So I just got my results back and I'm officially CE certified. Honestly didn't think I'd be writing this post after failing the first time by 11 points back in February. That first attempt I went in way too confident — studied maybe 15 hours total, skimmed a few chapters, thought my field experience would carry me. It did not.
Second attempt was completely different. I gave myself eight weeks, blocked out an hour every morning before work, and actually used a structured CE study guide instead of just re-reading my notes. The biggest game-changer was doing timed practice questions every single day. I must have worked through 400+ questions total. Weak areas for me were regulatory compliance and the ethics section — way more nuanced than I expected.
If you're in the same boat, my biggest CE exam tip is to not skip the scenario-based questions in your prep materials. The real exam leans heavily on those. Happy to answer questions if anyone's prepping right now — I know how stressful the wait feels.