Failed BCG exam twice — what finally worked for my third attempt

by Sofia R. 4 views3 replies
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Sofia R.OP
May 27, 2026

Okay so I need to share this because I wish someone had told me earlier. I failed the BCG certification exam in October and again in January, both times scoring around 68% when you need 75% to pass. I was devastated after the second attempt because I'd put in probably 40+ hours of studying using random YouTube videos and a textbook from 2019.

What changed everything for me was actually finding a decent BCG practice test that simulated the real exam format. The question style on the actual test is very specific — they love scenario-based questions about blending and color correction, and my old materials barely covered those. I also finally broke down and got a structured study guide instead of cobbling together notes from five different sources.

Passed last month with an 81%. My timeline was six weeks, about 1-2 hours per night. Has anyone else struggled with the color theory section specifically? That was my biggest weak spot even on the third try.

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Mike_T
May 28, 2026
The color theory section absolutely wrecked me too. What helped me was making flashcards for every color correction scenario and drilling them until I could do them in my sleep. Also, don't underestimate the sanitation questions — I assumed I knew that stuff cold and got burned. Congrats on the 81%, that's a solid pass after two attempts. You should feel good about that.
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Daniel M.
May 28, 2026
Scenario questions are no joke on this exam. My instructor told us to always read the stem twice before picking an answer — sounds obvious but under pressure you rush. Give yourself the full time limit on every practice session, don't ever finish early just because you can.
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priya.test
May 28, 2026
I'm currently prepping for my first attempt in July and this thread is both reassuring and terrifying lol. Can I ask what study guide you ended up using? I've been seeing a few different ones recommended and honestly don't know which to trust. Also how many practice questions did you go through total before you felt ready? I want to make sure I'm not going in underprepared.

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