SOMM online vs in-person exam — any difference in difficulty?

For what it's worth from someone who's been through it:

The SOMM is one of those exams where the practice tests really do prepare you well. The style of questioning is pretty consistent. If you're comfortable with "SOMM" material under timed conditions, you'll be fine.

The one thing I'd add: read the question stems very carefully. They sometimes add a qualifier that completely changes the right answer and it's easy to miss when you're going fast.

Also check whether you need to schedule the exam in advance — some testing centers book up 2-3 weeks out.

Quick data point: I spent 8 weeks studying, 1-3 hours a day, and passed with a 75%.

The section on SOMM exam took me the longest to feel confident about. Eventually I just drilled practice questions until I could answer them without hesitation.

What testing center did you end up booking? Some of them have much shorter wait times than others right now.

I actually failed the first time by a few points. Total gut punch. But passed on the second attempt with a comfortable margin.

What changed: I stopped trying to memorize answers and started actually understanding the material. Specifically on SOMM exam — I went back to basics and worked forward from first principles.

Also switched from reading to doing. Less time with the textbook, more time on practice questions with detailed answer explanations.

You've got this. The second attempt is always better because you know exactly what the exam is like.

I work full time and studied for SOMM mostly in the gaps. Lunch breaks, the train, twenty minutes before bed. I went with the testing center in the end and honestly I think it was the right call for me, because home is where my brain switches off and I knew I'd get distracted. The exam itself isn't really easier or harder either way. The format's the same. It's more about where you actually focus.

If you've been cramming around a busy schedule like I was, my advice is to be honest about your own habits. I drilled free somm wine knowledge questions on my phone constantly and that repetition is what carried me, not the location. Pick whichever setting lets you sit down and actually concentrate. For some people that's the quiet of a center, for others it's their own kitchen table. There's no wrong answer here, just know yourself.