Psych Prep vs Academic Review EPPP Practice Tests...

[FLPsyD]

I just finished the Psych Prep EPPP home study program. I've taken almost all of the Psych Prep practice tests...my highest first pass score is a 70% on Test E (the last practice test in the series)...my highest score on a retake was 92% (over a month between taking it the first and second time). A friend of mine gave me his old copies of the Academic Review practice tests that he used last year. My scores were significantly lower on the Academic Review tests compared to the Psych Prep tests. There were A LOT of questions on the AR tests that I feel weren't even covered in the Psych Prep study materials. Should I be concerned??? Or are the AR practice tests known to be harder than the practice tests from other companies?

I just saw that I can take a Practice EPPP online. Has anyone taken that before? How good of an indicator is a PEEP score to how a person actually does on the EPPP?

Thanks in advance for the help!

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[Flutterbyu]

I did the same thing - used PsychPrep, was in passing range, and was then given 8 or 9 Academic Review tests and bombed the first one. I spent the two weeks before I took the actual exam taking and re-taking those tests until I was passing them all (questions repeat so it wasn't that bad). I think this was instrumental in my passing. I've heard that paying to take a practice is a waste of money. There were MANY similarities between the practice tests I took and the actual exam...

 

[animaladvocate]

when do people usually start studying for this? after internship? during?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

when do people usually start studying for this? after internship? during?

Likely depends on how far along you are with all other requirements (e.g., is dissertation complete?), and what your state's licensing regulations are. If your diss is done and you're either in one of the growing number of states not requiring postdoc hours, or are in a state that allows you to sit for the exam prior to completing your postdoc hours, by all means start studying during internship. But if you'll be heading somewhere that requires a postdoc year and doesn't allow you take the EPPP prior to completing the hours, then you'll probably want to wait until a few months prior to gaining eligibility.

 

[Pragma]

when do people usually start studying for this? after internship? during?

Usually 2-3 months before you take it. The prep companies would have you think 3-6 months. Heck I know a few people that spent just a few weeks studying.

If you live in or near a state that lets you take it without the postdoc hours, you could feasibly study on internship and take it right after graduating. I knew some people that did that.

 

[FLPsyD]

I did the same thing - used PsychPrep, was in passing range, and was then given 8 or 9 Academic Review tests and bombed the first one. I spent the two weeks before I took the actual exam taking and re-taking those tests until I was passing them all (questions repeat so it wasn't that bad). I think this was instrumental in my passing. I've heard that paying to take a practice is a waste of money. There were MANY similarities between the practice tests I took and the actual exam...

Which practice exams were more representative of the questions on your EPPP...the psych prep or academic review practice tests?

 

[Flutterbyu]

Which practice exams were more representative of the questions on your EPPP...the psych prep or academic review practice tests?

It was a mix - the actual questions aren't exactly like either. I'd combine study exams to get max benefit if you can. The different prep companies focus on different areas too, which is helpful.

 

[DUintern]

Agree with Flutterbyu. I just took the exam so I am not sure that I have the most credible advice given that I don't know if I passed or not. Initially, I was just using psychprep and was scoring within the recommended scores, but did not feel confident so I added TSM to my last month of studying. I really liked TSM and found this to be an effective approach to studying the material and wished I had started with TSM. Some questions were very similar to TSM and others were similar to psychprep (they ranged from easy to what are they even asking).

 

[Pragma]

In my experience, Academic Review has decent practice exam questions compared to other practice exams I have tried.

 

[Jay16]

Hi. I just passed using Academic Review materials. I studied 5 weeks about 2 hours daily during the week and every waking hour on the weekends. I also used AATBS study flashmaster. I took the PEPPPO to assess my readiness and got a 550. I got much higher on the actual EPPP. Hope this helps.

 

[Shoregirl]

Agree with Flutterbyu. I just took the exam so I am not sure that I have the most credible advice given that I don't know if I passed or not. Initially, I was just using psychprep and was scoring within the recommended scores, but did not feel confident so I added TSM to my last month of studying. I really liked TSM and found this to be an effective approach to studying the material and wished I had started with TSM. Some questions were very similar to TSM and others were similar to psychprep (they ranged from easy to what are they even asking).

Does anyone have any experience with the AATBS prep materials? I just bought them and am waiting for them to arrive. I'm hoping I didn't make a big, expensive mistake. thanks!

 

[edieb]

Does anyone have any experience with the AATBS prep materials? I just bought them and am waiting for them to arrive. I'm hoping I didn't make a big, expensive mistake. thanks!

I used Academic Review the first time and studied for one full year, probably 22 hours/week. I passed the first time but I probably overstudied.

I had a friend who used AATBS and studied for 5 months or so, 2 hours/day and 8 hours on Saturday and 8 more on SUnday. He also passed. Thus, I think you can pass with either system,so you're ok
,

 

[Shoregirl]

Wow... I was planning on 8-10 hours per week for about 3 months. I hope that will be enough! I really can't afford to take it multiple times, especially considering what I'm spending on the prep stuff. I'm glad to hear you passed, though - lately I've been hearing a lot about people who didn't pass.

 

[OutPsyched]

I think you will be alright. I agree that the cost of preparation is high. I bought PsychPrep's home program two years ago (ouch $) while on post-doc and ended up taking a faculty appointment after fellowship. Needles to say I never studied or took the test and decided recently I just needed to take it. My PsychPrep program expired and I had to pay $250 to get it reinstated. The ONLY thing I did was take the practice exams on average 3 times a day for 5 days straight (Saturday to Wednesday). I took the EPPP on Thursday. I passed with a 76%. I walked out of the exam feeling like I had spent 3 hours doing venn diagrams with the answers. For those of you preparing to take it, practice taking the exams!

 

[bmedclinic]

I saw where I can get 36 CDs to study. Was thinking about getting all of those, making MP3s out of them and playing them in my car on my daily commute. Seems like a good 1-2 hrs each day I can start studying. PSYCHPREP and AATBS appear to both have CDs of content they sell. Anyone done this or something similar? .

 

[EmotRegulation]

I saw where I can get 36 CDs to study. Was thinking about getting all of those, making MP3s out of them and playing them in my car on my daily commute. Seems like a good 1-2 hrs each day I can start studying. PSYCHPREP and AATBS appear to both have CDs of content they sell. Anyone done this or something similar? .

This is exactly what I did; I put all of the PsychPrep CDs onto my Ipod and listened to them as I walked to and from work each day. I also took the practice tests with the PsychPrep program, and that is all the studying I did. I really liked the PsychPrep CDs, the information was clearly presented and I learned a lot without feeling like I had to sit down and "study" with a book.

 

[bmedclinic]

woot; thanks. I think I have a long time before I can even take the test (just matched for internship). But I think I'm going to order the CDs asap once finishing the diss.

 

[zcmhall1983]

I'm trying to decide between academic review and Taylor's method. Any suggestions? I have used psych prep and didn't pass. But I think I need to do more practice tests. Any advise.

 

[WisNeuro]

Whatever is cheaper. Free is better.

 

[AppsAintNoThang]

I'm trying to decide between academic review and Taylor's method. Any suggestions? I have used psych prep and didn't pass. But I think I need to do more practice tests. Any advise.

AATBS is best known for doing a good job preparing people for the eppp.

 

[zcmhall1983]

AATBS is best known for doing a good job preparing people for the eppp.

Have you heard any reviews for academic review?

 

[463951]

Have you heard any reviews for academic review?

I utilized some old practice exams that were handed down to me from AATBS & Psych Prep. But Academic Review was the majority of my practice tests (I paid to utilize their online tests for a couple of months). I like the way that Academic Review is set up, because you take the practice tests, and then when reviewing the rationales, it takes you directly to the section in their "e-book," so you can review the content that way. So you are learning while taking practice tests, which is important because practice tests are about 85% of this process.

I have never used Taylor, I've heard a lot of bad things about that company.

I passed this week, and I know quite a few others that have passed using Academic Review. But I also know many people that have passed using Psych Prep and AATBS. AATBS kind of over prepares you, and that's not a bad thing, but I felt like I was getting bogged down in the details. I think it's a matter of personal preference. Psych Prep is good for keeping things more simple and focusing on test taking strategies. Which isn't a bad thing, I feel like about 1/3 of the stuff on this exam wasn't in the study materials, and felt like the exam was difficult. But I know others say that the exam seems to be easier than practice exams. I guess it just depends. I never scored higher than a 70 on a practice exam, and I still passed.

Bottom line, I feel like you can't go wrong with AATBS, Psych Prep, or Academic Review, as long as you are taking a lot of practice tests. And I would suggest mixing up practice tests from different companies. Get some old practice exams from somebody, so that you get used to seeing the questions asked in a different manner, so that you are sure you really know the content.

Good luck!

 

[singasongofjoy]

Does anyone have any experience with the AATBS prep materials? I just bought them and am waiting for them to arrive. I'm hoping I didn't make a big, expensive mistake. thanks!

I loved them, but can't compare to anything else since it was the only thing I used after a ton of research (mostly on the SDN forums) about various study packages. I found them MUCH harder than the actual test. I liked the way they broke down the ethics material, and used that to study for the state exam too a few months later. I found the study outlines at the back of each chapter helpful, and the quizzes (maybe make copies of those pages, if you plan to sell the books after). And if you take the EPPP before your access to the online materials is up, you can sell it to someone else, which is what I did, so I basically only paid half the price of the AATBS since I recouped half. Also, anyone looking for AATBS materials- there is a $100 coupon code online somewhere that's been active at least the past 6 months. I can't remember what it is but I found it with a google search and it worked for a friend of mine recently as well. It's expensive, but I haven't heard of anyone who used that study material and then failed, if that makes you feel better about the sunk cost. By the time I was getting low 60s on the AATBS tests, I had way over-studied for the actual EPPP.