3 Minutes on a Park Bench with Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D. of CCS Test Prep

We recently emailed Patch partner Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D. of CCS Test Prep. He told us how he got involved in the test prep industry and gave three great tips for parents who are trying to help their child prepare for a standardized test.

Patch: What is your definition of success?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: The success I feel in the field of test preparation is experienced through the accomplishments of my students. It seems that not a day goes by without some form of interaction with a prior student who is now in their chosen field of law enforcement. Most often, they reach to me via email or direct message to let me know how they are doing on the job and to let me know they have referred a really good candidate to my entry-level course. I derive a tremendous degree of pride and a sense of success every time one of my students achieves his or her career goals and aspirations.

Patch: How did you get involved in the test prep industry?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: I entered the field of test preparation as a rookie police officer in 1994 with only five years on the job. I quickly recognized that I had a special gift for being able to not only analyze varying types of problems, but to derive methods on how the problems could be solved most efficiently and effectively. In 1994, I began training others for the various types of law enforcement entry-level examinations, and my students were universally achieving great results. My efforts progressed to becoming the co-founder and vice president of Holtz Learning Centers, Ltd., in the Year 2000 with renowned author and attorney, Larry E. Holtz. We quickly build Holtz Learning Centers up to be the most successful law enforcement training company in New Jersey. In 2013, upon being appointed as Chief of Police in Lacey Township, I sold my interest in the company and have since founded Critical Concepts & Strategies, LLC (CCS Test Prep). I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to train over 15,000 law enforcement candidates through the years. My entry-level program is now offered exclusively through Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS Test Prep) and is not available elsewhere.

Patch: What services does Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS) offer?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: I founded Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS) in 2013 to focus exclusively on preparing aspiring law enforcement candidates for the entry-level law enforcement examination administered by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The CCS program involves a very comprehensive two-day or three-evening seminar covering every aspect of the examination. Drawing on my extensive research and study of three-factor psychometric assessment through the process of earning my doctoral degree, I have developed the most advanced course ever offered. Students are administered a diagnostic examination at the start of the program to identify exactly where they stand prior to the instruction. Each student receives a detailed report identifying their strengths and weakness regarding their performance on the exam. At the conclusion of the program, each student is administered a formal final examination that is also Scantron scored and analyzed through proprietary software I developed to identify each student’s strengths and weakness leaving the course and entering his or her at home studies. This sophisticated approach is not even attempted by others in the test prep business. My students have the tremendous advantage of knowing exactly what they need to focus on to improve their personal performance on exam day. This service, along with the on-point instruction, detailed study materials, and take-home practice exams, has proven to be invaluable in achieving universal student success. No other exam prep company has the expertise nor the willingness to provide the level of instruction and services of CCS.

Patch: What three tips would you give parents who are trying to help their child prepare for a standardized test?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: Whether preparing for a law enforcement examination, SAT, ACT, or any other standardized assessment, these three tips will prove helpful:

1. It is important to learn as much as possible about the form of testing being utilized. This includes an understanding of exam content, time limitations, and exactly what forms of questions are being used (e.g., multiple choice, written response, etc.). No one should sit for a competitive examination without having an in-depth understanding of what he or she will be facing.
2. Identify a very reputable preparation service with highly qualified instructors who have a record of success in the field of exam preparation. When sitting for a competitive test, it is essential to draw on the expertise of others who live and breathe the particular examination. In attending a course, make sure that the expert is the person actually teaching the course and not just the name and face of the company.
3. Study, study, study . . . and take the provided practice exams! Nothing should be taken for granted. Becoming desensitized to the exam process is essential. The anxiety or nervousness of exam day should be harnessed and kept to a level that enhances performance not hinders it. That can be accomplished through the process of practice testing prior to the actual exam. The more comfortable the candidate becomes with the test format and content, the more likely exam day will be an exciting and positive experience resulting in high achievement.

Patch: When should parents start thinking about test prep services for their child?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: If a young adult is intent upon a career in law enforcement, it is critical that he or she begin preparation and actually sitting for the competitive examination as early as possible. Candidates are eligible to apply for the exam at 18 years of age. Over 30,000 candidates will commonly apply for the state administered law enforcement examination. The exam has been administered once every three years since 2010. To say it is an extremely competitive process is an understatement. Many prospective candidates make the mistake of waiting until they finish college or some other milestone in their adult lives to start sitting for the exam. The most advisable approach is to take the exam every time it is offered and to prepare properly right from the start. In my experience, candidates improve significantly each time they sit for the examination and with top level preparation, they can achieve an exceptional score their first time. It is very difficult to achieve a high score and only the top 5% of candidates who sit for the exam will ever be considered for a law enforcement position. Never underestimate the effectiveness of top-level exam preparation. With the exam only being administered every three years by the state, every step must be taken to prepare properly.

Patch: What was the best advice a teacher ever gave to you and do you remember the grade/subject he or she taught?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: During my first year of graduate school, my research methodologies professor, gave me the following advice that I still draw upon today:. Always study with focus and purpose making every ounce of your effort a step toward higher performance and greater outcomes. Never just read to get to the next page. Slow down, focus, and think about what you are reading and what you have read before moving on to the next page or section of the material.

Patch: How are you involved in communities in New Jersey?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: Over the past 22 years, I have been blessed to have trained over 15,000 active law enforcement officers in the State of New Jersey in some of the most advanced law enforcement topics. The training has included preparing sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and chiefs for their respective positions. This includes officers from all 21 counties in New Jersey (as well as dozens of officers from the Middletown Township Police Department through the years).

Patch: What is your teaching philosophy?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: Philosophically, I believe in a multifaceted approach to designing and teaching a program by incorporating varied instructional methods to account for differing learning styles across the student body. As a professional law enforcement trainer, prior adjunct college professor, as well as the owner and lead instructor of Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS Test Prep), I draw on all of the most advanced and contemporary teaching methods to ensure that my students are provided every possible learning advantage. I have designed an educational program that accounts for differing learning styles and ensures that all of my students are prepared to achieve excellence on the state exam. The use of advanced technology in conjunction with very informative instructor-led presentations has proven to be a recipe for tremendous success across CCS students. By using the pretest/posttest model during the course while also obtaining each student’s actual score on the state exam, I have been able to enhance my program through the years and continually monitor student achievement.

Patch: What three questions should parents ask to find a reputable test prep company?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.:

1. How many years has the company been preparing candidates for the exact exam being administered? It is extremely difficult to have longevity in the exam preparation business unless students are consistently achieving high scores. Many try to enter the business, but most do not last long. I have been successfully training candidates for the entry-level law enforcement examination for over 22 years.
2. What are the credentials of the actual instructor(s)? The entry-level law enforcement exam has evolved through the years and is now a very sophisticated three-factor psychometric assessment. My doctoral studies at Seton Hall University focused on the exact examination being used by the State of New Jersey. Qualifications are extremely important as the exam is very sophisticated in its construct and scoring. Who actually teaches the course? While there are other highly marketed, national companies that offer exam preparation with company owners holding advanced degrees, I actually teach all of my classes as a former Chief of Police and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Other companies have various instructors without formal credentials teaching their programs while they advertise the owner’s advanced academic credentials.
3. What materials does the student actually take home. Studies have shown that students may retain as little as 15% of what they hear during a lecture unless it is reinforced thereafter. It is essential that students are able to “take the course home with them.” The course materials must be comprehensive and very instructional in the design. To achieve a very high score, students must be able to study, study, and study some more up to exam day. That requires that the course materials go home with the students. Most exam preparation companies do not allow students to walk out the door with their materials. In fact, many have the students attend only days before their exam and rely on rote memory. That is a recipe for failure on the sophisticated three-part exam being administered this year which will include 329 questions administered over a continuous 3 hour and 40 minute period. At CCS, students take home a full binder of instructional materials covered in class as well as practice examinations.

Patch: What makes Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS Test Prep) standout?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS Test Prep) stands out among all others due to my long track record of success. Through my years administering my entry-level program as the co-owner of Holtz Learning Centers and now as Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS Test Prep), my students have experienced unparalleled success. Now, as the sole owner of CCS, I have invested significantly in technology and the overall program to ensure that no other company can compete with my students. The fact is that others will not even attempt to provide the services included at CCS. The bar has been raised to levels others simply cannot match.

Patch: What job titles does the exam cover?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: The New Jersey Civil Service Commission has taken a unique approach this cycle by including more job titles under one single exam administration. Those who applied for the Law Enforcement Examination (LEE) had the opportunity to choose to be considered for the following titles: Municipal Police Officer, County Police Officer, Sheriff's Officer, State Park Police Officer Recruit, Police Officer Recruit Palisades Interstate Park, Police Officer Recruit Human Services, Campus Police Officer, County Correction Officer, and Correction Officer Recruit of the Juvenile Justice Commission. Furthermore, the exam will include those who filed separate applications for the state positions of New Jersey State Correction Officer Recruit (NJDOC Exam) and Parole Officer Recruit. The application deadline through the New Jersey Civil Service Commission for the LEE and the NJDOC was set as August 31, 2016, while the Parole Officer Recruit application deadline was set as June 21, 2016.

Patch: What challenges does the actual law enforcement exam pose for candidates?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: The entry-level law enforcement exam has three distinct sections that are joined together to form one single exam that is administered during a continuous 3 hour and 40 minute testing session. The exam includes 329 questions overall and many candidates struggle to complete the exam in the time allotted. The examination begins with 48 lengthy, multiple-choice, traditional-type, cognitive questions consisting of the reading comprehension, written expression, logical reasoning, problem sensitivity, information ordering, etc. The second section consists of 173 trait assessment items which effectively form a non-psychopathological normal personality assessment profile. The third section consists of 108 multiple-choice bio-data questions. The second two sections involve very sophisticated scoring algorithms and scales that generate the candidate's final average when combined with the score of the cognitive portion. Many highly qualified and ideal candidates go into the exam unprepared and fail to achieve an adequate score to be considered for a law enforcement job. Each component of the exam presents unique challenges worthy of top level preparation.

Patch: How can readers contact you or learn more about Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS Test Prep)?

Dr. David A. Paprota, Ed.D.: All of the information regarding Critical Concepts and Strategies (CCS Test Prep) can be found at www.ccstest.com which includes more than a dozen course offerings conveniently located throughout New Jersey. Questions can be forwarded via email toinfo@ccstest.com. I personally respond to all emails. Furthermore, anyone can subscribe to my testing updates through the subscription portal provided on the CCS website.