Hi. Has anyone gotten their certifications? I am taking the exams in May 2009. I have all the books from the IAAP site, but are there additional resources that you used to help you study for the exam?
Submitted by: Kathy J.
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Hi, I'm new to this website and membership. Could someone give me details on the value of the CPS or CPA exam? My boss is looking to change my duties to an division administrator that are more geared toward an "office manager" type duties. The duties are what I am currently doing but they want me to have a college degree in office administration or something similar. Our local community college is just putting together an associate degree in the arena. Let me know your thoughts. Please e-mail the information to jpetersen@wslc.com. Thank you. Judie
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Judie Petersen on
10/27/2008 11:55:16 AM
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Kathy J.
Congratulations on taking this important step. You have received good advice from the previous postings. I sat for the CPS in May 2008 and passed. I will take the CAP exam in November 2008. My preference is self-study and I am using the Prentice Hall books as well as additional management books. Best of luck to you!
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Anonymous on
9/29/2008 8:14:17 AM
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Kathy, I too would like to extend my congratualations to you regarding your initiative to go for certification. I concur with everything that has already been said, i.e., today's economic times require a leg up in all industries. I am hearing of positions receiving anywhere from 80-800 applications for Executive Assistant positions.
Cerrtification is the first step to helping you stand out among others. I think as we grow in our network among IAAP chapters outside of our own area, we have the greatest potential to be the best word-of-mouth recruiters for professional administrative staff. I'm still trying to figure out how to get in the door of some areas, but it is starting. I was pleased to have been recently contacted by a former colleague that was trying to place someone at her new company and wanted someone who was certified and didn't want to have to go through the process of sifting through 100's of online applications. I'm waiting for the final result, but as of last week my referral was the number one candidate.
Another opportunity you may want to consider is the Certification Conference offered by IAAP. It is coming up in October in Denver, CO. More information is available at www.iaap-hq.org. Just link to the certification event.
Anyway I'm rambling. Sorry about that. I always get excited when I hear of someone taking the next step.
Definitely take the CPS first and then the CAP. Not only is it less pressure, but you get to show that you have both certifications. If you just take the CAP and pass you do have both certifications, but because the CAP is the higher rating you just report the one. It is kind of confusing but the way that IAAP does it. Also as reported below if you take the CAP and pass the CPS portion but not the CAP portion you do not get the credit for CPS portion you worked for.
Finally... GOOD LUCK... and don't worry.
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Victoria Hahn on
9/27/2008 7:58:08 AM
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Hi Kathy!
First of all...congratulations on taking on the challenge of certification! I admire all who do this.
I am the certification/education chair for the Harding IAAP chapter in Marion, Ohio. I took the CPS exam back in 1992 before CAP even existed. At that time it was a 2-day, 6 part test! (Am I telling my age here???) And you didn't have to take all 6 parts at once, even the first time around.
My study experience for that exam was with the Prentice Hall study guides. I too studied each chapter at a time and took the chapter quizes over and over until I reached at least 90% on them before moving to the next chapter. After each chapter I went back to chapter 1, 2, 3, etc. I also allowed at least 2 hours each night and I took my book to lunch and sat in a corner of a restaurant Mon-Friday. Waitresses all over town were just as excited for me as I was when I passed :0)
For the CAP exam, I sat for it in 2001. I used the Metcalf CD and flash cards...if I had to do it again, I would not use theirs and go back to Prentice Hall. The Metcalf was just a huge textbook on CD without any chapter quizes. It included 4 sample exams...if you got something on the exam wrong, then you had to hunt for the material to study. So definitely Prentice Hall is the way to go!
I didn't participate in any study groups, doing it all on my own, but I do know of people who did and they said it was a blessing. I agree that it's all an individual preference...we all learn differently.
And finally...most definitely take just the CPS exam initially and once you've passed that, then take the CAP exam. If not just for sanity's sake...if you take it all at once, pass the first 3 parts only...you don't get the "CPS" credentials. If you take it all together, you can only earn the CAP credential even if you pass the 3 CPS parrts.
I wish you all the luck...all the hard work getting there WILL BE WORTH IT!
God bless,
Lisa
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Lisa Cudd on
9/26/2008 11:15:45 AM
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Kathy,
I used several different methods to study for the CPS/CAP exams a few years ago.
I attended, what I thought was going to be a 12 week review course, which was actually only the beginning - covered one exam, followed by another 12 week review course - covering a second exam, followed by an 8 week review, 2 times a week - covering the thired exam - and any studying for CAP was to be done on my own. The instruction literally went thru the books page by page, highlighting areas we needed to know.
I also copied every quiz at the end of each chapter and the IAAP Study Guide questions (made several copies of each) and took a pack of quizzes with me everyday to lunch and did and redid them until I knew the material and could score close to 100% on each quiz.
Best Wishes on your adventure!
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breezyblnd on
9/26/2008 10:09:29 AM
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Thank you! I signed up for 1st admin course and will take the other as well.
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Kathy J. on
9/26/2008 9:55:25 AM
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Kathy,
I took and passed the CAP exam in May 2006, on the first try. I purchased the digital version of the exam books and used the interactive cd-roms. I had several of the other references but don't recall using them or referencing them a great deal. The last study guide I purchased was from:
http://www.mo-media.com/iaap/
This reference did bring everything together and allowed me to refocus my efforts in studying. I studied for about 6 months, 3-4 hours a week and two nights crash course refreshing. I do not take tests well and was extremely suprised by the results! The others taking the test on the same day had paid and participated in a study group. It all depends on what works for you, but I do encourage the CPS & CAP Study Guide Exam Secrets. I saved my copy and even still reference it. If you have other questions, please feel free to contact me and most of all GOOD LUCK!
Ayita Linette Williams, CAP
Ft. Myers Beach, FL
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Ayita Linette Williams on
9/26/2008 9:51:19 AM
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Hi Kathy, I found the best resource to be the CD's. Deb
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Debbie Renner on
9/26/2008 9:51:12 AM
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Hi, I ordered all of the materials from the IAAP website and just study from that. If you can find an area or location that may be holding study session for the exam, I would recommend it. I found the test quite challenging but if you start studying now and go through the practice test, you will probably be find. Good luck.
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Yvonne Jackson on
9/26/2008 9:38:17 AM
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Hi - I got my certification back in 2001 and all I used were the course material provided. There is really no necessity to get the additional resource material if you study the manuals well. I read each chapter and took the end quiz - unless I got 80% of the answers correct I re-read the chapter Good Luck - I am the certification chair for the Ottawa West Chapter
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Barbara Snyder on
9/26/2008 9:28:47 AM
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Hi Kathy,
You should check out the online courses offered through Ed2go on our website, http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/oic/render.cgi?webname=aeap&handler=courseListDepartment&departmentCode=BM. Or go to www.ed2go.com/aeap and click on the courses link, then the business administration category. There are two courses you might consider taking: Administrative Assistant Applications and Administrative Assistant Fundamentals. Both courses may help you prepare for the CPS and CAP exams. Good luck!
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AEAP on
9/25/2008 11:27:06 AM
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