Contributed by Brendan Buhler, Wiconsin DECA
Cluster exams... Does anyone really love them? Though they are often overlooked, these exams can make or break your chance at winning in competition.
Additionally, they can bump you up into that highly coveted first place spot.
How important are these exams?
In an individual series event, your exam score is one third of your overall score and is combined with your two role-play scores. The sum of these three will indicate your overall score, which is then used to place competitors.
In a team decision-making event, you and your partner’s cluster exam scores are averaged out. This means it’s crucial that both you and your partners have a relatively similar score in order for a good average. What you don’t want is one member to score a 40% and one member to score a 70% because you’d be getting is a 55%.
When competing in the finalist round at the International Career Development Conference, these exams become even more important than before. While you’ll be asked to do an additional role-play or presentation, your old cluster exam score will now carry over to the next round. The better you do on your cluster exam, the better off you will be all together!
How can I prepare?
1. Use DECA Flash Cards
Buying a set of DECA flash cards could be one of the best investments you’ll ever make! By studying business-related vocabulary, you’ll make yourself familiar with the types of questions that will come across many of the cluster exams and what areas you need to focus your studies on.
2. Read Marketing Textbooks
Many times, your DECA advisor is more than willing to lend you a textbook in order to study for your cluster exams. By paging through and looking for sections you’re unfamiliar with, you’ll be able to brush up on your business vocabulary and concepts.
3. Keep taking tests
The more you familiarize yourself with the types of questions that are on the cluster exams, the better you will become at taking them. In addition to familiarizing yourself with them, you can look for areas of business you are unfamiliar with and brush up on your skills! Be sure to visit DECA’s website to get access to cluster exams and other valuable competition resources.
I wish you all the very best of luck at competition this year!
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