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Finally passed my LAPD written exam after three attempts — here's what helped

by Carlos B. 3 views3 replies
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Carlos B.OP
May 27, 2026

I'm not gonna lie, I failed the written twice before I figured out what I was actually doing wrong. The first time I went in cold thinking it would be easy — big mistake. Second time I bought some random book off Amazon that didn't even cover the right material. Third time I finally sat down and got serious about it.

What changed everything for me was finding a decent LAPD practice test that matched the real format. The actual exam hits you with reading comprehension, logic/reasoning, and situational judgment questions all mixed together, and if you're not used to that rhythm it throws you off. I spent about six weeks using a study guide that broke down each section, doing timed practice runs to simulate the pressure. My target was 70% but I ended up hitting 84% on the real thing.

Anyone else prepping right now? Happy to share more specific exam tips — especially around the situational judgment part, which I think trips people up the most. The scenarios feel obvious until they're not.

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Daniel M.
May 28, 2026
The reading comprehension part got me the first time too. I was reading too slowly and running out of time. What helped me was skimming the questions first before reading the passage — sounds backwards but it actually works. Also, if you're studying, don't just do random practice questions. Make sure whatever LAPD practice test you're using actually reflects the POST test format, not just generic police exams.
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Preethi N.
May 28, 2026
84% is a solid score, nice work. For anyone starting from scratch — six weeks is doable but don't cram. Two hours a day consistently beats ten hours on a Sunday. Give yourself at least one full mock test under timed conditions before the real thing.
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Ravi S.
May 28, 2026
Congrats on passing! I'm about six weeks out from my test date and the situational judgment section is exactly what's stressing me out. I keep second-guessing myself between two answers that both seem reasonable. Did you find a specific approach for those? Like, are you supposed to pick the most "by the book" answer or the most practical one?

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