So I cleared the CPPS last month on my second try and wanted to share what made the difference, because I was pretty lost after my first failure. The first time around I just read through the APICS materials and figured that would be enough. Spoiler: it wasn't. I scored a 68 and needed a 70. Devastated doesn't even cover it.
What changed for round two was being way more systematic. I built a 10-week study plan, spent about 8-10 hours a week, and leaned heavily on a CPPS practice test bank to actually pressure-test my knowledge instead of just passively reading. That gap between "I recognize this concept" and "I can apply it under time pressure" is real and it will catch you if you're not careful. The procurement ethics section and supplier performance metrics were my weak spots — yours might be different, so diagnose early.
I also found a solid CPPS study guide that broke down the APICS body of knowledge in plain language rather than textbook-speak. If anyone's prepping right now, happy to share what resources I used. What's everyone else's timeline looking like?