Finally passed my CLFP after two attempts — here's what actually worked

Okay so I've been lurking here for months and I feel like I owe it to this community to post after everything I read helped me get through this. I failed the CLFP the first time back in February — scored a 68 when I needed a 75. Honestly I thought I was prepared but the equipment finance and lease accounting sections absolutely wrecked me. I'd been using one of those generic finance study guides and it just wasn't specific enough.

Second attempt I completely changed my approach. I spent about six weeks this time, roughly an hour a day on weekdays and two to three hours on Saturdays. The biggest shift was actually doing timed CLFP practice test sessions instead of just reading. Found that drilling questions under time pressure exposed gaps I didn't even know I had — especially around FMV leases versus $1 buyout structures.

For anyone just starting out, my exam tips would be: don't underestimate the legal/documentation section, and make sure your study guide actually covers ELFA standards specifically. What materials are you all currently using? Happy to share more detail on what clicked for me.