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Finally passed the GACE after failing twice — here's what actually helped

by Daniel M. 38 views3 replies
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Daniel M.OP
May 27, 2026

I'm not gonna sugarcoat it — I was a mess when I found out I failed the GACE test for the second time back in March. I'd been using some random YouTube videos and a textbook from 2019, and clearly that wasn't cutting it. My score report showed I was consistently weak in human development and learning theories, which honestly wasn't a huge surprise but still stung to see in black and white.

What finally turned things around for me was treating the GACE exam more like an actual curriculum than just a reading checklist. I started blocking out two hours every morning before work — no exceptions — and doing timed practice sets. I also found the FREE GACE Educational Leadership Questions and Answers on this site super helpful for understanding how questions are worded, even though I was sitting for a different content area. The question style transfers surprisingly well.

Passed with a 254 on my third attempt last month. If anyone's deep in GACE prep right now and feeling hopeless, I promise it clicks eventually. What's tripping you up most?

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Jessica L.
May 28, 2026
Three attempts is nothing to be ashamed of — plenty of people need that. The GACE is legitimately harder than people expect going in. Two-hour morning blocks sound brutal but that kind of consistency is exactly what moves the needle. You got this, and congrats on the 254!
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Chloe W.
May 28, 2026
Congrats!! I passed mine in February after two attempts as well, so I feel this deeply. The thing that helped me most was actually printing out the Georgia DOE candidate handbook and going through the competency descriptions line by line. Sounds tedious but when you map your weak areas to specific competencies it's way less overwhelming. Also did about 45 minutes of practice questions every single evening for six weeks straight.
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Ravi S.
May 28, 2026
Quick question — when you say you used practice sets, were those through the official NES/Pearson prep materials or third-party stuff? I'm sitting for the GACE Social Studies test in July and I've heard mixed things about how well the official practice tests reflect the real exam. I've been using the FREE GACE Social Studies Questions and Answers here but wondering if I should supplement more.

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