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Jordan L.OP
May 27, 2026
Just failed my second attempt at the COST certification and honestly feeling pretty deflated. First time I went in underprepared — I know that. But this second attempt I studied for 8 weeks, did the practice questions, went through the AACE study guide twice. Still missed by 11 points.
The cost engineering and project controls sections killed me. I'm solid on estimating but the earned value stuff and forecasting questions trip me up every time. Anyone have a specific resource that helped with EVM? I've been using the recommended reading list but maybe I'm missing something.
Third attempt scheduled for 6 weeks from now. Not looking forward to telling my boss I need more time but here we are.
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emily_w
May 28, 2026
Took me three attempts too. The EVM section is brutal if you don't practice with actual numbers. I made a spreadsheet with like 50 EVM problems and just drilled them. Khan Academy has decent free content on it too. Don't give up — the third time I passed with a comfortable margin.
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priya.test
May 28, 2026
The AACE study guide alone isn't enough for EVM in my experience. Look for practice exams specifically. The official AACE practice test was closest to what I saw on the real exam. Also give yourself more time on the cost control questions — they love tricky wording.
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Marcus T.
May 28, 2026
6 weeks is plenty of time if you focus. I'd spend at least 3 of those weeks just on EVM and project controls. That section has a disproportionate number of questions relative to how much study material covers it.