Just passed my AB exam — here's what actually helped

I've been lurking on this forum for months while studying and I finally have good news to share: I passed my AB - Able Seaman Exam on the first try!

Quick background: I've been in academic & school tests for about 3 years but this was my first time taking a formal certification. I was honestly terrified because I kept hearing how hard the written portion was.

Here's what made the biggest difference for me:

• Practice tests, practice tests, practice tests. I did at least 3-4 full practice exams in the final two weeks. The questions on PracticeTestGeeks were surprisingly close to the real thing.
• Focus on your weak areas. After each practice test I'd note which topics I missed and do a targeted review. For me it was terminology and regulations — both showed up heavily on the real exam.
• Don't memorize — understand the reasoning. The AB exam loves scenario-based questions. If you understand WHY a procedure is done, you can answer questions you've never seen before.

Total study time was about 6 weeks, roughly 1.5 hours per day. Happy to answer any questions!

If you're looking for a starting point, the free ab deck seamanship line handling is worth trying — the questions closely match what you'll see on test day.