Okay so I've been lurking here for months and figured I owe it to this community to share what worked for me. Failed my first attempt back in February by 7 points — honestly embarrassing given how long I'd been in facilities management. The problem wasn't experience, it was that I kept studying the wrong way. I was basically just rereading my notes from the prep course and hoping it would stick.
What turned things around was actually doing a proper CFPM practice test under timed conditions. I found that simulating the real exam pressure exposed massive gaps I didn't know I had, especially in the sustainability and compliance sections. I also picked up a solid study guide that broke down the competency domains by weight — that alone changed how I allocated my prep time.
My second attempt I scored an 81. If you're in the thick of studying right now, I'm happy to answer questions. A few exam tips that made a difference for me: don't ignore the legal/regulatory domain even though it feels dry, and time yourself ruthlessly on practice sets. What's tripping you all up?