Training For the Master Sommelier Exam

I received an email from an aspiring young sommelier asking my advice about taking a year off from "the floor" to study full-time for the Master Sommelier exam. The reason being she can't find the much needed time to devote to her studies. I hear this question a lot so I thought I would share my response to her:

While I applaud your pursuit of the exam, I think the passion of the pursuit can...