Review - Visual Veggies RD Test Prep Program

Hi everyone,

I’m Tony Scornavacco and if you couldn't guess, I’m Kim’s son.  I am fortunate enough to have a mother who is an avid and successful blogger who was graciously willing to host my product  review of a test prep program for becoming a Registered Dietitian.  

As for my background, I’m 24  years old and have been studying nutrition and dietetics for about 7 years.  I completed a 4.5 year undergraduate nutrition and dietetic program at Dominican University to achieve a Bachelors degree in nutrition and dietetics. From there, I went on to become a Dietetic Technician Registered (DTR) and then completed a 42 week internship/residency with the Veterans Administration.  I finally became a Registered Dietitian on July 11th, 2017 after passing the licensing exam for Registered Dietitians (RD exam).  

Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with the field, the RD exam is often renowned in the dietetic community as the most difficult, frustrating, and final task to overcome to finally achieve those two little letters after your name (RD). For this reason many people spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on test prep materials to ensure that they pass on their first try (because each time you take the exam it costs $200).  Also, the sooner the test is completed the sooner you can start working.  In order to ensure that I could be as well prepared for the RD exam as possible I reached out to Ryan Hartz MS, RD, CSSD who is the founder and CEO of a  RD test prep program called visual veggies (VV). Ryan Graciously allowed me to use and review a similar program about 1 year ago to prep for the DTR exam, which I passed on my first go around.  For this reason, I was eager to use this program again for the RD exam.

Before I start the actual review of the program I’d like to say that Ryan has done an incredible job with continuously improving his program. Multiple features have been added to the program over the past year.  Also worth noting is that the RD exam guidelines changed this past year in a way that completely changed the RD exam, and Ryan updated the program to reflect these changes, which I’m sure was no easy or quick task. I wanted to touch on this because it shows that the program is continuously updated and revised to provide the best experience possible. Also worth noting is that the program comes with 3 months of free updates so that any changes made during the first 3 months of purchase can be automatically downloaded free of charge. This is beneficial because the science of nutrition changes so frequently.

Now then, the review.  When you first open the program it will prompt you to take a pretest composed of a mix of 125 questions from different domains (the different categories of the RD exam).  This test is timed at 2.5 hours and does not provide feedback as to whether or not you are answering questions correct or wrong in order to provide a realistic testing experience. Both the time and number of questions are the same as the RD exam.  After the test you will receive a total score, a breakdown for how you did in each domain (so that you can see where you need to concentrate your focus), an analysis of time management, and recommendations for improvement.  Below are the results of my pretest. This system is excellent because it shows you where you begin and then allows you to review later and see how you have improved. The key takeaway from this part of the program is that it simulates the actual exam. All practice tests in this program other than a full random test and the original practice test will immediately tell you if you got the question right or wrong and give you an explanation.

After the pretest you are free to roam the program and select from a number of different options for how you want to study.  There are a few main categories of study “modes” to choose from which are shown below.

The practice exam mode allows you to choose from 1-4 domains as well as sub categories of each domain and a math section. Very customizable so you can focus on exactly what you need. The key takeaway from this study mode of the program is that it simulates the actual exam.  During any test other than a full random test and the original practice test the program will immediately tell you if you got the question right or wrong and give you an explanation. Additionally, any question you answer incorrectly is automatically stored in the “redeem yourself” section on the practice exam mode. This allows you to go back and answer only those specific questions that you did not get correct.  This feature allows for excellent information recognition because of the repetition.  This remains my favorite aspect of the program because I feel it benefits learning the most, and it is unique to this program as far as I’m aware. 

You can choose to take any of the entire domain tests, a subcategory test, or you can choose to create your own test and really study exactly what you want and how you want. I personally opted for putting all 939 questions into a personal test and just kept answering until my brain wouldn't work anymore.  I felt like this was a good way to get an idea of how I would score overall on the real exam.  I ended up doing 500 of the 939 questions straight through and got about an 88%. I think its worth noting that my average stayed between about 87-89% from questions 100-500, which I feel displays how well rounded the program is at giving a good mix of questions.   

Like I said earlier, the program has 939 questions at the time of this review, however, the amount of information given in the 

explanation section could probably make up over 2500 questions.  For example, if the question is “at what temperature must pork be cooked to in order to destroy harmful pathogens” the explanation category tells you the internal temps for ALL foods you will need to know.  The program does this for a myriad of other types of questions as well, which is why this program is so well rounded and great for test prep. The amount of information it provides is unbelievable. 

The final aspect of this section of the program is the “progress” section.  This tracks your progress and shows you exactly how many questions you get correct for each domain for each individual test or all tests taken.  This allows you to see which sections are your weaknesses or strengths to allow you to tailor your studying strategy.

As a final note on this portion of the program, you will almost never come across a test program or a practice test for the RD exam that has a question on it that will also be on the real RD exam. Therefore is it important to 1) be familiar with the information and be able to APPLY it, and 2) be familiar with how to read the question, deduce what the question is truly asking, practice how to narrow the answers down to at least 2, and then be able to make an educated guess.  This is what VV truly prepares you to be able to do.

The white board videos were an addition to the program that seemed almost too good to be true.  Ryan goes through each of the mathematical formulas you need to know for the RD exam, shows you how to work through the problem, and how to come to the correct solution.  For individuals who struggle with math or simply are not sure what formulas will be needed for the exam this is a tremendous help.  The great thing about truly knowing and understanding how to correctly work through each type of math question on the RD exam is that no matter what question you get pertaining to math you will be able to correctly answer it, which is completely different than any other domain. In my opinion, this section along with the math section of the practice exam mode are well worth the price of the program on their own.  To my knowledge, no other program out there has any characteristic such as this, making it incredibly unique and beneficial. 

When it comes to the RD exam it’s important to remember that you do NOT have to memorize everything.  The exam is what I would call the equivalent of knowing everything you learned in undergrad and your internship combined. That is how much information could potentially be on the exam.  Don’t forgot that the questions are multiple choice and therefore, there will be information to trigger your mind into narrowing it down to at least 2 answers 90% of the time.  Therefore, you only need to be familiar with some information and be able to pick the right answer out of the crowd and not conjure it from your memory.  This is where the matching section of the program comes into play.  

Ryan has compiled a long list of information that you most likely don't need to memorize (in my opinion), but will simply need to be familiar with and will only need to recognize.  For this section, you simply click the answer from the left hand boxes and then the coordinating answer in the right hand boxes and the program  will ask you to “try again” if it is incorrect or it will show you “correct” with an explanation. While you don't need to memorize MOST of this information there will be some that you will need to memorize and know slightly more in depth (you will be able to deduce for yourself what that information is based on your skills in each domain). The matching section is a great modality for memorizing this information because it provides information in a different format than the majority of the other information you study, allowing for better understanding and recollection. This was a great addition to the program and definitely helped me memorize key points.

The abbreviation section was another addition that was new to me.  For this section the program will give you a term or group of terms that are commonly abbreviated and you will type in the correct abbreviation. The program will answer awesome if correct or ask you to try again if incorrect.  Once you have gotten the answer correct, or “surrendered,” the correct answer will be displayed along with an informational explanation. This section is fantastic because the RD exam does contain abbreviations that you will need to have memorized to answer the question correctly.  Don’t let yourself get a question incorrect simply because you weren't sure what an abbreviation meant. This section was a great addition to help potential RD’s study and learn abbreviations. I’ve shown an example below.

Some Ideas For Improvement:

1. There were certain questions in the practice exams that I didn't know but happened to guess correctly.  Since they weren't wrong they weren't stored in the “redeem yourself” section, and I wasn't able to go back and look at them.  I’d like to see a feature added where any question you choose can be added to the “redeem yourself” section so questions you got correct, but want to review can be found easily later on.
2. While I found the questions to be of similar difficulty to the RD exam I found some of the answers to be too easily dismissible. I’d honesty say that 90% of the time on the RD exam you can narrow it down to 2 answers, but those 2 are usually quite similar which makes it difficult.  In the VV software I found that the correct answer was distinguishable from the other 3 more easily than on the RD exam.  My suggestion here would be to create answers slightly more similar to each other to more accurately simulate the exam difficulty and build up test taking skill.

**Note that Ryan already had plans to address both of the above in the future.

Overall Impression:

I truly believe VV is one of the best test prep resources for the RD exam.  I think that with everything it offers the price is unbeatable, especially considering how much information you get and how many study modalities are included.  I would refer this program to anyone in the process of studying for this exam. 

A Final Word:

I’d like to wholeheartedly thank Ryan for allowing me to review his program. I felt that it helped me study and retain the information I needed for the exam, and it broke up the monotony of studying flash cards and reading text.  I’m very grateful for the opportunity and thankful for how it helped me pass my exam.  

As a special offer to the readers of Snug Harbor Bay, Ryan has provided a code that discounts the program by $20.00.  

Discount code:  SNUGHARBORBAY

Link to site:  https://visualveggies.com/products/rd-exam-study-suite/

Disclaimer: To study for the RD exam I utilized a study guide provided through another test prep company that my internship required I purchase during the internship.  That guide was my primary source of information for the exam.  My secondary source was visual veggies. I was provided with visual veggies free of charge with the understanding that I would provide an unbiased review of the program. I have not received any form of monetary compensation for this review and will not receive monetary compensation with the use of the discount code provided above. 

Review: Visual Veggies DTR Exam Prep Program.

My name is Tony Scornavacco.  I graduated in January of 2016 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics.  In order for me to become a Registered Dietitian I need to undergo a 1200 hour supervised internship, and then sit for a registration exam.  An individual  in my position has about a 51% chance of being matched to a Dietetic internship, which occurs in early April with start dates usually in August or September.  In order to gain more experience in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics I want to work as a Dietetic Technician Registered (DTR), which is an individual who performs many of the same tasks as a Registered Dietitian apart from prescribing Medical Nutrition Therapy as well as a few other tasks. 

 In order to become a DTR I must pass a registration exam similar to that which a Registered Dietitian must pass.  One of the biggest problems with becoming a DTR is the lack of resources available to use to study.  Very few organizations compile and sell study materials for this exam because it is a small niche field.  One company that has gone to great lengths to provide a comprehensive set of study materials for the DTR exam is VisualVeggies from Ryan T Hartz MS, RD, CSSD.  This program covers each of the five domains that DTR hopefuls will be tested on and does so in a way that mimics the DTR exam itself.  It it chalk full of features that help students adequately prepare for the DTR exam in as efficient a way as possible.  I was fortunate enough to speak with Mr. Hartz and receive a copy of the program in order to prepare for the DTR exam.  Below is what I found through completion of the 800+ question program.

What I Liked

Pre Test: Before delving into the meat of the program you have the option of taking a pretest composed of questions from each domain of the exam.  This is excellent for two reasons.  First, it allows the student to see which domains are his/her strengths and weaknesses.  Second, it gives the student a glance at what to expect from the DTR exam because it mimics what the exam will be like.  This is a great feature for individuals who like to see how far they have come since the beginning of studying.

Test Timer:  Each test has a timer with a set amount of time depending on how many questions are being taken.  This is great because it allows the student to feel the pressure of being timed, which primes him/her for the DTR exam.  Test taking skills are an important part of taking the exam.  Content is not the only aspect that is important.  Also, the timer can be stopped if you want to read the logic behind why the correct answer is the correct option, or need to take a break.  This is a handy feature for studying and preventing burnout.

Full Random Test:  If you want to experience something similar to the pretest and the actual DTR exam you can take the DTR “Full Random Test”, which is composed of 130 random questions from each of the five domains.  This test has a 2.5 hour time limit (the same as the actual DTR exam), which drives home the idea that this program mimics the actual exam.  Again, this is great for building test taking skills and increasing testing endurance.

Progress Tracker:  The program will keep track of how many questions you have gotten correct and incorrect from each of the five domains so you can see where you need to focus your attention most.  It will display your percentage correct each time you take a set of questions regardless of how many times you take it, which allows you to see how much progress you have made.  Furthermore, when you click on each domain or test you can see all the questions you answered incorrectly, what your answer was, what the correct answer should have been, and the explanation for why it was correct.

Different Domains:  The program is broken down into the five domains of the DTR exam and allows you to tackle them one at a time and by sub domain.  This is especially helpful when you know what domain on which you want to focus.  

What I Loved

These three features of the program make test prep significantly easier and allow the student to completely understand the reasoning behind why each answer is the correct one.  The program truly shines because of these three features. 

Incorrect Answer Redemption:  When you take any of the tests and incorrectly answer a question the program bookmarks that question into a separate section called “redemption”.  Here, all your incorrectly answered questions are stored for you to go back to in order to correctly answer and analyze.  This saves countless hours of writing down questions or searching though previously answered questions to find the ones you answered incorrectly.

Correct Answer Explanation:  This aspect of the program is beyond helpful.  First, after you answer a question, whether it is right or wrong, you will see the explanation for why the correct answer is the right one.  This allows the student to receive a full understanding of the content.  Furthermore, this description often gives additional information related to the question.  For instance, one question asks about how many cups of dairy a fully grown adult needs per day.  The answer is 3 cups per day.  The description goes on to reveal that children 2-3 years old need 2 cups/day and those 4-8 years old need 2.5 cups per day.  So really this question gives you 3 pieces of pertinent information that may come up on the DTR exam.  This occurs repeatedly throughout the program, which means that the 800+ question program truly gives 1000+ questions worth of information.

Just Math:  Outside of the five Domains of this program exists another section titled “Just Math.”  Here, the student can take 171 math dedicated questions from across the 5 domains to practice basic to complicated mathematical equations needed to complete the DTR exam.  I personally feel math is one of those areas that many students struggle with so this is an absolute gem in the world of studying for this exam.

What Could Be Improved

Randomized Answers:  If I would change one single thing about the program it would be that the answers to each question became randomized each time the exam is taken.  The answers correlating with A, B, C, D are always the same, which serves as a mental cue for which answer is the correct one.  I personally feel that this impedes absolute material comprehension and makes the program a bit easier.  However, this is simply my opinion, and not everyone will find this to be a negative aspect of the program.

Formula Bank:  An addition to the program that I would have personally found helpful would be a section that lays out all the formulas covered on the DTR exam.  I went into the program without much of a background in the business/management aspect of nutrition so I found Domain 5 (management) very difficult because it is formula heavy.  As I took the exam I became familiar with the formulas because they are given in the description of why the correct answer is the right one, so the formulas are in fact given.  However, unless you write down each formula (like I did) as you go through the questions you will need to retake the exams in order to see the formulas.

Final Thoughts

This program is an excellent tool for preparing for the registration exam to become a DTR. I will definitely be purchasing the program for the RD exam when it comes time for me to take it.  It was truly difficult to find anything I would change about this program because it was so well designed, and had so much thoughtfulness put into it.

I’d like to express my sincerest gratitude to Mr. Hartz for the opportunity to review his program, and for offering my readers a $20.00 discount on his program.  Visit the Visual Veggies website for more information and use the discount code.

$20.00 Discount Code: SNUGHARBORBAY

4-3-16 update - Tony took the DTR test and passed on his first try!!!   Way to go Tony.