Finally passed CPSS after two attempts — here's what actually helped

by Carlos B. 274 views3 replies
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Carlos B.OP
May 27, 2026

So I just got my results back and I finally passed the CPSS exam on my second try. Honestly thought I was going to fail again because I studied the same way I did the first time for about three weeks and felt just as lost going in. What changed everything was actually finding a decent CPSS practice test that matched the real question style — multiple choice with those tricky scenario-based questions where two answers both seem right.

First attempt I scored somewhere around 68% and needed a 75% to pass. This time I hit 79%, so not crushing it but I'll take it. The domains that killed me before were the pharmacological interventions section and the ethics stuff. I spent probably 40 hours total studying this go-round, spread over six weeks instead of cramming.

Curious if anyone else here has gone through this recently — what did your CPSS study guide look like? I'm also happy to share the breakdown of topics I focused on if it helps anyone currently prepping.

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Nicole F.
May 28, 2026
Wait, is the passing score definitely 75%? I've seen different numbers floating around online and it's stressing me out. My exam is in three weeks and I've been using a CPSS study guide from a peer support training program but I'm not sure it covers all the domains evenly. How many questions total did you see on yours — I've heard anywhere from 100 to 150.
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Jordan L.
May 28, 2026
Congrats! I passed mine last fall and the scenario-based ethics questions were rough for me too. What helped was reading through the IC&RC candidate handbook line by line and then doing practice questions after each domain. The pharmacology section isn't as deep as you'd think — they're testing application more than memorization. Definitely worth drilling those case studies.
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rachel_s
May 28, 2026
This is exactly the kind of post I needed to see today. Sitting for mine next month and feeling really shaky on the recovery support systems domain. Good reminder to focus on exam tips from people who've actually taken it rather than just reading textbooks.

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