Just got my score back. So close it hurts.
I felt okay going in but clearly there were gaps. Looking back at my prep, I spent a lot of time on "a very potter musical transcript" but I think I underestimated how deep they go on what is a transcription in music.
The weird thing is I scored fine on the concept questions but tanked on the application ones. Like I understood the theory but when it came to scenario-based questions I kept second-guessing myself.
For anyone who's failed and then passed — what changed? Did you switch study materials? More practice tests? Different time of day?
Also curious whether the MUSIC score report tells you which sections you were weak in. Mine just shows an overall score and I have no idea where exactly I lost points.
Worth mentioning: the free music transcription question and answers covers exactly the areas people tend to struggle with most.
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 how to transcript music — 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.
Quick data point: I spent 7 weeks studying, 2-2 hours a day, and passed with a 86%.
The section on how to transcript music 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.
Great discussion. One thing nobody mentions: sleep the night before matters more than one more study session. Went in fully rested for my music-transcription and felt sharper than expected.
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