Failed BACB exam twice — what finally worked for me on attempt 3

by Jordan L. 488 views3 replies
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Jordan L.OP
May 27, 2026

I've been lurking here for a while but wanted to share my story because I wish someone had told me this earlier. I failed the BCBA exam in September and again in January — both times I scored around 68%, just shy of the passing mark. I was devastated. I'd been studying for months using just the task list and my grad school notes, but something wasn't clicking.

What changed for me was switching how I was practicing. Instead of re-reading content, I started doing timed BACB practice test sets daily and actually analyzing why I got things wrong — not just moving on. I also found a solid study guide that broke down experimental design and behavior reduction procedures in a way my textbooks never did. Those two content areas were killing me.

Third attempt I passed with an 82%. The volume of practice questions made the real exam feel familiar rather than terrifying. If you're stuck, I'd genuinely love to share what resources I used — just ask below.

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Tyler B.
May 27, 2026
This is so encouraging, thank you. I'm scheduled for my first attempt in July and experimental design is exactly where I'm struggling too. Did you find any specific exam tips for that section, or was it purely repetition? I've been doing about 30 questions a day but I'm not sure if that's enough given I'm also working full-time.
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emily_w
May 28, 2026
Congrats on passing! I had a similar experience — second attempt I started treating practice tests like a diagnostic tool rather than just a score check. Writing out WHY the wrong answers were wrong was a game changer. Also ethics questions tripped me up way more than I expected on my first sit. Make sure you're not skimming that section.
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Ravi S.
May 28, 2026
82% is a great score after two attempts — you should be proud. The BACB exam is genuinely hard and most people don't talk about failing. Thanks for being honest about your timeline. Gives the rest of us some perspective.

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