CBA exam prep - struggling with the written business and safety sections
I've been doing balloons professionally for 4 years and I'm finally sitting for the CBA through NABAS. The practical test doesn't worry me. It's the written business and safety sections where I keep scoring around 65% on practice sets.
I'm studying 1 hour daily with 5 weeks before exam day. Helium safety regulations and latex allergy protocols are where I keep dropping points - I know the practical stuff but the regulatory side feels like a different language.
Business management questions trip me up too. Markup calculations, event quoting formulas, vendor contracts - I do this daily but the question phrasing throws me off. Last practice set was 72% and I want to feel consistently above 75% before I walk in.
Has anyone found a good supplemental resource beyond the NABAS study guide? The official materials feel sparse on regulatory content specifically.
The helium regulations section has gotten more detailed recently. DOT cylinder handling and storage requirements alone were about 8-10 questions on my exam.
I printed a one-page formula sheet for the business section and drilled it every morning for 3 weeks. The retail markup vs. cost-plus pricing distinction is a common trick question.
Five weeks is enough if you're already at 65-72%. I was at 68% six weeks out and passed with 77% - the gap closes fast once the regulatory terminology stops feeling foreign.
Passed mine in 2024 with an 82% and the latex allergy response protocols came up 4 separate times in different contexts. Know both prevention and first response procedures.