ISA cert. Prep class

familytree

familytree

Location
Haddonfield, nj
My ISA examination test is fast approaching and the confidence I had two months ago is leaving me just as fast. I saw today in the ISA news letter that they have prep days for the test that are 5 hour long classes but they are located all the way up in new york.

Have any of you taken these classes? Was it worth it (at 150bucks plus drive time and food)? Does the money spent on the classes help pay for the test as well?

Any helpful input is appreciated
 
Read the book. I did that like five times. That is what worked. I also used all the excuses about working too long, not being studious etc. etc etc. It basically boiled down to when I wanted it bad enough I did the reading. It is worth it because then you learn it. Personally I feel that I have become even more accountable for my work once I got the cert. Do not stress about this. Take it serious but don't stress.
 
im reading as much as possible, already read through it once and im more than half way through again, figure ill finish reading through then focus on trouble spots, i have about a million flash cards made up that im not half bad at. im a little worried about i.d. because of my lack of experience but i bought a book to help me along with that. im also worried about insects, the cutters eaters and the straight out son of a beotch ones, they all look the same dammit!

as far as the stress goes, im worried because im not stressed enough, i keep trying to talk myself into believing that im a genius, im smarter then everyone else that took the test and the test wont be nearly as hard for me as everyone else. i even nod my head while saying it to myself, reassuring myself that

"im the man, i cant be stopped, i went to college which means im smart and i got through that without studying, this should be a breeze. you know what, im handsome too, im the most handsome man alive"

then i open the book and automatically want to knock myself out with it for thinking such stupid stupid thoughts. and besides, it was only a county college
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ps, the handsome thing sticks
 
The id isn't that hard. Pictures with common and latin names are given. I tell you not to stress because I did and would have done better the first time had I not. People told me not too and I of course did, like right before I walked in. The first chapter Tree bio was the one that did me in. A 59% I was so bummed. It also happens to be the first CEU book that I am tackling.

Read and GOOD LUCK!!!
 
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wish i could take it but my cert test is on the 19th. of march

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Hey, that's the same day I am taking the test. Good luck to you.
 
I'll be living in town shortly if you need a quizzer. The study book is great but some question didn't come from the book. The ID I think was the easiest part. Its really common tree you deal with everyday. Also some of the question would be between two trees I knew and only one was in the 4 answers so it was a tactic I used to finish some of the trickier trees off.
 
I read the arborists certification study guide 3 times and did review questions in the back.Also used the ARBORCULTURE integrated management of landscape trees,shurbs and vines book read that once.I passed 9 domains out of 10.The one that i got 58% and needed 60% was tree biology.My opinion was how they ask you questions and worded it.Seemed like it had subject i did not study.Also stay and go over all the questions.I was afraid of the id part.I stayed awake all night went to a dinner near the test and cramed id.I took answered all questions and reviewed only 65 of the 200 because i was too tired.Stay and review all i might have passed had i did that.I had to take over just the tree biology.Good luck send me a message if you want.Terence
 
Marc, by all means read the study book, but don't neglect all the other great books out there.

When I took the exam last year, I studied as much material by Dr. Shigo as I could find. I also found the Home Sudy guides from the NAA (now TCIA) to be very valuable as well.

Good luck! I'm sure that you'll do fine.
 
My weaknesses. Tree bio. Tree I'd (possibly, I'm actually pretty good with species I work with a lot) anything bugs (chew, cutters blahblahblah) and a few others here and there. I figure I'm going to try to read a chapter a night and do work book questions. Then start on my flash cards. Almost two months before test time. Giddie up.
 
Been a long time i wish you good luck on the test. Mine is next year do to my own dumbness forgot to pay for test and forgot when it was.later the same day of the test I found the evelope for the test. I heard about the classes and the waste of time to go to them. I have also heard about the Bio. part being harder so a little bit more oomf studieing in that area. Good Luck both of you
 
family tree,

I was pretty sure that the tree ID domain would be my toughest, so the first thing I did was re-sort the tree list the ISA supplied from alphabetical by Common name to alphabetical by Latin name. (OK, I got my girlfriend du jour to re-sort the list...) Point is, now instead of having Grand, Noble, Silver and White Firs all scattered through the list, I have Abies amabilis, concolor, grandis and procera all neatly grouped together. Now I can make tonights chore learning my "ID Keys" to differentiate between my need-to-know Firs. Tomorrow nights chore: my Acers.
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Don't know how your brain works, but I found this really streamlined things for me.

Then I poked and prodded Google for tree ID databases and found this one: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/index.html

That site has really good photos of form, leaf, bark, fruit and for many trees a description of "the ID key" for that species, ie: leaf scars on Fraxinus. It's like it has been put together by UConn students for UConn students to assist on their own ID exams. Even has a little button to click to get a wav file for pronunciation. I'm on the West Coast and still found it invaluable, should be even more attuned to an ISA tree list for NJ.

In the end I got 90% on my ID domain.

Good Luck, and if my study technique helps you out, I want to hear about it back here on the Buzz!

Northwind
 
Hey northwind thanks for the advice I'll give it a shot and let ya know how it works out.

I have the interactive CDs as well, I put them on my iPhone and listen to them on the way to the jobsites. Pretty helpful but I'm more of a visual person so reading and re reading is more helpful. I started reading a chapter a night last night and so far so good. It a bit ambitious but hopefully I can stick with it. If I pass first time around I'd be amazed. I never have tested well but such is life.

After this cert I'm going for my treeworkers cert but there doesn't seem to be one offered in jersey. Looks like I'll be traveling for that one.
 
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