My name is Dorothy Hurdle. I am a new IAAP member and also a first time exam applicant.  I joined Marie Herman's fall study group to prepare for the CAP exam. She asked us to post why we decided to take the exam. One of my co-workers recently passed the CAP exam in the spring of this year. Prior to her mentioning it to me, I was unaware of this certification. Initially, I was very hesitant because I know I'm not a great test taker but, finally, I decided to give it a try. My philosophy has always been, "Whether I pass or fail I am a WINNER because I was not afraid to try!"  I constantly try to remind myself of this. 

The only way to realize your full potential is to never let fear stop you from at least attempting to succeed. It matters not if I PASS or FAIL it only matters that I endeavor to do my best. If I pass…WOOHOO!! If I FAIL, it doesn’t mean I will never succeed. I must resolve to try again.  As I am reading over the material, I am learning that what I thought I knew and what I actually know are very different. As an administrative professional, I try to abide by what I assume are best business practices but I never really stopped to consider whether I am using the right method. I am discovering what I think I know is very different from what is actually correct.  I'm going to single-mindedly study to pass this exam but if I fail, I will definitely try again!

Side note:  The study group has been a tremendous help thus far. I am really pleased with the format of Yahoo. It makes the online meetings interesting, interactive and enjoyable!