So often I see students hesitate to work with a tutor because they have always been "good students" or they went to a "good" dietetic internship or they have never needed to use a tutor before. Using a RD exam tutor doesn't mean that these things can't be true! Plus what people care about isn't if you used a tutor or your exam score or how many times you took the exam, the biggest thing that you are a dietitian at the end of this!
The RD exam is so different than any exam or project that you have done thus far in your training. Unlike a final exam that has a set curriculum that will be tested on, the RD exam is only 125-145 questions and can't ask you about all of the topics that you must study (which is why this is a computer adaptive test). Even the "best"/longest dietetic internships will not have rotations that cover all the topics on the RD exam and it is likely a few years since you have taken classes like bio chemistry and food science (and even at the time these classes likely weren't your favorite).
The pressure to pass the RD exam in order to get a dietitian or (if you are luckily enough to get a job offer before your pass your exam) to keep your job can be overwhelming and often makes students develop new or worsened testing anxiety.
Unlike your classes and DI, there also isn't a professor or preceptor to ask your questions to and if you aren't studying with your friends/cohort there may not be the community of students that you have been able to reply on throughout your training.
All of these things make it difficult, even for a student with strong academic history, to create a student regimen and environment that is going to set them up for success.
One of the most comment things I hear in the discovery calls with potential students is that they wish they hadn't waited until after a failed attempt to start a tutoring program. Remember enrolling in a tutoring program doesn't mean that you can't do things on your own, it means that you are being insightful and gathering the tools that you need to be successful. A great place to start on your journey to finding the program that works best for you is to check out the following free resources:
Whether it is with my private practice patients or my students, I'm always reminding them that there is no "shame" in asking for help to ensure they meet their goals and that I'm here to help! I offer a variety of programs as there is no one size fits all when it comes to tutoring. Check out all programs here.
Want to chat more? Fill out a contact form or email me at danajfryernutrition@gmail.com
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