests are the key to faring well in your actual exam. They help build confidence and play a vital role in evaluating how well you’ve prepared for the test.

Interestingly, the benefits of using mock exams don’t just end here. So, over the next few sections, we will discuss them in detail. 

By the time you complete reading this article, you will have a clear idea as to why using mock tests are essential.

 

1. Building muscle memory

This is one of the main reasons why you should always consider using a mock exam. In repeatedly practicing for your upcoming tests, you inadvertently build your muscle memory.

How? By constantly answering varied questions, you’ll get a clearer insight into the approach you should follow while tackling them in real-time.

This way, you’ll get to handle the course work better and stay completely prepared for your tests. So, regardless of what is asked in your exam, you’ll have some idea about the right approach to answering them.

Note that very often, we end up wasting time while trying to answer complex questions.

This primarily happens because we aren’t properly prepared for such questions and are therefore unaware of the right strategies to follow while answering them.

When you rigorously prepare for any task, you build your muscle memory. Note that this is especially useful when you’re tackling complex questions in your exam.

With better muscle memory, you’ll be better prepared for the topics that will be assessed. Trust us, you will end up faring much better.

 

2. Finding those weak areas

This is yet another great benefit when you incorporate mock tests into your schedule. When you take these tests often enough, you will get a clearer idea of those areas that deserve more of your attention.

Remember, the FRM course is a tough one, and this is all the more reason why simply reading through the chapters isn’t enough. 

If you are really looking to perform well, you need to know those areas that deserve your attention.

And a simple way to find your weak areas is by taking mock tests. A mock exam can test you on important chapters of your actual examination; and they can automatically help you ascertain the areas that require devotion.

So, if you are not doing well in a specific area, you now know to focus on it some more. This way, you can actively work on improving your skill and overall grade.

Remember, you can never ace these tests unless you address each and every question! And one of the easiest ways to do this is by exposing yourself to mock exams.

When you test yourself more often and focus on these practice areas, you get a thorough understanding of the subject matter and better your overall preparation.

 

3. Knowing your areas of strength

Similar to understanding your weaknesses, it is also essential to have a clear idea about your strengths. Again, using a mock exam is one of the simplest ways to achieve this.

As you use these tests often, you better understand the topics that you are handling. Also, since you now have this perspective, you can now tackle these topics first before moving ahead with anything else.

This automatically secures your chances to fare better in addition to having greater poise. You should ideally use at least two mock tests every week.

Keep these reserved for every chapter, to get a comprehensive understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.

Once you do this, connections will be made and the task will seem simpler. Such scheduling will also positively impact your overall confidence. Speaking of which…

 

4. Building massive confidence

Very often, students struggle to secure easier questions simply because they aren’t confident enough to do so. And it is no different with the Financial Risk Manager examinations.

It is an unfortunate fact; too many students end up passing on questions although they are capable of answering them. They still choose to overlook these because they believe their answers wouldn’t be correct in the first place.

Regularly using practice exams can help address this problem at its very root. As you take multiple tests, you get a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses.

This way, you focus on the important areas and end up improving yourself as a student. 

If you give special focus to the tests that are more challenging than the actual exam, you end up preparing yourself even better! (Take a look at our free samples and you will see).

Since our questions end up being more difficult, you are now left with complete confidence when you finally approach the real test. Your performance becomes better and problem-solving abilities improve.

 

5. Manage your time

Regardless of how hard you’ve prepared for your test, you need proper time management skills. Without this, even the best candidates can fall by the wayside. 

None of us would want to hear that time-over signal and are only halfway through this important exam.

Pacing yourself is especially important when faced with a challenge such as the Financial Risk Manager course. And this is where your mock exam comes in to play.

When you take several practice tests, you get to prepare according to the format of the exam. This way, you know which areas to focus on first and which ones to work on later. 

As a result, your time-management skills improve dramatically. Don’t let those fees go to waste!

 

6. Reducing anxiety

In almost every case, external occurrences will impact your state of mind and subsequent results.

For many professionals, the Financial Risk Manager designation is a gateway to securing a higher-paying job or receiving a hefty promotion in their existing job.

Regardless of the reason, the tension is brewing high; and a simple way to ensure comfort and reduce anxiety is by practicing repeatedly.

The more time you spend on practicing, the more comfortable you’ll be on the day of your exam. It will reduce your anxiety and help you feel better prepared.

 

7. Familiarizing yourself with test strategies

Preparing for an exam isn’t just about what you’ve studied in the textbooks. On the contrary, your test will ask questions that are ‘between-the-lines’ and present-day practical.

Faring well in these questions is difficult if you aren’t familiar with them. But, in taking a sample test or two, you will have a much better idea of the type of questions you’ll be faced with.

This way, you can also strategize accordingly and maximize your effectiveness. Since most mock tests also come with exam-taking strategies, they additionally help boost your overall performance.

 

8. Battling stress

This course really isn’t just about testing your knowledge on risk management subjects.

Instead, it’s doing several things at once, including thoroughly assessing how well you can handle a stressful situation. (This in turn will help mold you for handling work-related stress).

When you repeatedly use a mock exam, your ability to manage stress becomes better. Answering challenging questions weekly will ensure that you are thoroughly prepared for what is likely to be a tough day.

Proper mock tests can cut down your stress levels and allow you to shift focus towards getting the job done. It goes without mention that less stress results in better performance.

 

9. Revision 

This is yet another significant reason why you should incorporate such samples into your routine. Some chapters and topics can be extremely long, and keeping track of everything is often difficult.

By the time you complete a chapter, it is impossible to remember every important area. And this is where those practice questions come in.

These tests are tailored to help you assess your performance and they also help with your revisions. As you complete these tests, over time you inadvertently revise the key areas that are assessed during the test.

The result: better recollection and better performance when that paper in placed in front of you.

 

10. Improving your knowledge

Practice questions aren’t just about preparing for a test; they are about holistically improving your knowledge.

When you take enough practice exams, your knowledge about the course will be much better than when you first started.

Tackling a wide variety of questions beforehand will ensure that you are prepared for whatever is to come.

 

The Bottom Line

As you probably know at this point, using an FRM mock exam can be crucial to your overall performance. So, if you’re really looking to perform better, devote more time towards practice questions.

When done the right way, you boost your muscle memory and perform significantly better in the upcoming exam.

These tests are probably the easiest way to consistently hold your performance and be thoroughly prepared for the impending challenges in your examinations.

For best results, we would suggest you devote at least one month before the exam for mock questions. Take time not just for doing the test, but also for assessing your answers and your overall preparedness.

 

Remember…

Understand the key areas, work on your weaknesses, revise the important concepts and you will be a step ahead to passing your FRM exams.

And try taking practice questions that are much tougher than the real thing! This way, you’ll be prepared for every type of question regardless of their complexity.

Thanks again for reading and take a look at our other articles and free papers!

 

Sincerely,

The QuestionBank Family