Is Real Estate School Hard? Read This First

At CA Realty Training, we get asked a variety of questions when it comes to getting licensed. One of the most common questions students ask us is: “Is Real Estate School hard?”

If you think about it, anything that is new and unfamiliar to you will seem difficult. But to be more accurate, new endeavors are challenging. Challenging is not necessarily difficult once you master it.

Challenges are meant to be overcome. Difficulty is all relative.

Think back to when you were younger. Learning to tie your shoes seemed hard too, didn’t it? But once you learned how to do it, you practiced and mastered it. The same can be said about real estate school and the courses you’ll take.

You may start off with a certain perception of difficulty. The more you learn and become familiar with the material, that perception will change.

Knowing what to expect will also help you mentally prepare and ready to take on all challenges. Let’s start by talking about the process and what’s required.

What is Real Estate School Like?

The first step is completing the required education. These courses can be taken at a traditional university or a real estate school. While a university offers many fields of study, a real estate school like CA Realty Training, focuses only on the courses that are required for real estate.

There are 3 college-level courses mandated by the Department of Real Estate that must be completed.

3 Pre-licensing Courses:

1. Real Estate Practice
2. Real Estate Principles
3. Elective of your Choice

Once you pass the finals for the courses, you will receive your certificates of completion. These are required to be included with the state exam and license application.

Now that we have discussed the requirements, let’s talk about using helpful study techniques and tools.

5 Study Strategies and Tools for Real Estate School

As we discussed earlier, if you are learning about real estate for the first time everything about it can seem challenging. Here are some study tools that can help get you through your courses and help prepare you for the state exam.

#1. USING THE TEXTBOOK RESOURCES

Real estate has its own language and there will be terminology that you will need to learn and know. One of the study resources you have is the textbook itself.

Use the glossary at the back of the book to look up any term you're not familiar with. If you need more clarification, you also have the index to refer to. This will point you to the page in the book where the term is discussed. You can then learn about the term more in detail.

You can use the glossary and index to your advantage to better understand the material overall.

Your textbook will have quizzes after each chapter. Don’t skip them! These mini-tests are designed to help with building the retention of the course information. If you are passing the quizzes, you will have a greater chance of passing your course final on the first try.

#2. FLASHCARDS

Using flashcards is another great study tool that you can use. Flashcards will help you learn terminology. They are also an excellent way to test yourself on what you already learned. Typically real estate schools will provide you with this study tool along with your courses.

Don’t undervalue the use of flashcards. Actively using flashcards deepens your understanding of the concept or term and helps your brain recall the information when you’ll need it.

#3. CA REALTY TRAINING YOUTUBE CHANNEL

This is an excellent study resource. Most of the videos focus on real estate topics that will help you to excel once you’re licensed.

Although, there are terminology and real estate concept videos available as well. Here you can get more in depth information and examples on how these concepts are applied.

#4. EXAM PREP COURSE

Once you submit your application for the state exam and license it will be time for you to study.

The average time it takes for the Department of Real Estate to receive and process your application for a test date is 6-8 weeks. During that time, you will use the exam prep course so you can retain all the information that you learned.

This course is designed to help you study and prepare for the state exam. They are practice tests that pull questions from the 7 categories that will be covered on the exam. Each time you take it, the test bank of questions will change.

Click here to see the Department of Real Estate’s Examination Description and outline.

At CA Realty Training, the exam prep course is included with your enrollment along with your 3 courses.

#5. CRASH COURSE

Once you receive your test date you can also take advantage of a crash course. This is an additional course available to help you prepare for the state exam.

You would want to take a crash course as close to your exam date as possible. While the exam prep tests your overall knowledge, the crash course focuses on concepts known to be on the exam.

The crash course will also cover exam-taking tips and tricks to keep you mentally prepared as well.

3 Ways to Create a “Study Mindset”

Starting with a positive mindset will automatically set you up for success. The same positive mindset will get you through moments of adversity as well.

So, remember to approach your studies with this in mind. Here are 3 things you can actively do to create a study mindset:

1. Be Focused

Remain focused on one course at a time. Fully immerse yourself in the course you start with. This will allow you to understand the concepts, get comfortable with the material and master them. If you let yourself think about the whole process at once, it will only overwhelm you.

2. Be Determined

Be determined to get through the process and follow-through. Having a determined attitude will help you when you are struggling and give you the mental strength to continue.

3. Be Disciplined

You have to be disciplined when it comes to your studies. Set a goal for when and how long you plan on studying every day.

Final Thoughts on Whether or Not Real Estate School is Hard

Remember, these are college-level courses and there will be some degree of difficulty for some. Every person is different and will have a different experience. What will help you change your perception of “difficult” to “challenging” is the study tools you use and the mindset you start with.

So approach the process as a challenge. Challenges are supposed to be fun, make you think, and can be overcome.

Your courses are like playing a new game. When you start, it’s new and you’re not quite sure how to play. The more you learn and practice, the easier it becomes. You keep at it until you master it and move on to the next level.

So let’s circle back to our original question, “Is Real Estate School hard?” It’s only hard if you allow it to be.