Finally passed my CFS exam after two failed attempts — here's what worked

So I finally got my Certified Fraud Specialist designation last month and I honestly can't believe it took me three tries. First two attempts I was scoring in the low 60s and kept telling myself I just needed to study harder, but the problem was I was studying the wrong way. I was reading the manual cover to cover like it was a novel instead of actually testing myself on the material.

What finally clicked was switching to a real CFS practice test routine — doing timed 50-question blocks every day for about six weeks straight. I tracked which domains I kept missing (for me it was asset misappropriation schemes and financial statement fraud detection) and drilled those specifically. I also found a solid CFS study guide that organized the ACFE curriculum in a way the official materials just... don't. Went from a 63 to an 82 on my third attempt.

Happy to share my full breakdown if anyone's preparing right now. What sections are giving you the most trouble? The exam tips I wish someone had told me earlier would've saved me months.