Failed ART exam twice — what finally worked for my third attempt?

by emily_w 10 views3 replies
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emily_wOP
May 27, 2026

So I just passed the ART (Accredited Record Technician) exam last week after two failed attempts and I honestly feel like crying with relief. My first two tries I went in thinking my on-the-job experience would carry me, but the coding and reimbursement sections absolutely wrecked me. Scored a 68 and then a 71 — passing is 75, so close both times it was brutal.

What changed for attempt three: I actually committed to a structured ART study guide instead of just skimming my notes. I spent about six weeks, roughly 90 minutes a day, focusing hard on health data management, coding compliance, and revenue cycle. The thing that made the biggest difference was doing timed ART practice test sets — like full simulation runs — so I stopped running out of time in the coding section specifically.

Happy to share more details about what resources I used and which topic areas are worth extra attention. Anyone else currently prepping or have tips from their own experience?

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priya.test
May 28, 2026
This is really encouraging to read. I failed once (scored a 70) and kind of gave up for almost a year. Just registered again for next month. The exam tips I keep seeing say to focus on release of information and legal aspects, but honestly I struggled more with the quantitative stuff — am I alone in that? What was your weakest area going in?
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Carlos B.
May 28, 2026
Congrats on passing! I'm currently about four weeks out from my test date and the coding compliance section is killing me too. Can I ask — did you use any specific practice question banks or just the AHIMA prep materials? I've been going back and forth on whether to pay for a third-party platform or stick with official resources. My goal is at least a 78 so I have some buffer.
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Megan P.
May 28, 2026
Six weeks at 90 minutes a day is pretty much the sweet spot based on what I've seen people recommend. Timed practice is so underrated — most people study the content fine but then choke when the clock's actually running. Good on you for figuring that out before a third fail.

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