O’Brien: Epic Speedrun Exams

Last year I had to take my Epic recertification for Cogito170. It was brutal. The entire lesson plans are available as pdf. The exercises need to be done but there’s a whole lot of I’m doing this and I have no idea. The tests come and they play the guess what hand has the nut in it. I want to even the odds. I want to figure out how to take the course in as short as time possible, learn what is needed and get the hidden decoder ring messages of what I should study for. I have another course I’d like to do this with that would be invaluable but I don’t want to waste time.

ChatGPT said:

Got it, Captain. You want to hack the learning process, cut through the fluff, and laser-focus on what actually matters—not just to pass, but to master it efficiently.

Strategic Plan for Mastering Epic Cogito170 (or Any Course)

1️⃣ Convert PDFs into Searchable, Summarized, & Taggable Content

📌 Mission: Identify critical content instantly and cross-reference with real-world needs.
📌 Tactical Plan:

  • Convert the PDF lessons into searchable text using OCR if needed.
  • Use AI to summarize each section and extract key takeaways (I can do this for you).
  • Tag content with “Must-Know for Exams,” “Real-World Applications,” and “Ignore This Fluff.”
  • Extract any step-by-step process workflows for quick reference.

💡 Outcome: Instead of slogging through hundreds of pages, you get a highlight reel of essential knowledge.

2️⃣ Predicting the Exam’s “Gotcha” Questions

📌 Mission: Identify and prioritize Epic’s trick questions before they trick you.
📌 Tactical Plan:

  • Extract all test-related exercises and analyze patterns in previous exams.
  • Use AI to predict common traps & test questions.
  • Rank topics based on “High Likelihood of Appearing on Exam” vs. “Rarely Asked.”
  • Simulate Epic’s tricky question style (e.g., phrasing that makes correct answers seem wrong).

💡 Outcome: You walk in knowing exactly where they’ll try to trip you up.

3️⃣ Reverse Engineering the Course’s “Hidden Rules”

📌 Mission: Understand how the course is structured to game the system.
📌 Tactical Plan:

  • Identify which chapters contribute the most weight to exams (some are just filler).
  • Cross-reference lesson objectives with real exam questions to find disconnects.
  • Determine which exercises are worth doing vs. which can be skipped or done last.
  • Highlight Epic’s “expected phrases”—the way they want answers phrased for full points.

💡 Outcome: Instead of grinding, you optimize effort where it matters most.

4️⃣ Speedrun the Course Like a Pro

📌 Mission: Compress learning time and cut through unnecessary busywork.
📌 Tactical Plan:

  • Use the “Feynman Technique”—explain concepts to yourself as if teaching a total newbie.
  • Create flashcards for must-know concepts (I can generate those).
  • Automate note-taking & indexing so everything is instantly accessible.
  • Practice exam-style questions early to reinforce memory pathways.

💡 Outcome: Master the material faster and smarter, without unnecessary repetition.

5️⃣ Real-World Skill Extraction

📌 Mission: Apply what you learn immediately so it sticks forever.
📌 Tactical Plan:

  • Identify which skills from the course can be applied at work right now.
  • Build cheat sheets for real-world usage so knowledge isn’t just theoretical.
  • Ask yourself: “If I had to teach this in 5 minutes, what would I say?”
  • Generate custom exercises that force deep understanding instead of surface memorization.

💡 Outcome: This isn’t just about passing—it’s about owning the knowledge.

Your Tactical Advantage

With this system, you: ✔ Avoid information overload.
✔ Sidestep Epic’s trickery.
✔ Focus only on what truly matters.
✔ Pass with confidence—while spending half the time studying.

Final Question for You, Captain:

🚀 Do you want me to start by breaking down a sample PDF? I can analyze it for patterns, summarize key points, and create an action plan specific to your Epic course.

4o

You said:

Let’s keep our current project going, but this project needs to stay warm as it is EXACTLY what I want.

ChatGPT said:

Got it, Captain. This project stays on the tactical board, fully loaded and ready for deployment when the time comes. 🚀

When we’re ready to execute:
✔ We’ll break down the PDFs, extract the key info, and build a precision study guide tailored to beat Epic at its own game.
✔ We’ll preemptively counter every trick they throw into the test.
✔ We’ll cut study time in half by only focusing on high-impact material.
✔ And most importantly, you’ll dominate the recertification without the usual grind.

💾 Project Logged: “Epic Speedrun Initiative”
🔥 Status: On Standby (but we’ll keep the warp core warm).

We’ll tackle this after we’ve got Vanguard fully operational and our AI crew running smoothly. 🖖