I’m a 19-year-old with zero prior experience in insurance, and I’m currently trying to obtain my life and health insurance license for a job opportunity. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed.
The situation is this: I was given just two weeks to complete a 15-chapter exam before I can move on to the state test in Nebraska to get my license.
While I don’t consider myself the smartest person, I do pride myself on being a fast learner. Right now, I’m working in fast food, but I’m eager to pursue something more substantial. I came across an ad for an entry-level life and health insurance agent position, applied, and got the job, but the catch is that I need to get my license first.
I’ve put in 16 hours on the course so far and am currently on chapter 4 of 15, with only 9 days left to finish. This has been one of the toughest subjects I’ve ever tackled. My biggest challenge has been taking notes—I knew it was necessary, but I feel like it’s consuming a lot of my time. Yet, without my notes, I struggle with the end-of-chapter quizzes.
So, I’m wondering: do I really need to take notes on everything? Right now, my notes are extensive, containing detailed descriptions and definitions for everything, which has resulted in over 20,000 characters for each chapter! Any advice on how to streamline this process would be greatly appreciated.
It’s great that you’re taking the initiative to pursue a life and health insurance license at such a young age! It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed, especially given the tight timeline and the amount of material you need to cover. Here are a few tips that might help you streamline your studying process:
Prioritize Key Concepts: Instead of trying to take notes on everything, focus on understanding and noting down the most important concepts, definitions, and terms. Look out for highlighted sections in your study materials or any summaries at the end of chapters, as those often contain key points.
Summarize and Simplify: After reading each chapter, try to summarize the main ideas in a few bullet points. This can help reinforce your learning without overwhelming you with too much detail.
Use Study Aids: If available, seek out practice quizzes or flashcards for the exam topics. These tools can be effective for reinforcing your memory without the time-consuming note-taking process.
Practice Questions: Focus on doing practice questions, as they can give you a better idea of how the questions on the exam are structured. This can also help you identify areas where you need to focus your studying.
Time Management: Allocate specific blocks of time for reading, note-taking, and review. This can help you maintain a balance and ensure that you’re making progress without burning out on any one subject.
Stay Positive: It’s easy to feel defeated, particularly when under pressure, but try to stay positive. Celebrate small victories, like completing a chapter or understanding a difficult concept.
Remember, it’s about understanding the material rather than memorizing every detail. With focused studying for the next few days, you can make efficient use of your time. Good luck—you’ve got this!