So I passed the CPRE last week and I'm still kind of in shock. Failed my first attempt back in February by just 4 points — honestly devastating after three months of prep. The problem was I'd been relying almost entirely on reading the ISTQB materials and ignoring how the questions were actually structured. Big mistake.
What turned things around was doing timed CPRE practice test sessions every single day for the last six weeks. I mean 30-40 questions, strict timer, then spending as long as it took reviewing why I got things wrong. The requirements elicitation and validation sections were killing me, and I had no idea until I started tracking my weak spots. I also picked up a study guide specifically focused on the Foundation Level Extension — way more useful than generic test advice.
Total study time second round was probably 80 hours over six weeks. If you're just starting out, don't underestimate the traceability and requirements management topics. Happy to share the resources that clicked for me if anyone's preparing right now.