Why You Don't Have to Be a Genius to Pass the EPPP

Failure creates a strong sense of doubt in our abilities and leaves us feeling like we are not good enough. Whether you were unsuccessful in a practice exam or the actual EPPP, failing after hours dedicated to study can leave you less than motivated to try again. Failing discourages us from pressing forward because it leaves us afraid of more failure. It makes us believe that only someone innately brilliant can succeed. The belief that the EPPP is only for people who are naturally smart is popular but completely false. You do not have to be a genius to pass the EPPP.

Belief that only a genius can reach certain goals can hold you back from success for two reasons. The first reason is that if we put successful people on the out-of-reach pedestal of innate talent, we will be less likely to consider what we can learn from them. The second reason is that notions about innate talent implicitly minimize the role of hard work and dedication. If you failed, it could have been due to your approach to the hard work and dedication you put forth in EPPP preparation as opposed to a lack of innate talent.

TSM invites you to approach EPPP preparation in a new way. The first step towards success is changing your mindset. The next step is changing your strategy. Look at how you studied before. Perhaps you were not using the right tools.

Trudging through the immense amount of EPPP preparation materials may have seemed like a viable option. It is a common belief that longer hours of productivity, such as studying, produces a greater outcome, such as a passing score.

This belief is much like believing that a tree can be cut down with a hammer. Is it possible to cut down a tree? Absolutely. Is it possible to cut down a tree with a hammer? Maybe. But it wouldn’t be efficient. An axe would be better. Labor is still required but it is less hard when using the correct tool.

In the same way, getting a passing score on the EPPP is, in fact, absolutely possible. But plowing through EPPP preparation without the best method of study will leave you fatigued and discouraged.

At TSM we have built the tools that will allow you to succeed. We enable you to break down your EPPP preparation content into the type of structured routine that research has shown is most likely to lead to success. To begin, your strengths and weaknesses are assessed in order to specify the program to meet your needs. From there, your job is to get through the study sessions set out for you day by day. Therefore, the entirety of your energy is focused on learning the content rather than learning how to navigate it. It is a method suitable for the willing to work, not the genius.

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