Finally passed the FS exam after two attempts — here's what actually helped
Long post incoming, but I hope this helps someone. Failed my first attempt back in February with a 71 (passing is 75) and honestly I was devastated. I'd been using a textbook and some random YouTube videos, which clearly wasn't cutting it. A colleague suggested I try a dedicated FS practice test site to figure out where my weak spots were, and that completely changed how I studied.
The sections that killed me were soil mechanics and lateral earth pressure. I didn't realize how heavily the exam weights those topics until I started taking timed practice sets. I ended up doing about 2 hours a day for 6 weeks leading up to my second attempt, focusing almost entirely on my weak areas instead of reviewing stuff I already knew.
Just passed last Thursday with an 81. If you're studying right now, please don't just read the study guide passively — work problems actively, especially under timed conditions. That shift alone made a huge difference for me. Happy to answer questions if anyone's deep in the prep grind.