Please do not feel discouraged about your final exam results! It is best to think of your final exam as an assessment of your skills, one that can give you a better idea of whether or not you are ready to pursue employment. There is a distinct difference between “failing” the final exam and “not passing.” Receiving a “no pass” on your evaluation simply means that certain aspects of your transcription skills require additional attention in order for you to improve and move on.
CareerStep requires at least a two-week review period before retaking your exam. We insist that you use this two-week period to conduct a thorough evaluation of your weaknesses and create a plan of review and practice to address those weaknesses.
This website contains your guide for passing the final exam on your next attempt. We encourage you to read through this information carefully, as it contains proven methods for success. Remember that your ultimate goal is to learn the skills you need to find employment as an MT. Success on the final exam is the first step in this process. Although your final exam results indicate that your skills need a little polishing before you are ready for that next step, do not be discouraged! Most students do not take long to get the additional practice they need to be successful.
The following three steps will help you to determine your areas of weakness and create a plan of action to address those weaknesses and prepare for success on the retake.
1. Complete the Skills Assessment Worksheet. This exercise will help you to become more familiar with your error patterns and, in turn, will provide you direction in your preparation for the retake exam.
2. Schedule a final exam consultation. This 30-minute consultation will provide you an opportunity to review and discuss your final exam with a skills assessment advisor, who will be able to provide direct feedback and ideas for improvement. Studies show that students who have a final exam consultation after their exam score an average of 9% higher than their first score (nearly twice the improvement of those students who do not have a consultation). Call 1-888-657-5752 to schedule a consultation.
3. After determining your areas of weakness, create an overall action plan to address them. If you are not sure how to create an action plan based on your weaknesses, contact Skills Assessment for ideas. A part of any action plan should include transcribing (or re-transcribing) additional course reports. Strive for three or fewer point deductions per report (using the Final Exam Grading Point Scale) as you complete your practice transcription. This range is indicative of a passing score on the final exam.
Please stay in contact with us as you prepare for your retake. We would be happy to offer additional advice and encouragement as we can. CareerStep Skills Assessment can be reached by phone at 1-888-657-5752, or by email at finals@careerstep.com.
1. If I did not pass the final, can I retake?
CareerStep Learners are afforded up to three opportunities to pass the final exam and receive a Certificate of Completion.
2. If I pass one portion of the final, but not the other, do I have to retake both portions?
You do not have to retake both portions if you passed one and not the other; you only need to retake the portion that you did not pass. You may, however, retake both portions if you desire. No matter which portion(s) you retake, you will have 48 hours to complete your exam.
3. Will I get the same questions and reports on the retake as on the first exam?
Each exam consists of randomly chosen questions and reports, so your retakes will not be the same exam, but will be in the same format. All of the reports used in the final exams are of the same level of difficulty, so, even though you will not receive the same group of reports, the reports you receive will be similar in quality.
4. What happens if I score lower on the retake exam?
Nothing. A lower score on a retake final will not count against you in any way, but should be a strong indicator that you need to spend some additional time reviewing and perfecting your skills.
5. How do I schedule a retake exam?
You may submit a retake request online either through the Final Exam Information unit found in the online course or on the Learner Support page on www.careerstep.com/train-with-us/learner-support/. CareerStep requires at least a two-week review period before retaking your final exam.
6. Do I have to be a current student (not expired) to retake the final?
If you have not yet passed, you must be a current student in order to retake the final, which means you will have to purchase an extension if your enrollment has expired since taking your last exam. In order to improve your score on your retake, it is necessary that you have access to your course and to Learner Support resources for review and additional preparation.
7. What if I am unable to pass the final within the given three attempts?
At CareerStep, our goal is to help you make it to graduation. We will do everything we reasonably can to help you achieve that goal. If you are experiencing difficulty in passing the final exam, please contact us and ask for advice in improving your transcription skills and passing the final before you have exhausted all of your exam attempts. CareerStep has a wonderful, dedicated, and well-trained staff that can and will help you achieve your goal of graduation–within the given three exam attempts.
8. What if some of the reports from my final exam are not graded?
If you score below 60% on the final exam, the grader will cease grading at that point. If there are any reports on your test that have not been graded you can use the Final Exam Grading Point Scale to determine the errors you made.
9. What can I do to prepare for retaking the final?
Please see the information preceding these questions for instructions on preparing for the retake.
