# isa certification



## osb_mail (Dec 6, 2006)

I am going to take the certified arborist test in feb. Anybody certified if so please fill me in on some of study material you used .Also what kind of you guys have gotten after being certified . I am going to try to start my own business in a few years .


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## Treecareconcept (Dec 7, 2006)

*ISA exam*

All I had was the study guide. I managed to pass on the first try with an 84 or an 87 I don't remember which, but that was way back in 94. I think the test is more difficult now. The ISA has a list of recommended books to supplement the study guide. Learn the biology! That is where many fail. 
Good luck!


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## Mike Barcaskey (Dec 7, 2006)

Tree ID was tough, the list they sent to study had 158 species on it, 100 of which I had never heard of or worked with LOL!


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## osb_mail (Dec 7, 2006)

*thanks for the info*

I have the study and the audio study guide .I also Dirr and Modern Arborculture by Shigo . I should not have to much problem with tree id I hope .I worked in a nursery for four years I learned lot of tree my there .


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## TreemanFJR (Dec 7, 2006)

All I had was the study guide. The test had multiple typos in it. Simple words were spelled wrong. It made me really think of how professional this test was when I saw those. The tree ID pictures were terrible. Know a trees habit (ie form). Couldn't see the bark or leaf in the pictures I was given. Otherwise I thought it was fairly easy.


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## 1I'dJak (Dec 15, 2006)

I just got my certification recently.... had to take one section again... thank god it wasn't the id...the list was big and haven't seen most of the trees... the id was just some photos...some were really dodgy and looked like they had been taken from a passing car...something i was really disappointed with, especially since i was informed that we were getting samples... all the other sections are pretty much covered in the study guide, with the odd question that's not... as well as the odd question that seems to have a couple of right answers... there's a couple of web sites that have good photos of tree species...hit up the search list on this site for them... saved my bacon... now i'll put the little isa sticker on my helmet and all the fellas at work will bug me as we spike up trees and whack off big tops!


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## Dixie1 (Dec 15, 2006)

i took the exam this past june and i just used the study guide and passed the first time. i actually did study the biology part the hardest, i even used the supplemental cd rom and scored the lowest on biology. our id part was the easiet portion for me. we only had 20 trees, most of which grew natively in our area. make sure you do read the study guide from front to back and don't skip any parts. yes, our test did have a few grammar and spelling errors too.


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## ATH (Dec 15, 2006)

I think it depends on what your background is. With mine, I had no problem with the ID, biology, soils stuff, but the cabling/bracing/lightning protection was harder for me (especially since there were only a few questions, so you lose more points for each wrong answer).

I also found more than a couple of questions that had more than one possible answer. You get a "pink slip" to write about such quesionts. I think, but am not sure, that they will review these when grading your test; and if you can justify your answer, they will give it to you.

To prepare, I used the Cert study guide and some of the Best Management guides included in the "Building blocks of arboriculture" packet from ISA.


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## M.D. Vaden (Dec 16, 2006)

Even though I attended 4 eleven week ID classes in college, I still was concerned about the tree ID section. I wasn't certain if they were going to give us all the specimens without leaves or something like that.

I got 90% or 100% on the ID section.

At least in the study guide, it was obvious which chapters pertained to a facet that I'm not too involved with, so I could just keep rereading those. 

Time is on your side when you are studying in most cases.


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## B-Edwards (Dec 17, 2006)

I failed the first time with over an 80 score, impossible? I totally blew the fert section with a brain fart on the math. I only used the study guide . I thought even though i failed that the test was too easy. I did have to retake only the fert section . All the answers and advise above is correct.


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## Quercus34 (Jan 3, 2007)

I used the study guide and The Tree Climber's Companion. I think the ID section was 50% multiple choice and 50% plant samples. The samples should be of common species in the area where you are taking the test.

A great way to study for the ID is to spend some time wandering around a nursery. The test is not that hard but you must pass all the sections in order to get certified. Spend extra time in the areas where you are week.

As for some general test taking advice: eliminate as many answers as possible (most questions will have two or more clearly wrong answers) this will improve your odds in the event that you must quess; go with your first instinct when you guess; don't change your answers unless you have good reason to; don't cram the night before the exam only do a light review if anything.

Good luck


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## lorax (Jan 3, 2007)

*ISA Exam*

Hey study the fert section and be good at math, bio section is hard also.
Good luck


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## 1I'dJak (Jan 3, 2007)

sounds familiar...i got 85 overall but had to rettake the fert section...seemed easy at the time i first wrote it....


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## osb_mail (Jan 6, 2007)

*Thanks for all of your great info*

There is going to be a day and half class before the test .It cost $110 dollars .I will probably take it . I don t really want because it this whole ISA thing is starting to feel like a money thing more than anything else .I know reviewing all material right before test would a great help .The thing is I am paying for all this on my own $200 to take test ,$90 book ,$40 audio CD and now $110 class .


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## treeseer (Jan 6, 2007)

osb_mail said:


> $200 to take test ,$90 book ,$40 audio CD and now $110 class .


I don't understand the math. You spent $330 for what it costs a member $220. Sounds like you would have broken even if you had joined.

Either way, it's a good investment. I started charging more for my time right after I got certified.


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## jefflovstrom (Jan 6, 2007)

*Do it!*

Dude! Do it! I have been in the business for over 27 years and I was cert#449 treeworker, I was proud and it showed in my customer base as well as my biz friends! I lived in my car with my saddle and gear and once I got certified my life changed! I live and breathe trees as a parent lives and breathes for their kids and family. I know the Biology part the best and it was a tough test. Seems like they ask you a question that you know and some miss-wording screws you up. RELAX-Timing is important-- You can re-take domains but you want to make those few if not one. I know the Biology the best and failed that domain. It took two more times to pass and I was trippin' until I read "Arboriculture, Intergrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs, and Vines" by Richard W. Harris. Anyway, I am the Op's Manager of a great company and I don't owe it to ISA, I owe it to my pursuit of knowledge of arboriculture.
Hang in there and do it!!
Jeff Lovstrom, 
In beautiful San Diego!


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## osb_mail (Jan 9, 2007)

*I am already signed up for test*

I am a member now .I became a member to take test I bought book and audio cd before I is was a member .So membership and test over $200.


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## Sunrise Guy (Jan 9, 2007)

The test is much tougher than it used to be. I took it last October, and the failure rate was 49%. I passed with an 89, but I studied the guide for three months. You should NOT rely only on the study guide. The test purposely asks you questions found NOWHERE in the guide. I have a near-photographic memory when it comes to multiple choice tests, so right after I walked out of the test I wrote the questions down that I felt I missed. I checked them in the guide and some were not covered anywhere. I found ten of the questions I thought I had missed, and they were, indeed, wrong. When I got my score back there were twelve more questions wrong and I had no idea what they were. The trouble is, ISA won't tell you what you missed and they won't give you the right answers to ones you know you got wrong. It's very frustrating and makes the test a non-learning experience. That is, if you are doing things wrong on your gig, and you answered a given question wrong based on how you do things, you'll still keep doing whatever it is you do, wrong. I went a round with ISA on this and they wouldn't budge. They're still a great organization, but I wish they'd give feedback on wrong answers.

Study other tree books. Read up in more depth on pruning, construction around trees, etc. Some of the questions on the test are poorly worded, no doubt about it, but what can you do? I guess the pink slips let you vent, afterwards, but big deal. Some of the ID pictures are a joke. They are not clear and some leave out defining characteristics, altogether. Get the tree list for your State from ISA and then grab the pics off the net. I made a great file of every tree on the list and also collected 90% of the tree leaves, flowers and seeds right around my town.  It helped.

Good luck!


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