I'm not gonna sugarcoat it — I failed the Certified Barista Journey exam twice before I passed last month. First attempt I went in cold thinking my 2 years of café experience would carry me. Scored a 61, needed a 75. Second time I studied the official handbook cover to cover but didn't do any practice questions. Got a 70. So close it hurt.
What actually turned things around was treating it like a real test prep process. I started using a CBJ practice test site and doing timed 30-question sets every morning before work. Suddenly I could see exactly where I was weak — espresso extraction ratios and water temperature variables were killing me. I also found a solid CBJ study guide that broke down the sensory evaluation rubric in plain language, which the official materials kind of glaze over.
Ended up with an 82 on attempt three. If anyone else is struggling, happy to share what specific CBJ exam tips helped me most. What are you all finding hardest to lock down?