Tips for Successfully Completing an Indiana Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course

While the end goal of your real estate pre-licensing course is to help you pass the licensing exam, simply regarding the 90-hour course as exam preparation may sabotage your success in the real estate industry. Today, we will explore some Indiana real estate pre-licensing course tips to help you get the most out of your course and succeed in the real estate exam and your career going forward.

Remember, these courses are designed to help you learn and retain the information you need to succeed in real estate in your state — remember that each state has different requirements and courses that best reflect their real estate practices.

Indiana Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course Tips

There are so many options for real estate pre-licensing courses available today. You may be tempted to opt for the first one you come across and assume that it will give you everything you need to successfully get your real estate license. Unfortunately, not all of the pre-licensing courses on the market are equal, and not all of them will be the best fit for you.

Like any other skill or proficiency, you have to put in the necessary work to effectively learn the material. This said, some courses do a better job of helping you accomplish this goal, and there are some tips you can follow to ensure your success in the pre-licensing course you select. Here we’ll explore these tips so you can get the most out of your course.

Pick the Best Course for You

Just like any other type of license or certification, the course you take can make the difference between success or failure on the exam. There are two primary things that you need to keep in mind when selecting your pre-licensing course. First is ensuring that the course you select is Indiana state-approved. The last thing you want is to have gone through the 90-hour pre-licensing coursework only to realize that the state did not approve the course you selected.

Second, you will want to select a course that best suits your schedule and learning preferences. There are three types of course delivery options: in-person, virtual, and online.

• In-Person – in-person courses offer a more rigid schedule, and some people find it easier to focus when in a traditional classroom setting with someone leading the lessons.
• Virtual – virtual courses offer a mix of the benefits of online and in-person delivery methods. Rather than going into a traditional classroom, you can take your classes virtually, but unlike online courses, they are still synchronous. This is a perfect balance for some people, and for others, it may be too challenging to switch between online and traditional deliveries.
• Online – online pre-licensing courses are typically less expensive, less time-intensive (since you do not have to include commuting time), and more convenient for students and teachers because they are asynchronous.

Which course is best for you depends on your preferences and learning styles. Picking a course that plays to your strengths can make it much easier for you to retain the valuable information from the lessons.

Be Proactive

If you’ve ever left a project, study session, or anything else to the last minute, you know how stressful it can be. Unfortunately, that stress makes it harder to perform the tasks that you are trying to do — like studying or taking an exam. So instead of putting off studying or taking your exam until the last minute, be proactive. This allows you to take advantage of the information you just learned and more easily apply it to the task at hand.

Stick to Your Study Plan

One way to be proactive in your study habits is to create (and stick to) a dedicated study plan. Whether you are opting for an individual or group study plan, this can be a great way to ensure that you cover all the important topics you need to prepare for the exam.

Take Notes

Realistically, you will not be able to memorize everything taught to you in the 90-hour real estate pre-licensing course. Luckily, if you take diligent notes, you don’t have to. Clean and concise note-taking is one of the best ways to retain more information and prepare for future review and study.

Make sure to pay special attention to important vocabulary words and key concepts in your notes, as these are the most likely topics to appear on your exam.

Take Advantage of Your Resources

It may seem obvious but remember to take advantage of all the resources available in your pre-licensing course. You may have practice exams, study guides, flashcards, and email access to your instructors. If you are taking in-person classes, your instructor may have office hours that you can visit, or you may be able to create study groups with other students.

Taking advantage of these resources can be a great way to enhance your learning and information retention.

Focus on the Most Important Topics

Figuring out which topics are the most important can be crucial to helping you develop an effective study strategy for the exam. A good pre-licensing program will help you distinguish between the most important topics for the exam and other topics that may be more important for your post-exam endeavors.

For example, while understanding the different types of homes and construction styles will help you when you sell homes and other buildings, the real estate exam typically focuses on property and housing laws relevant to your area.

Learn the Rules of the Exam

While most real estate licensing exams are similar across the United States, each exam has its own format, time allowance, and grading system. Learning what these are for Indiana can help ensure you successfully get your license. A good pre-licensing course will go over this information and offer study guides and resources to help you succeed on the test.

Conclusion

You may have noticed that a good real estate pre-licensing course can help you with many of the abovementioned tips. This is because a pre-licensing course aims to prepare you for your exam and the real estate industry. Success in your course can give way to success in your industry, but this success can be hard to achieve if you do not pick the right pre-licensing course for your needs.

At the Indiana Real Estate Institute, we offer three different pre-licensing course options — basic, basic plus, and premier — in all three delivery options. If you are ready to begin your real estate pre-licensing course and get started in the real estate industry, contact us today!