So I've been a locksmith for about six years now and finally decided to get serious about the ALOA certification. Failed my first attempt back in February — honestly went in way too confident and got wrecked by the key coding and automotive sections. Scored a 71 when I needed a 75. Embarrassing, but also a wake-up call.
For my second attempt I actually buckled down and used a proper ALOA practice test to figure out where my gaps were. Turns out I was solid on mechanical locks but completely weak on access control and safe servicing. Spent about 6 weeks, maybe 45-50 hours total, going through a structured study guide before retesting. Passed with an 81 this time.
Anyone else here studying for ALOA right now? Happy to share some specific exam tips that helped me — especially around the automotive section which trips up a lot of people. Also curious if others found the key coding portion harder than expected or if that was just me.