I'm not going to sugarcoat it — I bombed this exam twice and spent probably 80 hours studying the wrong way. First attempt I scored a 612, second time a 648. Both times I leaned way too hard on reading the docs and not enough on actually understanding how the admin center decisions connect to each other. Microsoft 365 tenant governance sounds straightforward until the scenario questions hit you sideways.
What changed for me before pass #3 was switching to a proper MS-102 practice test routine — doing timed sets of 30-40 questions daily instead of passive reading. I also found a solid study guide that broke down compliance policies and conditional access in plain English rather than Microsoft's own documentation style, which honestly reads like legal contracts sometimes.
Cleared it with a 762 on the third try. Happy to share what specific topic areas I focused on the last six weeks if anyone's in the same boat. What's everyone using for exam tips these days — especially around endpoint management and identity?