So I finally got my CEAC certification last month after failing the first attempt back in February, and I wanted to share what made the difference because I couldn't find much real talk about this exam when I was studying. First time around I relied mostly on my work experience and skimmed a couple of books — scored a 68, needed a 75. Embarrassing but whatever.
Second attempt I completely changed my approach. I spent about six weeks using a structured CEAC study guide that actually mapped to the current exam domains, which helped me see where my gaps were. Compliance and ethics sections destroyed me the first time. I also worked through a CEAC practice test every Sunday to get used to the question style — the wording is tricky and you need reps to stop second-guessing yourself.
Biggest CEAC exam tip I can give: don't ignore the regulatory frameworks section. I assumed my day-to-day experience covered it, but the exam goes deeper than what most of us deal with practically. Anyone else taking this soon or just finished? Happy to answer questions.