After two attempts and about four months of studying, I finally got my ABV certification last week. I wanted to share what worked because when I started I couldn't find much practical advice online beyond the official AICPA materials.
The biggest game-changer for me was switching my approach about six weeks out. I'd been reading through the Body of Knowledge cover to cover like it was a textbook, which was basically useless. What actually moved the needle was drilling practice questions every single day and reviewing why I got things wrong. I used a combination of the AICPA sample questions and an ABV practice test platform that had more realistic exam-style scenarios — especially for the income approach and market approach sections, which I kept fumbling. My weak spots were normalization adjustments and valuation discounts, so I made sure to spend extra time there.
For anyone putting together their study guide now: don't underestimate the report-writing section. It's not just theory — they want you to know how a real valuation report gets structured and what standard language belongs where. Happy to answer questions if anyone's in the thick of it.