So I just got my results back and I finally passed the ADT on my second try. Honestly felt like crying when I saw it. First time I went in pretty confident — I'd been in the alarm industry for four years and figured I knew most of it already. Big mistake. Scored a 68 and needed a 70. Devastating.
This time around I spent about six weeks actually studying. I used an ADT practice test site to drill the technical stuff — low voltage wiring, zone configurations, UL listings — because that's where I kept getting tripped up. Also found a solid study guide that broke down the NFPA 72 requirements in plain English, which helped a ton. My weak spots were fire alarm system codes and the access control integration questions, so I hammered those specifically.
For anyone prepping right now: don't underestimate the code compliance sections. They feel dry but there's a surprising number of questions on them. Happy to answer questions if anyone's in the middle of studying.