So I took the APC exam back in February and honestly bombed it. Missed by 11 points, which stings because I thought I was ready. I'd been studying on and off for about six weeks using just the official APCO materials and figured that was enough. Spoiler: it wasn't.
For round two I completely changed my approach. I found an APC practice test that actually mimicked the real question format and started drilling those every night for 30 minutes. That alone exposed huge gaps in my knowledge around ICS structures and CAD terminology that I didn't even know I had. I also printed out a study guide and went section by section instead of jumping around.
Passed with a 78 on my second try. My main exam tips for anyone starting out: don't underestimate the radio communications module, and time yourself on practice questions from day one. The real test moves faster than you expect. Anyone else have a rough first attempt and turn it around?