Young Association Professionals (YAP) yapstar.org

I just submitted my application!  I'd love to discuss.

Hi Maddie =)

I will be taking the exam this winter. I have not yet submitted my application but I'm enrolled in the immersion course later in September.

I would definitely be interested in taking part in a YAP CAE study group. Great idea.

Hi Maddie,

I'm planning on taking the next immersion couse in 2009 and getting my CAE in late 2009/early 2010, so I'd love to start studying with everyone!

Cheers!

KiKi

One of the tools I highly recommend in studying for the exam is the CAE Study Flash Cards available through the MI society. http://www.msae.org/Events/CAEPreparation/tabid/2731/Default.aspx

I used these cards as my review the night before the exam.  Signing up for the Immersion Class is one of the best things you can do to prepare for the CAE Exam.  You will need to be familiar with the authoritative literature prior to taking the immersion course.  The immersion course teaches you how to think like a CSE (chief staff executive). 

This is the more important advise I can give you.  When taking the exam you need to make the assumption that you have the perfect national association with all resources available to you, unless you exam question tells you otherwise.

I would also suggest focusing your study on the domains that you do not touch in your day-to-day job.

A few more pieces of advice:

Get in touch with Deborah Chin.  (dchin@eric.org) immediately.  She was the one who organized the CAE study group I helped this past spring.  They had a 100% pass rate, and she's working on packaging their process for other groups to use. (She'll also be presenting domain 4 - administration - in September.)

Avail yourselves of the CAE Candidate SP site - there are a lot of resources available, and it's moderated by a crack team of CAEs from the CAE Action Team.  https://collaborate.asaecenter.org/Communities/caecandidate/default.aspx

READ THE BOOKS BEFORE THE CLASS.  Actually, definitely read Professional Practices.  Principles is still on the recommended reading list, but frankly, it's crap.  You should plan to read the ENTIRE Association Law Handbook before taking the exam, but there's isn't enoguh time left to read and absorb the whole thing before the September class (for those of you who are planning to take it).

Hi there. I was planning to take the exam in December but now I don't think I'll have enough education hours for my application. I'll probably wait until May for the exam but I'm starting a study group today (through California SAE, meets weekly for two hours via conference call) with all the California December applicants. Considering that I just received the books and haven't read any of the authoritative literature yet, it's probably also a wise thing to not cram for the exam in December -- I'll be better prepared in May. But count me in for the YAP study group -- I'm still going to go through the motions as if I am taking the exam in December.

I, like Deirdre, am participating in the CalSAE CAE study group but don't plan on sitting for the exam until December, 2009.  I'd still love to participate as I probably need all the cramming and practice I can get.

Like a couple of others, I am planning to take the exam in December 2009.  Please count me in too!  I feel that I'm going to need all the help and encouragment I can get.

Hi.  I'm taking the immersion course in September and plan to take the exam in May.  I would love to be a part of the YAP CAE study group and look forward to meeting those of you who will also be in the September class.

Well I missed Friday's deadline for teh Dec 08 testing so it'll be May 09 for me but love getting the jump on the studying.

It's good to know I'm not the only one overwhlemed by reading.

Can we try to organize weekly conference calls on Fridays (usually good days for a breather for most YAPs I know). We can use my conference call service. I'll upload some docs as well.

Look forward to your response.

Katherine Swartz

PS - I quite frankly disagree with the comment on the Principles book - it's a great read for those new to the association profession and those ready to move up the ranks. It was a good starting point for those domains outside of my areas of experience.

I love the Friday conference call idea! Thanks for the help, Katherine!

Hi all, I will dig through my materials and upload some items as well.  In response to Katherine.  You have a great point about the Principles of Association Management text.  However, I don't recomment completely discounting the book as it relates to taking the test.  Exam item writers do refer to the three main text books when developing content for the exam.  I would also recommend that particular text as a great review tool the month leading into the exam.

Would welcome the Friday calls!

Count me in for the Friday calls please.

Alright, does 2 p.m. EST work for everyone? I'm emailing Deborah Chin per the suggestion and ASAE to see if they have any resources we can use for a virtual study group.

Ideally there will be ten of us and we can each take a domain to lead over the next ten weeks (taking this format from MI). I'll take the first domain - volunteer now!

Please read the Professional Practices, Association Law and Principles Chapters prior to the CALL and we can review the notes from the Immersion and MI course while we on the phone. I'll defer to Deborah for additional suggestions and will be back in touch! If you need PDFs of some of the materials let me know.

Email me directly (kswartz@scacpa.org) so I can send you the conference call/Web cast invitation or (if we have a consensus) at 2 p.m. EST on the Fridays above, go to www.genesys.com, enter meeting as participant, meeting number 6083161. You can ask the service to call you, or you'll see the toll-free number to dial.

Looking forward to chatting next week!

Katherine Swartz

I'm also interested in the Friday calls. 2pm would work for me.

Three things:

1.  There will be virtual cram sessions on the CAE Candidate SP site on November 20 and December 1, so you might want to add them to your calendar.  The CAE mentors on the site will be out in force both days.

2.  Bookmark the CAE Candidate SP site.  https://collaborate.asaecenter.org/Communities/caecandidate/default.aspx

3.  One thing some study groups have done with some success is line up experts in particular domains they're worried about (i.e., government relations) to assist them in the relevant weeks.  You might want to think about that.

I'm interested in the calls and Fridays are fine, though I might miss one.

This is awesome. You guys rock!!!

I'll take Oct 31 (Domain 6) since my ED teaches it, maybe we can even get him to sit in and answer questions.