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

by Chris D. 9 views3 replies
C
Chris D.OP
May 27, 2026

So I just got my results yesterday and I'm still kind of in shock — 82%! I failed my first attempt back in March with a 71% and honestly didn't know what I was doing wrong. I'd read through the official materials twice and felt like I understood the content, but the actual exam questions threw me off completely. The way they phrase things is tricky, especially the scenario-based stuff in the records management and compliance sections.

What finally made the difference was finding a solid ECRE practice test that actually mimicked the real question style. I did about 4-5 full practice runs in the two weeks before my retake, timing myself strictly. I also put together my own ECRE study guide by pulling weak areas from my practice scores and drilling those specifically — turns out I was weak on legal holds and information governance frameworks.

For anyone just starting out: don't underestimate the ethics and professional responsibility section. It's smaller but it's where a lot of people drop points. Happy to share my exam tips if anyone has specific questions about prep strategy.

M
Mike_T
May 28, 2026
Congrats! I'm sitting for mine in about six weeks and the scenario questions are exactly what I'm most worried about. Did you find the practice tests you used were close to the actual difficulty level? I've tried a couple free ones online and they felt way too easy, which makes me nervous the real thing is going to blindside me.
D
David K.
May 28, 2026
The legal holds section tripped me up too on my first pass. What helped me was actually drawing out the litigation hold process step by step on paper rather than just reading it. Something about mapping it visually made the sequence stick. Also spent a lot of time on GARP principles since those kept showing up in different forms throughout the exam.
J
Jessica L.
May 28, 2026
82% is a great score, especially on a retake — that takes guts to go back and sit for it again. The timing pressure is real. Practice under timed conditions from day one, not just the last week.

Join the Discussion

Sign in or register to reply with your account, or reply as a guest below.