Acronym

I am going to sound like and ASAE commercial or something, but the single best thing I did to prepare for the CAE exam was attend the ASAE CAE immersion course. This course is full of information on all the domains tested in the exam and it’s a wealth of study tips and test taking tips. Plus you meet other people who are dedicated to taking the exam who might make great study groups. There is also a wonderful study guide that comes with the course. Pretty much, this course taught what I didn’t know and pointed me in the right direction.

Good luck!

I have tons of advice, having just taken it (and passed) in December. I'd say do the Immersion course, then connect with fellow candidates on http://www.yapstar.org (we have a CAE Padawan room for this exact purpose), join a study group (virtual or IRL), and read the required books. I'd also say it's a lot harder to study than it is to actually take the exam, because there's just so much content, so pace yourself. But you'll learn a lot in the process and it will feel awesome to get certified.

Caron:

The immersion course sounds very beneficial. Do you recommend taking it at the beginning of your study regime or at the end?

Maddie:

Thanks for the great advice! I've joined the CAE Padawan Room, and that looks like an absolutely amazing resource. I'm sure I'll be in touch in the coming weeks.

--aaron

The way the schedule breaks down is that the Immersion Course is done twice a year - February and September - and the exam itself is given twice a year - May and December. It's usually *after* the early-bird (cheaper) deadline to apply for the next exam, but *before* the extended deadline. So, for the May exam, the early deadline was Feb 20, the Immersion Course was Feb 23-25, and the late deadline was March 13.

The Immersion Course is designed to provide an overview of all the content on the exam, to take place early in your study process, to help you figure out how to structure your study time (where do you need to spend more/less time?), and to help connect you with other people who are studying to form study groups.

There are also resources available via ASAE's SharePoint platform.

Finally, definitely do it. It was one of my best professional choices ever.

The greatest help to me was a local study group. Keep me focused and gave me study deadlines. Go for it... no reason to wait.

Do not, I repeat DO NOT let your age or a general "feeling of unpreparedness" make you shy away from it. Following the advice that has already been given will be more than sufficient. Read your books, attend the course, and study weekly with a group and you should be good to go!

I am only in my second job, have been in assocation work since straight out of college (which is the minimum of 5 years), and I'm 27 years old. I got my CAE two months ago after passing the December 2008 exam.. and YOU CAN TOO (sounds like an infomercial, doesn't it?).

I will also stress the three key components of preparing for the exam. Read the books. Elaborate and keep to a study and review schedule in the months leading up to the exam (I divided my study sessions over a four-month period). Collaborate with others also preparing.

For me, taking a CAE prep course was incredibly helpful! Dialoguing with others in the group helped me to see beyond theory to application, especially for topics with which I was less familiar. The group was also a great place to share questions about the material.

Of course you should go for your CAE! Fewer than 5 percent of Association professionals nationwide have earned the CAE credential. Whether you are at the beginning, middle, or height of your career, you can benefit from that level of distinction and achievement. Studying for the CAE will encourage you to branch out beyond meetings and events, to do some "cross-training" if you will. Take the CAE immersion course, read the required books at a pace that makes sense for you, and take some additional ASAE coursework in any areas that stump you (membership, government relations, finance, whatever). When you earn your CAE, you will be thankful. If you wait, when you finally do earn it, you'll wonder why you waited so long. We look forward to welcoming you to the club...

I agree with the other postings. I tried studying on my own before "discovering" the Immersion course. My reading was unfocused and I was not as motivated. After the Immersion course, I became more committed to taking the exam.

During the Immersion course, I also joined a study group. Our weekly meetings and the knowledge that all of us were going through it together was also of great benefit.

The ASAE CAE Collaborate site is full of proven resources. I downloaded all the materials and they were very helpful.

After several months of CAE test preparation taking over my life, it took me a while to reenter “real” life. There were some very intense 3 months, but a lot of fun also. By the way, I did the whole process entirely on my own nickel and it was well worth it.

Becoming a CAE changed my life. Really. I don't know how else to explain it. If you are interested in the big picture, if you see things as inter-related and not siloed, then this exam is exactly for you. It will make you see the association world in a whole new way.

Wow, everyone! Thanks so much for the advice. I was pretty sure about doing this, but your encouragement has definitely convinced me. I hope others out there are persuaded, as well. And I guess I'm looking for a study group. Any takers?

Sign up for a study group. It will help you get through the exam - especially the areas you aren't familiar with.

In advance, welcome to the "club."

Wow, you remind me of me! When I decided to go for my CAE, I barely squeaked through the experience requirements. Although my colleagues laughed at me (literally - they told me to go to grad school instead) I found that studying for my CAE was an amazing process and I learned more than I could have imagined. At the time, I was but a Padawan in my association career, but I firmly believe that the world view I gained during my CAE studies has helped me significantly as I've changed roles. SOMEBODY has to understand the tax implications of being a (c)3, right? :-)

Since I'm not in DC, I took the Michigan SAE online class to prepare for the exam and I found it to be extremely helpful:
http://www.msae.org/Events/CAEPreparation/tabid/2731/Default.aspx

I also read the books cover to cover (repeatedly) and did every practice test I could find.

In summary, I vote that you go for it. It certainly can't HURT your career. :-)

--Becky

Definitely go for it. It was great experience and the learning applies to more than just the association world.

I found the ASAE CenterU online courses were very useful as a jump off and help me get the CAE hours I needed. The Principles of Association Management was especially relevant: https://www.asaecenter.org/ProgramsEvents/EventDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=38803.

That course involves six weeks of reading chapters from PAM, PPAM and the legal book, doing homework, and great online chats. It helps you understand the material in much more depth than just reading the books.

Some other useful courses were the Financial Management and the Legal seminar. I used those courses to increase my knowledge in those areas and pinpoint my weaknesses.

I also took the CAE Immersion course and I think it is essential. It really helped me focus my studying in the last two months.

Aaron - I am (very likely) teaching CAE Domain 7: Public Policy, Gov & External Relations again for the ASAE CAE Immersion Course Sept 23 – 25, 2009 and Feb 24 – 26, 2010. I expect to see you in my class! Here's a question to get you started (and probably a point on the exam): Can a 501c(3) organization operate a Political Action Committee (PAC)?