EPPP practice test scores for those who passed

[foreverbull]

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Hi everyone,

I have been scouring this thread for help and support as I study for the EPPP. Very thankful for the information others have shared! I am using hand me down psychprep materials and my latest scores on the practice exams are in the 60-70 range. I've been studying for about two months consistently. I still have a few practice exams to take, but thought since I was scoring in this range that I should go ahead and take the PEPPO to assess readiness. I took the PEPPO this week and failed. Has anyone else encountered this? I have a game plan of reviewing materials that I felt unsure of on the test and finishing my practice tests + reviewing incorrect answers. I also recently got a hold of psychprep audio and plan to focus on my weaker areas. Any advice or tips? Failing the PEPPO freaked me out and now I feel like my psychprep scores may just be flukes.

Thanks!

I would think some of this below would apply regarding changing your study habits, addressing anxiety, etc. If you don’t think Prepjet was effective, you might look to get some audio or used materials at a discount from another company. If you know the material well and it’s just anxiety, that would be your focus.

1.You could take handwritten notes on your currently-owned practice materials, or change something up in your practice routine to help with encoding/storage/recall. I don't know that changing your materials should make that much of a difference in this case given how comprehensive they are. The only thing I think you'd need practically-speaking is a few more practice tests to solidify your review of topics you struggled with. How you study is just as important as what you study--do you read passively, then listen to audio, then take a practice test at regular intervals? Do you take notes on the material you read or listen to?

2. How many total hours of study time did you allow yourself and during what time period? I studied ~90 hours in 2-3 months to keep the material fresh, but some folks in here range from around 20-200 hours depending on comfort level/confidence, time available to study, how long it's been since they graduated, etc. I stopped at 90 because that's when I completed a full run-through of all of my materials, and my confidence overtook my anxiety about taking the test at that point, so I was sick of studying. That threshold will vary by individual.

3. If you passed the PEPPO, this could be a sign of anxiety impairing your performance a bit (maybe just enough to pull you under the passing score?). What might be more relevant for you is to work on replicating the exam setting as much as possible and using relaxation skills during practice tests and reviewing test-taking strategies, perhaps? Several folks in here who mentioned that they failed were doing fine in terms of studying and practice test scores but then something happened at the EPPP-taking stage.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Psych20122]

Finally.... I am happy to say that I passed the EPPP today (NY 565). It has been a very turbulent past year or so including a couple failed attempts. I used both AATBS and PrepJet. AATBS was way too comprehensive and overwhelming. On AATBS exams my scores progressed from the mid 50's to the mid-80's after several months of studying. However, despite my improved scores with AATBS I still failed the exam not once (437), but twice (477). For a change in approach I bought a 3 month subscription to PrepJet.

I truly feel as if the PrepJet chapter reviews were the difference maker for me. They were very concise and easy to read. On PrepJet exams my scores were in the high 60's/low 70's. I took them in an unconventional order that the folks at PrepJet told me to (4 (71), 6 (70), 7 (69). On the last exam I took (1), I scored an 88. At this point, I felt confident to take the exam again but still had a lot of worry. That being said, I sucked it up and passed!

Like many in this thread have said, the actual exam is different than the tests from any publisher. There was plenty of stuff I had not seen before, but was able to recognize at least a term or two in order to eliminate answers. I probably felt super confident in about 30% of my answers and fairly confident in 40%. The rest I did what I could to pick the most reasonable answer. One piece of advice that I did decide against was re-checking my answers. For me, I tended to have much more anxiety at the beginning of the exam because of things I didn't know coupled with the fact that there were like 220 more questions. So, I actually wasn't as crisp in answering early on. Before my time ran out, I noticed a few original selections that made me scratch my head.

So happy to be done! 🙂

 

[Forensicologist]

I'm so overjoyed to be able to contribute to this thread! I passed the EPPP today on my first try (Scaled score 572 - NY 80) and this thread was so encouraging and really helped calm my nerves. I have anxiety and I'm not the greatest multiple choice test taker so naturally I was fairly nervous going in. Here is a brief overview my study journey. I began slowly studying about 3 months prior to my test date and then amped up the intensity about 6 weeks out. I used AATBS and supplemented with a 1 month subscription to Psychprep. I found combining the two worked really well for me and gave me access to a a number of of practice tests. My Psychprep subscription ended so I can't see my exact scores on the practice tests but I never got above a 65% on a Psychprep test (first time around - I scored between 80-90% on retakes). I did hit 130 on test E which is supposed to be fairly predictive of success on the EPPP (or so I read) and I'm happy to say it was in my case! My scores on AATBS practice tests (test mode/randomized questions) were as such:

Test 1: 70%
Test 2: 69%
Test 3: 74%
Test 4: 69%
Test 5: 76%
Test 6: Didn't complete
Test 7: 67%
Test 8: 60%
Exam simulation 1: 67%

Old test questions - 74%

I should note I did not take the above exams in order, and between the test mode exams I spent time passively answering test questions on the study mode exams so I'm sure my scores were a bit inflated due to being exposed to similar content on the other exams. I also took both the PEPPPO and PEPPP02 and passed both in the two days before my exam. Like I said, I have a decent amount of anxiety so I wanted to do everything in my power to expose myself to a wide variety of questions from different sources. I'm not sure if I was lucky to get an easier version of the EPPP but I found a number of items on the actual test were very similar to the test questions I took between the AATBS, Psychprep, old questions, and PEPPPO's. I would say abut 45-50% of what I studied, however, was not on the exam. Despite this, I was glad to have over prepared because it did help with my confidence going in to the exam. For me, the biggest help was taking practice exams which really helped me improve my test taking strategies. I wish the best of luck to everyone preparing for and getting ready to take this beast of an exam. It can feel like and long and overwhelming journey but, in the end, whether you only have to take it once or a few times, it is all worth it to be able to independently practice what you love! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

 

[RainbowCat]

Hi all,

I wanted to share an update since my last post. I am thankful to share that I passed on my first attempt! It was close (512) but that tells me I studied just enough to get a passing score. I used hand-me-down PsychPrep materials to study. I first completed practice exam A in study mode and scored a 59%, I then took practice test B in test mode (54%) and test C in test mode (55%) while slowly reading the psychprep materials. I realized my scores were not improving much so I paused test taking while I completed all of the psychprep reading materials. I did some practice questions casually with friends during this time. I also joined the Facebook group "Hack the EPPP" that someone previously mentioned on this thread. I did not pay for their program but did watch the pre recorded videos for helpful study tips and test taking strategies. I then retook tests A, B, and C in test mode. I scored 61%, 63% and 70%. I figured since I hit a 70 on a practice test that maybe I was ready for the real thing, so I took the PEPPO. As mentioned in my previous post, I failed the PEPPO. I did not receive a score, it was just pass/fail. So I'm unsure if I was close to a passing score on that exam. This was unnerving and I decided to review study materials and revisit test taking strategies for about a week. I then took the retired test questions exam (225 questions) and scored a 70%. At that point, I decided to just go ahead and register for the exam.

I believe the PEPPO was more difficult than the actual exam. In my opinion, the retired test question exam was the closest to the wording and style of the actual exam.

I studied consistently for around 2 months. Several hours during weekdays and longer hours on weekends.

What was most helpful was consistent engagement with practice exams and quiz questions. Towards the end of my studying, I became more comfortable with not knowing the question or the content and doing my best to answer what the question was asking. I believe my anxiety got the best of me during PEPPO, which was a helpful experience in knowing what NOT to do on the real exam. I typically finished full practice exams in 2-2.5 hours. On the EPPP, I used the entire time. I read each question multiple times and each answer multiple times (even the ones that I felt confident in knowing before reading the answers). This helped manage anxiety and also to really focus on what the question was asking. Much of what was on the exam was content that I had not studied, and much of what I studied was not on the exam. Maybe a third of questions on the exam touched on content I studied or looked like previous practice questions. A fair amount of questions touched on topics that I was somewhat familiar with and was able to eliminate a response out of the 4 options. Most questions I was able to get down to 2 options and try to make the best guess from there. Some questions were complete guesses.

This exam is not reflective of skill or clinical/research ability, but rather your ability to understand how to answer the questions on the exam. It feels like a game and makes me incredibly angry that this is a gatekeeper for our field, especially when it seemingly disadvantages those with marginalized backgrounds.

All of that to say, I am incredibly happy to move on with my life! This process was awful and I hope that my contribution to the thread can help others down the line. Good luck to future test takers!

 

[b1098]

Hi all. I am taking my EPPP in January and want to begin studying. Does anyone have any old materials they wouldn't mind sharing with me? (e.g., practice exams (the best option!) but also any flash cards, notes, audio files, etc.). Thank you in advance!!!

 

[Psych20122]

As someone who failed the EPPP twice (while studying AATBS exclusively) but passed recently, I wouldn't take the real exam until your first attempt on full exams are at least in the mid to late 60s, early 70s AND you pass the PEPPO. If you want, message me and I'll try to help.

 

[clinicalpsychpsyd]

As someone who failed the EPPP twice (while studying AATBS exclusively) but passed recently, I wouldn't take the real exam until your first attempt on full exams are at least in the mid to late 60s, early 70s AND you pass the PEPPO. If you want, message me and I'll try to help.

do you have any advice for a retake?

 

[Psych20122]

do you have any advice for a retake?

Memorize the content from the big 6 (most heavily weighted domains) as best as you can. I effectively studied with the PrepJet study reviews. They were much more concise than AATBS, which was information overload. I agree with many people on this board that practice tests are very important, but mastering thr important content is crucial.

 

[rr92]

Just wanted to make an account to pass along as I found this thread very useful. I passed today with a 585 (NY 81).
I graduated from a PsyD. program several years ago in 2018 and had already been procrastinating even before the pandemic hit, so was pretty far removed from my studies, and was at a PsyD program, which I know in some of my research made me concerned whether or not my side of things may be different from other people reporting in this thread.
I studied for about two full months for the exam, using exclusively AATBS materials. I started with the assessment exam, scoring a 43% on it at about two months out. I had books from 2017 and spent the first month reading through them, highlighting pretty liberally and doing the little 'fill in the blank' sections at the end. I took the domain quizzes on the AATBS site after finishing a book, and the first time around for each was scoring in about the 60-70 range, with a few of the later domains like Social and, surprisingly, IO being in the low 80s.
After a little vacation half time, I went into the online tests more thoroughly, and scored the following:

Exam 1: I consider this one a DNF, as the AATBS site recommended taking this after only finishing the first three major sections on their 'accelerated' path, but that was dumb. Don't do that lol.
Exam 2: 54%
Exam 3: 62%
Exam 4: 60%
Exam 5: 58%
Exam 6: 63%
Exam 7: 58%
Exam 8: 64%
Retired Questions: 78%
PEPPO1: Pass
PEPPO2: Pass (and also felt much more comfortable than the first one, for whatever that's worth)

As you can see, not only was I not scoring in the 70s but was pretty low on that line even for the 60s. I am certain that there are similar stories throughout this long, long running thread but to appeal to someone who may be in a similar situation to mine, hang in there. As part of your studying don't just get the information down (there are so many things that are not in the materials no matter how much you study) but use the practice tests as an opportunity to find out a little more about what works for you. I didn't really go into studying with this with an idea of 'what kind of test taker' I was, I kinda just knew I passed tests through undergrad and grad school haha. It was if nothing else a good opportunity for me to learn that 95% of the time changing an answer was a bad idea and working backwards to eliminate bad answers was much better than trying to just nail a bullseye off the bat. I finished the exam with about 100 minutes to spare and felt pretty on the mark for what I thought my score was gonna be.
Oh, one more thing, and I hope this isn't too far into the weeds, but the AATBS exams were WAY harder with regards to psychopharm/neurology/bio-basis-stuff-that-has-nothing-to-do-with-psychology-even-tangentially than their quizzes and what I felt I needed to know for the actual exam. A distinct point I noticed was I probably WOULD have been dancing closer to that 70s line on the practice tests if my Psychopharm section wasn't lit up like a christmas tree every single time. There's a ton of excessive material they ask for that isn't even in their own books or their own lectures or their own section and domain quizzes on specifically that section, more than any other. So, that's part rant and part warning, lol.
Good luck to everyone going forward!

Congrats on passing! I had similar scores on AATBS and unfortunately didn’t pass the exam. Where did you find the retired exam?

 

[hopefulclinicalpsych]

Hi all,

I am a long time lurker of this thread and I am excited to post and say that I PASSED! This was my first attempt. I had hand-me-down materials and primarily used the audio and the PsychPrep 2015 tests. I did get 3 months of the behavioral health app (~$50) that had 600 EPPP questions. I found that helpful with getting in the groove of taking questions.

My retakes for practice tests, I never scored higher than 70.5%. I passed both PEPPPOs (I took the first one 1 month out and the second one two weeks out - $30 each). I also took the retired questions and got 76%.

I thought the test was hard, definitely harder than some practice tests. I had a significant amount of neuro and medication questions, which were my weak points. I got the AATBS books as a loaner through my postdoc and I used them a bit, but not significantly.

Glad to be on the other side. Good luck all!

 

[whatishappening2022]

Just passed the EPPP this week! Scaled Score 675.

I studied for about 2 months and felt like that was a good amount of time. however, I also had a huge advantage because of pre-pandemic Psych 101 TA experience. I used an old PsychPrep review book, old PsychPrep audios, and a free version of the behavioral health app (one question a day). I paid for a month of Psychprep to access the weekend workshop (which I highly recommend) and tests A-E. I also had several old outdated (DSM-IV) AATBS tests and took the PEPPO about 2 weeks before the actual test. I also read the entire ethics code and made my own study guide. A good 10-15% of the test is just ethical / legal questions which give you scenarios.

• PsychPrep Test E (66%; 132/200) 3 weeks prior
• Passed PEPPO 2 weeks prior
• PrepJet diagnostic exam, 30% 1 week prior [I highly do not recommend it, it wasn't similar to actual test at all. I'm not sure what their materials are like but don't take the diagnostic exam]
• AATBS practice (65%; 130/200) week of the exam

I felt like the real test was a bit harder than the behavioral health app questions but a bit easier than the AATBS / PsychPrep questions. By the time I took the EPPP, I felt like I really *knew* most of the material in the PsychPrep review book. Even so, the test was incredibly long and challenging. I felt like I was doing okay during it but also came across several questions that were totally out of left field.

 

[CAPsychDoc]

Hello all. I am scheduled to take the EPPP in three weeks. I am scoring in the high 60s to mid 70s on all my practice tests (I have recently been taking two a week). What were other people scoring before they passed the real exam? Also, the practice tests I am using are academic review.

This isn't exactly what you asked for regarding feedback, but I have been scoring 70s and 80s and just failed EPPP yesterday with a 461. My skills/knowledge were almost doubled IMO, over the past 6 weeks, and my score went up 11 points. (Yes, I humbly admit this is my second effort. Practice tests were about where yours are when I got 450 in September). Hopefully you have heard about the easy/difficult versions of test out there, which my supervisor warned me about. There were only about 5 questions that were straightforward, not counting the ethics scenarioss which were fairly basic. The Big 6 is a focus with PrepJet and and am a good test taker (usually). From what I have noticed, people in our FB forum are passing with 3.5 months to 1 year of study. Some are passing first time, and I have noted people taking 9+ efforts. My practice test went up 80 points after starting PrepJet (in 4 weeks), but I would say make sure you have put in 3.5 months at least, consistently, and not just practice exams, but concepts. Good luck!!!

 

[CAPsychDoc]

Hi all,

I am a long time lurker of this thread and I am excited to post and say that I PASSED! This was my first attempt. I had hand-me-down materials and primarily used the audio and the PsychPrep 2015 tests. I did get 3 months of the behavioral health app (~$50) that had 600 EPPP questions. I found that helpful with getting in the groove of taking questions.

My retakes for practice tests, I never scored higher than 70.5%. I passed both PEPPPOs (I took the first one 1 month out and the second one two weeks out - $30 each). I also took the retired questions and got 76%.

I thought the test was hard, definitely harder than some practice tests. I had a significant amount of neuro and medication questions, which were my weak points. I got the AATBS books as a loaner through my postdoc and I used them a bit, but not significantly.

Glad to be on the other side. Good luck all!

Hello! Can you share what the books were exactly! So happy for you! I am not passing, and it's frustrating as a person who enjoys test-taking and finished my program with highest honors. Also, what is the behavioral health app? Thanks

 

[hopefulclinicalpsych]

Hello! Can you share what the books were exactly! So happy for you! I am not passing, and it's frustrating as a person who enjoys test-taking and finished my program with highest honors. Also, what is the behavioral health app? Thanks

Of course! I used the AATBS books. I used them infrequently. The app is called “Behavioral Health Pocket Prep”. The icon has a purple hand and heart.

If you have more questions, fee free to DM me!

 

[ZILY12513]

Just took and passed the EPPP this week! Scaled score of 683 (NY 89). I studied using AATBS for about 2 months; I found that their resources were way more comprehensive and detailed than the EPPP. On the exam itself there were probably 5-10 questions that were complete guesses, 1/3 I knew with absolute certainty, and the rest I was able to narrow it down to around 2 responses and make an educated guess.

Practice exam scores:
1: 59%
3: 64%
4: 57%
5: 69%
6: 71%
7: 65%
8: 69%

Final exam simulation 1: 72%
PEPPO: Pass (this seemed the most similar to the EPPP questions to me)

 

[sc62000]

Hello - I recently passed the EPPP after 1+ year of studying. I am looking to sell my materials for cheap. I have all of the AATBS books with minimal writing in them and I have some practice exams in word documents. I found all of these resources invaluable in finally passing this exam. Please let me know if you're interested in purchasing these materials. Thanks!

 

[WisNeuro]

Hello - I recently passed the EPPP after 1+ year of studying. I am looking to sell my materials for cheap. I have all of the AATBS books with minimal writing in them and I have some practice exams in word documents. I found all of these resources invaluable in finally passing this exam. Please let me know if you're interested in purchasing these materials. Thanks!

Post in the classified section, not here.

 

[Ashivc89]

Hi everybody!
I followed this thread religiously while preparing for part 1, so I figured I'd share my experience and give back to the community. I passed part 1 about a month ago (first attempt), and I passed part 2 yesterday (AZ resident). I studied for about 7.5 months total (March 1st to October 20th). I scored 616 on part 1 and scored 545 on part 2. I initially used AATBS materials (6 month subscription). The AATBS scores were as follows:
Initial Assessment: 53
Practice 1: 59
2: 58
3: 59
4: 60
5: 62
6: 61
7: 63
8: 64
Exam Simulation 1: 65
Exam Simulation 2: 68

After the AATBS subscription ended, I used hand-me-down practice tests (scores ranged from 68-78). I took the retired questions exam and scored 76. I also passed the PPOOO (online practice exam). I still wasn't feeling 100% confident based on posts from people who said they passed their practice exams and still failed the test. I purchased a 1 month basic subscription for Prepjet. I cannot remember my exact scores, but I remember I got a 30 on the initial exam, and scores 1-7 ranged from 58 (#7) to 85 (exam 4). I also took them out of order.

For EPPP part 1, I can say that my experience mirrored the experiences recounted by other posters, I felt like I knew nothing, and only felt confident on about 10-15% of the questions. What I think saved me, was having gained so much knowledge from extensive preparation, that even if I did not know the answer to a specific question, I could recognize terms from the other answer choices and was usually able to narrow it down to 1-2 responses. I think the hardest part of the test is the fluid reasoning/abstract thinking required to apply the concepts. For example, you might be asked to apply a term you studied in social psychology to a clinical psychology question. The only way to get around that is to overlearn the material, and not just memorize the words but learn what they mean and how to apply them to real life. I also have ADHD and did not request testing accommodations (I'm stubborn). I finished the test with about 4 minutes to spare after I spent time reviewing flagged questions. I was nervous at first, and I flagged most of the first 10 or so questions after answering with my best guess and only gave myself 60 seconds to look at each of the first 10 questions. I knew that my anxiety would be the most intense for those first questions and didn't want to get too bogged down. My nerves calmed after about 20-30 questions, and that helped a lot. I knew through practice tests, that I had to read questions carefully, because there were quite a few practice questions that I missed just because I misread the prompt. I really used up my time re-reading prompts, highlighting important qualifiers, and using the "strikethrough" feature to cross out answers I knew were incorrect. For the questions I felt confident about, I triple checked to make sure I had selected the correct response. I reviewed my flagged questions to make sure I hadn't misread the question, but otherwise did NOT change any of my answers, something else I learned not to do from practice questions.

For part 2, I didn't really do much to prepare. I reviewed ethics and childhood diagnoses. There were a lot of assessment questions. I'm at an adult/older adult neuropsychology postdoc, and most of my training has been in neuropsychology, so I'm sure that helped me out quite a bit. For people who don't have as much testing experience, I would highly recommend brushing up on test interpretation skills, especially for IQ and personality tests. It definitely felt easier than part 1 but more nerve wracking because I didn't know what to expect.

For people like me who have test anxiety and attention problems, I would suggest practicing mindfulness. If you have 3 months or so before the scheduled exam, try to get into a practice of 20 minutes a day of guided meditation, this will help you train your brain to identify any negative self-talk and refocus your attention on the present moment. I personally did a brief 10 minute body scan before part 1 and 2. I didn't take any formal breaks during testing, but multiple times throughout the tests, I would do some quick grounding work that helped me stop the negative self talk and stay focused.

Thanks again for everybody in the community who helped me over this hurdle. I hope this post helps others prepare. Good luck to everybody prepping for the exam(s)! You got this!

 

[AnnaThompson]

Passed with a 680 after 2 months of studying (first month was casually a few hours a week, second month I tried to do daily studying). I used a variety of materials passed down to me. Practice tests ranged from 58%-74%. Mostly I was somewhere in the 60%s. I scored 80% on the retired questions test.

I think the most important part for me was listening to the audio tapes and taking as many practice tests as possible. Everyone is different, but my moral of the story is don't go too crazy studying. Do what you can and then go for it! Good luck!

 

[GoodVibes2Yall]

I have been studying for 4+ months with PsychPrep's Basic Package (practice tests + workshops + consultant) and am in need of some guidance given the data. I have mild issues with distractibility/careless mistakes for which I am prescribed a very low dose stimulant (5mg adderrall - has been very helpful for the neurobiological questions on stimulants 😆). However, I rarely take the medication (max 15x/year) because my job/life allows me to function fine without it. The distractibility shows up pretty prominently during test taking, so I wanted to take a PEPPP in-person, with medication, to get a sense of what the day-of will feel like for me. I passed that and felt such relief and achievement. I now feel quite dizzied by the dialogue between my own thoughts ("you've got this, you don't fail things, you've been a tremendous student your whole life") and my consultant's ambivalence in stating whether I am ready or not to take the EPPP after taking Test E.

The Data
Scores - study mode, retake, test mode (all unmedicated except for Test E).

• Test A: 40%, 88%*, 90%*, 93% *consultant asked me to retake Test A twice in retake mode
• Test B: 58%, 94%, 97%
• Test C: 60%, 93%
• Test D: 58%, 91%

Test E Test Mode: 62%, medicated​

​

250 Retired Questions: 78%​

​

PEPPP: Pass, 575 (NY 81) - 2 days ago, medicated​

Consultant's response: "our feedback on scores shows that generally a score of 550/560+ on the PEPPP translates into a pass on the exam but this is not scientific...I have seen students with your scores go on to pass the EPPP. However, my recommendation would be that you need to prepare a bit more before taking the exam." She then gave me an ordered sequence of retaking the PsychPrep exams with no indication of new target scores and encouraged me to schedule an hour-long consultation for $200-300 to do an in-depth protocol analysis of my test-taking process. I don't want to do this.​

​

Planned Next Steps
Next steps are based on a combination of inherent self confidence, intuition, and common sense given my study progression.

1. Take a PEPPPO this week medicated. If I pass, I will schedule a test date for about 3 weeks from now.
2. Assuming I pass the PEPPPO, retake the PsychPrep tests in the recommended order in the meantime.
3. Take 1-2 days before the exam to do absolutely nothing except self-care.
4. Day-of, take my medication and kick some ass, baby.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, is it just me or is there like, no availability to take the tests for months in advance? I am struggling to schedule it in my area. I feel really confused/uncertain and want to make sure I am not being naive by scheduling the exam if I am not ready or if there is a strong likelihood I could fail. I feel that failing the EPPP on my first try will feel like a major setback and would leave me even more confused. Thanks for any help! 🙂

Edit** I took the PEPPPO-2 on 12/10 one week after this original post and passed (medicated). I let my PsychPrep subscription expire to avoid paying another month. I scheduled my exam for 12/20.

 

[bluecolourskies]

I have been studying for 4+ months with PsychPrep's Basic Package (practice tests + workshops + consultant) and am in need of some guidance given the data. I have mild issues with distractibility/careless mistakes for which I am prescribed a very low dose stimulant (5mg adderrall - has been very helpful for the neurobiological questions on stimulants 😆). However, I rarely take the medication (max 15x/year) because my job/life allows me to function fine without it. The distractibility shows up pretty prominently during test taking, so I wanted to take a PEPPP in-person, with medication, to get a sense of what the day-of will feel like for me. I passed that and felt such relief and achievement. I now feel quite dizzied by the dialogue between my own thoughts ("you've got this, you don't fail things, you've been a tremendous student your whole life") and my consultant's ambivalence in stating whether I am ready or not to take the EPPP after taking Test E.

The Data
Scores - study mode, retake, test mode (all unmedicated except for Test E).

• Test A: 40%, 88%*, 90%*, 93% *consultant asked me to retake Test A twice in retake mode
• Test B: 58%, 94%, 97%
• Test C: 60%, 93%
• Test D: 58%, 91%

Test E Test Mode: 62%, medicated​

​

PEPPP: Pass, 575 (NY 81) - 2 days ago, medicated​

Consultant's response: "our feedback on scores shows that generally a score of 550/560+ on the PEPPP translates into a pass on the exam but this is not scientific...I have seen students with your scores go on to pass the EPPP. However, my recommendation would be that you need to prepare a bit more before taking the exam." She then gave me an ordered sequence of retaking the PsychPrep exams with no indication of new target scores and encouraged me to schedule an hour-long consultation for $200-300 to do an in-depth protocol analysis of my test-taking process. I don't want to do this.​

​

Planned Next Steps
Next steps are based on a combination of inherent self confidence, intuition, and common sense given my study progression.

1. Take a PEPPPO this week medicated. If I pass, I will schedule a test date for about 3 weeks from now.
2. Assuming I pass the PEPPPO, retake the PsychPrep tests in the recommended order in the meantime.
3. Take 1-2 days before the exam to do absolutely nothing except self-care.
4. Day-of, take my medication and kick some ass, baby.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, is it just me or is there like, no availability to take the tests for months in advance? I am struggling to schedule it in my area. I feel really confused/uncertain and want to make sure I am not being naive by scheduling the exam if I am not ready or if there is a strong likelihood I could fail. I feel that failing the EPPP on my first try will feel like a major setback and would leave me even more confused. Thanks for any help! 🙂

4 months of consistent studying should be enough. Also- retake mode isn’t going to help you. Because then you’re learning how to take *that specific test* and not how to take the EPPP by exposing yourself to different questions and practicing picking answers.

Also, I don’t understand this part- you took the PEPPP and passed. Yet the consultant wants you to prepare more? So you can keep paying for their program? This part “encouraged me to schedule an hour-long consultation for $200-300 to do an in-depth protocol analysis of my test-taking process.” IS A HUGE RED FLAG AND TOTAL BS.

I passed last year, without a consultant. My cohort mates that took it passed- they also all did it without paying a consultant.

If you feel like you need some handholding/accountability, PrepJet has a free facebook group where the owners answers questions, and their assistant also does free consultation calls. (I am not a rep for PrepJet lol but when I used them, I could tell they did need to make money as a business but they also cared about not overly charging students. And their employees also previously worked for PsychPrep or whatever that other big test prep company is).

 

[bluecolourskies]

I have been studying for 4+ months with PsychPrep's Basic Package (practice tests + workshops + consultant) and am in need of some guidance given the data. I have mild issues with distractibility/careless mistakes for which I am prescribed a very low dose stimulant (5mg adderrall - has been very helpful for the neurobiological questions on stimulants 😆). However, I rarely take the medication (max 15x/year) because my job/life allows me to function fine without it. The distractibility shows up pretty prominently during test taking, so I wanted to take a PEPPP in-person, with medication, to get a sense of what the day-of will feel like for me. I passed that and felt such relief and achievement. I now feel quite dizzied by the dialogue between my own thoughts ("you've got this, you don't fail things, you've been a tremendous student your whole life") and my consultant's ambivalence in stating whether I am ready or not to take the EPPP after taking Test E.

The Data
Scores - study mode, retake, test mode (all unmedicated except for Test E).

• Test A: 40%, 88%*, 90%*, 93% *consultant asked me to retake Test A twice in retake mode
• Test B: 58%, 94%, 97%
• Test C: 60%, 93%
• Test D: 58%, 91%

Test E Test Mode: 62%, medicated​

​

PEPPP: Pass, 575 (NY 81) - 2 days ago, medicated​

Consultant's response: "our feedback on scores shows that generally a score of 550/560+ on the PEPPP translates into a pass on the exam but this is not scientific...I have seen students with your scores go on to pass the EPPP. However, my recommendation would be that you need to prepare a bit more before taking the exam." She then gave me an ordered sequence of retaking the PsychPrep exams with no indication of new target scores and encouraged me to schedule an hour-long consultation for $200-300 to do an in-depth protocol analysis of my test-taking process. I don't want to do this.​

​

Planned Next Steps
Next steps are based on a combination of inherent self confidence, intuition, and common sense given my study progression.

1. Take a PEPPPO this week medicated. If I pass, I will schedule a test date for about 3 weeks from now.
2. Assuming I pass the PEPPPO, retake the PsychPrep tests in the recommended order in the meantime.
3. Take 1-2 days before the exam to do absolutely nothing except self-care.
4. Day-of, take my medication and kick some ass, baby.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, is it just me or is there like, no availability to take the tests for months in advance? I am struggling to schedule it in my area. I feel really confused/uncertain and want to make sure I am not being naive by scheduling the exam if I am not ready or if there is a strong likelihood I could fail. I feel that failing the EPPP on my first try will feel like a major setback and would leave me even more confused. Thanks for any help! 🙂

Yes, sometimes availability isn’t for months. You need to schedule it now, not when you’re ready. Then you’ll make sure you’re ready by the time it comes. If you truly aren’t ready, there is the option to reschedule.

 

[GoodVibes2Yall]

4 months of consistent studying should be enough. Also- retake mode isn’t going to help you. Because then you’re learning how to take *that specific test* and not how to take the EPPP by exposing yourself to different questions and practicing picking answers.

Also, I don’t understand this part- you took the PEPPP and passed. Yet the consultant wants you to prepare more? So you can keep paying for their program? This part “encouraged me to schedule an hour-long consultation for $200-300 to do an in-depth protocol analysis of my test-taking process.” IS A HUGE RED FLAG AND TOTAL BS.

I passed last year, without a consultant. My cohort mates that took it passed- they also all did it without paying a consultant.

If you feel like you need some handholding/accountability, PrepJet has a free facebook group where the owners answers questions, and their assistant also does free consultation calls. (I am not a rep for PrepJet lol but when I used them, I could tell they did need to make money as a business but they also cared about not overly charging students. And their employees also previously worked for PsychPrep or whatever that other big test prep company is).

Thank you so much. I have been thinking it's BS at some points but then would fear I was putting all of my eggs in the PsychPrep Anxiety-for-Profit Conspiracy Basket. This was extremely validating. I am scheduled to take the exam in 2.5 weeks. 🙂

 

[bluecolourskies]

Thank you so much. I have been thinking it's BS at some points but then would fear I was putting all of my eggs in the PsychPrep Anxiety-for-Profit Conspiracy Basket. This was extremely validating. I am scheduled to take the exam in 2.5 weeks. 🙂

I put this in my post but adding here again- 2 weeks before my exam, I signed up for free trials from all the test prep companies. They all included practice exam questions, one even included a whole full length practice exam for free!
Go through those, see how questions are worded, and work on your test taking strategies (narrowing down answers, etc)

 

[Doctor2021]

This thread has been really helpful. I gave myself very little time to study (one month) as I did not realize I was approaching my deadline to take the test (one year following board approval), my state does not offer extensions, and I procrastinated studying! Oops! But it pushed me to focus and just see how it goes.

It has been comforting to hear others' experiences and tips/tricks for studying/taking the exam. I take the EPPP this Monday and yesterday passed the PEPPPO, though I am not scoring super high on PsychPrep exams (mid 60s low 70s), so we will see how it goes! Will do some final cramming this week, plus take the PEPPPO2 just to keep my mind working but will definitely do some anxiety-reducing activities too.

Thank you all for such sound advice. Wish me luck!

 

[GoodVibes2Yall]

I have been studying for 4+ months with PsychPrep's Basic Package (practice tests + workshops + consultant) and am in need of some guidance given the data. I have mild issues with distractibility/careless mistakes for which I am prescribed a very low dose stimulant (5mg adderrall - has been very helpful for the neurobiological questions on stimulants 😆). However, I rarely take the medication (max 15x/year) because my job/life allows me to function fine without it. The distractibility shows up pretty prominently during test taking, so I wanted to take a PEPPP in-person, with medication, to get a sense of what the day-of will feel like for me. I passed that and felt such relief and achievement. I now feel quite dizzied by the dialogue between my own thoughts ("you've got this, you don't fail things, you've been a tremendous student your whole life") and my consultant's ambivalence in stating whether I am ready or not to take the EPPP after taking Test E.

The Data
Scores - study mode, retake, test mode (all unmedicated except for Test E).

• Test A: 40%, 88%*, 90%*, 93% *consultant asked me to retake Test A twice in retake mode
• Test B: 58%, 94%, 97%
• Test C: 60%, 93%
• Test D: 58%, 91%

Test E Test Mode: 62%, medicated​

​

250 Retired Questions: 78%​

​

PEPPP: Pass, 575 (NY 81) - 2 days ago, medicated​

Consultant's response: "our feedback on scores shows that generally a score of 550/560+ on the PEPPP translates into a pass on the exam but this is not scientific...I have seen students with your scores go on to pass the EPPP. However, my recommendation would be that you need to prepare a bit more before taking the exam." She then gave me an ordered sequence of retaking the PsychPrep exams with no indication of new target scores and encouraged me to schedule an hour-long consultation for $200-300 to do an in-depth protocol analysis of my test-taking process. I don't want to do this.​

​

Planned Next Steps
Next steps are based on a combination of inherent self confidence, intuition, and common sense given my study progression.

1. Take a PEPPPO this week medicated. If I pass, I will schedule a test date for about 3 weeks from now.
2. Assuming I pass the PEPPPO, retake the PsychPrep tests in the recommended order in the meantime.
3. Take 1-2 days before the exam to do absolutely nothing except self-care.
4. Day-of, take my medication and kick some ass, baby.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, is it just me or is there like, no availability to take the tests for months in advance? I am struggling to schedule it in my area. I feel really confused/uncertain and want to make sure I am not being naive by scheduling the exam if I am not ready or if there is a strong likelihood I could fail. I feel that failing the EPPP on my first try will feel like a major setback and would leave me even more confused. Thanks for any help! 🙂

Edit** I took the PEPPPO-2 on 12/10 one week after this original post and passed (medicated). I let my PsychPrep subscription expire to avoid paying another month. I scheduled my exam for 12/20.

Today I passed with a 666 (😈🤘🏻), NY 88 and it feels gooooood! Sending luck and positivity to all of you preparing to test!

 

[Dr. Nikki]

I have studied on and off for several months, started with PsychPrep and now using AATBS instead because the information is more comprehensive, I typed up a 45 page study guide from the AATBS material, I've been hovering around 60% on my practice tests and I'm so burnt out and discouraged I've had a really hard time remembering material (I literally don't understand how people study in less than a month I'm blown away!) and half the information on the practice tests aren't familiar, so glad to hear the test is easier!!! assuming we are talking about AATBS practice tests...I've been so tired glad I found this!

 

[WisNeuro]

there's also some luck involved depending on which 50 questions they happen to not count toward the final score

Not really. It's not a random 50 questions of all test questions that do not count, it's questions pre-selected from a test bank of potential future questions. Every examinee gets 50 of those questions so they can run analyses on them for possible inclusion in future exams.

 

[deleted1129370]

Hey...I want to a knock off Psy.D. program (APA-accredited), went to an okay VA internship, and was working a full time VA staff job while investing in moderate routine studying throughout the week (not weekends) for about 3 months, literally right after finishing internship. I would say my intelligence is above average. So...folks, if I can do it, so can you 😉

 

[biscuitsbiscuits]

Are there any good eppp study apps out there now? I’m using other prep, and want to supplement with a flash card app but only if it’s useful. So many of the reviews of eppp apps are old and not that favorable. I can’t tell what’s good (if anything?). Any recommendations?

 

[nicolascagephd]

Are there any good eppp study apps out there now? I’m using other prep, and want to supplement with a flash card app but only if it’s useful. So many of the reviews of eppp apps are old and not that favorable. I can’t tell what’s good (if anything?). Any recommendations?

I used the behavioral health app from AATBS. It's not a flashcard app, but it's a huge bank of practice questions for quizzes that explain the concepts after you answer them. I highly recommend it! I studied primarily with psychprep materials so I didn't have free access to the app, though. It was $20 a month well spent though!

I studied for about 8 weeks with psychprep practice tests and the AATBS app and passed on my first try.

 

[psych227]

I’ve been waiting to comment on this thread, as it has given me anxiety and comfort… take my two cents for what you will. I passed Friday with a 550. I found the practice tests to be much harder than the actual EPPP. Also, I thought the wording of questions on the EPPP was fine. I've read that it's super complex and confusing, but I didn't find that to be the case.

I studied for six months using ATTBS and Dr. Nichole Vincent’s material, which you can purchase on Etsy. While expensive, I found ATTBS to be incredibly comprehensive. I loved Dr. Vincent’s handouts and study guides because they offered me excellent visuals and mnemonics, which were lifesavers. For the first five months, I studied roughly 10 hours per week. Last month I studied around 15 hours per week. However, I began to wake up too early (i.e., 4am before work) to study and found that while this worked initially, it made me incredibly tired over time to the point where it impacted my practice test scores and study efficiency. Two weeks before the actual EPPP, I focused on SLEEP and found that I was much more alert and calm because of that.

ALSO- Please know that you don’t need to score in the 70s on practice exams to pass the EPPP. This was probably the most significant barrier (mentally) that I placed on myself. I kept hearing people say I needed to be in the 70s on practice exams.. however, this was not the case for me. My practice test scores were as follows:

1. 44% (assessment exam)
2. 55%
3. 62%
4. 65%
5. PEPPO (passed)
6. 61% (I think this was due to the immense fatigue… I was aiming for 70s here and went the opposite direction)
7. 64%

A few differences I found between the practice tests and the actual EPPP:

1. The EPPP took me 3 hours and 45 minutes, whereas most of my practice tests took me under 3 hours.
2. I was much more anxious during practice tests than during the actual EPPP.

Also, I experienced test anxiety and struggled with this throughout the study process. I used some breathing strategies (4-4-4, box breathing) and visualization (thought of my favorite place to travel to on vacation… sitting in a wonderful hammock in the tropics), which helped a ton.

 

[WisNeuro]

Do you have practice tests that allow you to see which content areas you are struggling in?

 

[WisNeuro]

It's been a while since I took the exam, but back then, I used Academic review and their practice tests. I felt that their practice test questions were pretty similar to the actual test. But, this was using materials that are now a decade plus, so I cannot vouch for the current materials as I have not seen them in some time.

 

[VintageRed]

The practice tests for PsychPrep had several nearly identical questions to the actual exam. I would highly recommend their materials. I found them much more approachable compared to PrepJet.

 

[ClinicalPhD]

Passed the EPPP yesterday on first try with a 572! So thrilled to have this past me. Wanted to briefly share my experience:

Materials:
PrepJet (Study content and practice tests) for all 3 months and then added AATBS (just practice tests) for the final last month

Study Plan:
Mid-Nov to Mid-Dec: Lightly studied (5ish hours per week). Didn't feel like I was in a groove at all.
Mid-Dec to Mid-Jan: Moderately studied (10ish hours per week). Didn't fully feel like I was in a full groove yet. Some improvement in scores but still much lower than I needed..didn't really start reading the study materials until about late Dec. Instead i was just taking practice tests which was somewhat helpful but the reason I was still scoring low.
Mid-Jan to Mid-Feb: Intensely studied 15+ hours per week, Probably spent about 1-2 hours per week day and anywhere between 3-6 hours on both Saturday and Sunday depending on the weekend. During this period, I had a great study routine and started seeing large improvements in scores now that I was incorporating both reading the study material and taking lots of practice tests.

Practice Test Scores: Unfortunately, I lost access to my test scores, but my scores ranged from about 45-83% on PrepJet and about 55-79% on AATBS practice tests. I took most practice tests more than once which admittedly was probably overkill. I took both PEPPO's 3 days before my exam and passed both.

Experience on test day: I found the test to be pretty difficult (more so than some of the practice exams), with a significant emphasis on certain subdomains that were supposedly only a small portion of the exam and other "Big 6" domains not covered which really surprised me. Thankfully I at least studied all domains even though I of course put way more time into Big 6 content areas. I only flagged about 15 questions to review at the end (see reasoning below).

Although some people have told me the wording of the questions on the real exam is much more difficult to follow and confusing compared to the PrepJet and AATBS practice exams, I was pleasantly surprised to find this wasn't the case for my version of the exam. I will say the PEPPO practice exams were worded in a very confusing way.

I also was able to gain a lot of confidence due to the fact that the first 20 or so questions I was able to confidently answer correctly. This really helped calm me down! About 50-75% way through I started to get really nervous after not knowing a lot of items and just had to remind myself that everyone says they feel like they're failing and if I do, I can just take it again.

Other Tips:
- If you get there early, don't review flash cards in the car. Go inside and get an early spot to check in. There were 40 total people taking exams the morning I was, and I didn't get in line early so I ended up starting my exam an hour after it was supposed to start due to the amount of time it took to check everyone in. This was very unexpected!

- My personal opinion: Don't flag all the questions you're unsure about...if you've never seen any of the content/words in a question, more time during the exam likely isn't going to help you make the decision. Go with your first choice answer. Flag questions that you do want to think about more or questions you think maybe exposure to OTHER items may help. Otherwise, always keep your first answer that you selected.

Hope this helps and good luck everyone!

 

[kittenlady]

Hello all! Happy to share a bit about my experience after lurking here the last 6 months. I studied for about 6 months, but really started being consistent with my studying the last 3-4 months. I almost exclusively relied in AATBS, plus a bank of old test questions and the PEPPP in person. I was working full-time while studying, which I do not recommend if you are in a circumstance that allows you to work less than 40 hours/week. I aimed for 10 hours/week studying, but this didn't always happen because it was a lot to go home after long work days and study.

On exam day, I felt like I was failing the entire time. I literally just decided mid test that this would basically be a practice run for the real thing because I was not going to pass. On the other hand, the PEPPP felt kind of easy. I think the AATBS exams were similar in a lot of ways, but the actual EPPP questions had a different ring to them, so it took more cognitive effort. I took almost the whole time - only 18 minutes left on my timer when I finished! I originally planned to take multiple breaks, but because it was taking me longer, I ended up taking only one break for about 15 minutes midway through. I am SO happy and relieved to be done...hopefully my experience helps in some way!

Assessment Exam, 49%

Test 1, study mode: 53%
Test 2, study mode: 57%
Test 3, study mode, (not taken all at once): 62%
Test 4, test mode: 59%
Test 5, test mode: 62%
Test 6, test mode: 63%
Test 7, test mode: 61%
PEPPP In person: 530
Retired EPPP Questions: 67%
Test 8, test mode: 64%

2nd Attempts:
Test 1, test mode: 79%
Test 2, test mode: 74%
Test 3, test mode: 76%

EPPP: 585 (NY 81)

Just remember - you can do it! Even if it takes multiple tries, you can get there!

 

[EMPSYCHED]

Just passed with 755! I used prepjet online program for 6 weeks (studying about 20 hours a week) and borrowed the psychprep audio CDs from someone. I got between 68 and 73% on my first try for all the prepjet exams and got 79-91% on prepjet re-takes. I took both PEPPO 1 and 2, in the 2 weeks before taking the exam. Taking the PEPPOs was very helpful for managing anxiety about feeling so unfamiliar with the content on the actual test. I only felt like I knew the correct answer for about a quarter of the actual test, so I think test taking skills were pretty critical to me getting the surprisingly high score that I got.

 

[jms_rcky]

Hi all,

I’ve been reading all of these posts in my own journey to studying and taking the EPPP. I bought 6 months of the prepjet materials but actually only ended up using it for about the last month and a half before taking the test (I know a waste of over a 1000 dollars). Unfortunately I failed it with a 475(NY 74). I was so deflated! But destined to get back at it because I was soo close.

So then I ended up also using some old psych prep materials and tons of test questions banks from quizlet as well. And retook it in 4 days! (I know insane) but I passed with a 510 (NY 75)

 

[EPPPStudent]

Hello! I'm hoping to sell my AATBS books (2020 edition) + set of AATBS flashcards. If anyone is interested, I can ship to anywhere in the US. Clinical Psychology book is the only book with pencil markings and yellow highlighting.

 

[WisNeuro]

Hello! I'm hoping to sell my AATBS books (2020 edition) + set of AATBS flashcards. If anyone is interested, I can ship to anywhere in the US. Clinical Psychology book is the only book with pencil markings and yellow highlighting.

Wrong forum/thread brochacho.

 

[MidWestLass]

I have the test coming up on Tuesday, and I am feeling very stressed. I had a loss in my family so there were 2 recent weekends I didn’t get to study which was a bit of a setback as I was counting on those weekends. I’m currently scoring around 58/59 first pass on the psych prep exams, and am curious if anybody else was scoring similarly before taking the actual exam. I see many people saying psychprep underestimates scores by quite a bit. But I went through the posts and it looks like most people were scoring in the 60s/70s on the practice exams before they decided to take it, and then passed with flying colors in the 600s. Wondering if there are any folks who were scoring in the upper 50s, who decided to give it a shot, and ended up passing. And if so, what your score ended up being. This would really help me either reduce some anxiety, or decide to reschedule. Appreciate all of you!

 

[zzplant]

Hi all, just wanted to chime in with my experience in case a future test-taker finds it helpful. My study plan was originally to spend as little as possible as the test is already so expensive.

I began the studying process by watching some videos on test-taking strategies from the "Hack the EPPP" Faceboook group at 2x speed. I was loaned 2022 AATBS books, which I studied from pretty extensively for about 2~ months, spending about a week on each of the 11 domains. I also had several pre-2013 practice exams. I started out with handwritten notes from the AATBS books for an hour in the morning before postdoc and then doing 25-50 practice questions from the old tests in the evening. Towards the end (after reviewing the Big 6), I was getting pretty bogged down and decided to switch up my strategy. I bought the basic package from PsychPrep for one month ($199) so I could take practice exams that actually referenced the DSM-5 and spent the $30 on a PEPPPO to get a feel for the questions. I only did the tests once with the exception of Test B. Here are my scores:

• Test A: 80%
• Test B: 77% [idk retake score]
• Test C: 72%
• Test D: 69%
• Test E Test Mode: 84%

I took the 250 Retired Questions exam about two weeks before and scored 84%, and my PEPPPO (a month-ish before) was a pass. I also met with a study buddy every week to review practice questions for 1.5 hours. I used a PrepJet free trial to review topics. For the week before the exam, I reviewed my handwritten notes, quizzed myself on concepts, and tried hard to think "big picture." I also watched some Khan Academy videos at 2x speed as they have content for MCAT prep that overlaps with some EPPP stuff (e.g., memory, Piaget). I re-read the Ethics Code and made a chart of brain areas and associated dysfunctions. I was pretty burned out by this point and couldn't wait to get the exam over with.

Regarding the actual exam, I found the wording on 2-3 questions to be absolute gibberish, but the language was mostly fine. The content overall felt fairly similar to what I saw on PsychPrep, although I didn't feel too confident because I was flagging one question for every two I felt comfortable with. However, I ended up passing with a score of 700+.

What I actually found helpful: The PsychPrep package was worth it. They include a 3-day seminar on test-taking strategies as part of the basic package. Super helpful! They also offer a free 7-hour workshop in January and June. Also worth it. (Learning how to eliminate answer options was key, imo.) The study buddy approach was also great as I benefit from reasoning things out loud.

What may have helped: PrepJet offers a free trial, which I found to distill the information much better than AATBS, so I'd recommend checking them out to brush up on areas you don't know well. I used the free version of the Behavioral Health app, which gives you one question per day. It was alright. The Khan Academy videos were useful when I felt like I couldn't read any more materials.

What I'd do differently: The AATBS books include a lot of unnecessary detail, which I think contributed to my burnout (well, that and my full-time job). I think the other programs I mentioned offer domain summaries that are far more concise.

TL;DR: You know more than you think you do. PsychPrep is good, even their cheapest option. Happy studying!

 

[beardedshrink]

Hi all, I used this thread a lot over the past couple weeks and would like to share my experiences to potentially help others. I took the EPPP for the first time and passed with a 505 (75 NY) — wayyyy to close for comfort 😅

I have always been a Crammer and performed well throughout my masters, doctorate, etc. So I decided I would try to pass with spending as least amount of time as possible (thankfully it worked). I also have a newborn which significantly limited the amount of spare time I usually would have at home throughout the year. I spent a total of 10 days studying for the exam and averaged about 7 hours per day (I took a week off work and studied through two weekends). I used PsychPrep and read through each of the chapters and did the workshops on the subjects I didn’t have a good grasp of.

My practice tests were as follows:
Test A: study mode (48%)
Test B: study mode (57%)
Test C: study mode (65%)
Test D: test mode (58%) - this scared me
Test E: study mode (68%)
Retired questions: 78%

Over all I feel like a combination of reading the chapters and the psychprep practice tests were helpful. I also found the workshops helpful in learning some test taking strategies. I found the retired questions to be significantly easier than the actual EPPP for some reason. On practice tests I was usually finishing them under 3 hours, but on the EPPP I took the entire time with only a couple of minutes to spare. I could have definitely prepared more and felt more comfortable getting through the exam, but I am just thankful to have passed and be done with this process.

Good luck to all of you, I hope this helps a fellow procrastinator.

 

[JJPsy]

Anyone who has passed have any info on the new SEPPPO for Part 1 that has seemingly replaced the PEPPPO's? I just took it and passed by the skin of my teeth with a 73%. It felt VERY hard and different from any practice exam I've taken. I'm wondering if people are finding this new SEPPPO representative of their EPPP experience/scores? I'm scheduled to take the exam on June 1. This is the first time I've cracked the 70's on a practice exam.

 

[What-a-time]

Happy to post on this thread. I have reviewed it a lot over the last couple months to help relieve (and occasionally spike) my anxiety.

Psy.d program, VA internship, and currently a staff psychologist at a VA. I signed up for AATBS in January. Got the hard copies of books, the online stuff, and the flash cards(I pulled 2 sections of the flash cards out and looked through maybe 1/10th of each section). I did some rreading/prepping between January and March but not much. In in the beginning of April I had 2 weeks of full time studying (paternity leave) where I studied probably 6-10 hrs a day. After that, 3-4 hrs a day during the week and 6-10 hrs a day during the weekend (definitely took some evenings/days off). I got mostly in the 60% on my practice exams during the last 2 weeks. The last 3 were 62% 63% and (3 days before the exam) 70%. I took the peppo online at home 2 weeks before the exam and got a 74%. Retired questions 2 days before and got an 82%. During the exam I felt like 50% were educated guess between 2 questions, 10% were guess between 3 questions, and the remaining I was pretty confident in.

It's a stressful process but you will get through it and you usually know more then you think/believe!

 

[digrepresentative12]

Anyone who has passed have any info on the new SEPPPO for Part 1 that has seemingly replaced the PEPPPO's? I just took it and passed by the skin of my teeth with a 73%. It felt VERY hard and different from any practice exam I've taken. I'm wondering if people are finding this new SEPPPO representative of their EPPP experience/scores? I'm scheduled to take the exam on June 1. This is the first time I've cracked the 70's on a practice exam.

I just took the SEPPPO last week and was surprised I was given a score (70%) rather than a pass/fail as I had previously heard from all my classmates who took it over the past couple months. I too found the questions to be pretty difficult and briefly considered postponing my EPPP due to scoring RIGHT on the mark. Some friends convinced me to still go for it as I was getting high 60s in most practice exams (Academic Review). Anyways, took the exam today (4 days after SEPPPO) and passed with a 683 so I'd say go for it! It felt like over half my exam was stuff I had never seen but the wording of the questions was not so complex and easy to narrow down. I was still really surprised to get that score and still have so many questions about the scoring but also don't really care now that I've passed haha Best of luck!

 

[JJPsy]

I just took the SEPPPO last week and was surprised I was given a score (70%) rather than a pass/fail as I had previously heard from all my classmates who took it over the past couple months. I too found the questions to be pretty difficult and briefly considered postponing my EPPP due to scoring RIGHT on the mark. Some friends convinced me to still go for it as I was getting high 60s in most practice exams (Academic Review). Anyways, took the exam today (4 days after SEPPPO) and passed with a 683 so I'd say go for it! It felt like over half my exam was stuff I had never seen but the wording of the questions was not so complex and easy to narrow down. I was still really surprised to get that score and still have so many questions about the scoring but also don't really care now that I've passed haha Best of luck!

Thank you so much! I, too, am scoring in the high 60's and finally got a 70 on PsychPrep Exam E yesterday. My exam is in 10 days so I'm feeling good and just need to maintain my knowledge until then and hopefully I pass. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Congrats on knocking it out of the park! Can't wait to be in your shoes!

 

[Tamara Smith]

Hi everyone! I am happy to contribute my scores to this thread as I relied on it a lot during my studying and it brought me so much hope. I studied for 5 months and took a week off here and there. My studying started at 10 hours a week and then bumped up to 15...then 25-30 hours a week during the last 2 months. I used AATBS materials. Similar to others' reactions, I felt like I was failing throughout the exam and was shocked to see I passed. I struggled with time due to some computer issues and had 3 minutes left to spare. Good luck everyone!

Assessment Exam: 42%
Test 1, study mode: 47%
Test 2, study mode: 69%
Test 3, study mode: 65%
Test 4, test mode: 59%
Test 5, test mode: 65%
Test 6, test mode: 69%
Test 7, test mode: 59%
Test 8, test mode: 67%

2nd Attempts:
Test 1, test mode: 70%
Test 2, test mode: 76%
Test 3, test mode: 80%

Test simulation #1: 69%
Test simulation #2: 68%


EPPP: 555 (NY 79)

 

[ncpsychkaw]

Hi all,

I’m set to take the exam Friday June 9th and my scores had been slowly improving, most recently got a 65% on an old practice exam but I just took an online timed AATBS practice exam and went back down to a 55% (124/225) and now I am terrified I won’t pass. I really don’t know what to do, I can’t reschedule this and I’m just freaking out.