Failed my NCCCO written twice — what am I missing in my prep? — Forums

lisa.prepOP

May 27, 2026

So I just got my second failed notice and I'm honestly starting to question whether this career path is right for me. I've been working as a rigger's helper for about two years and my foreman keeps telling me to just get the cert already, but passing the written portion has been a nightmare. First attempt I scored a 68 (need 70 to pass), second time a 67. I'm literally going backwards.

My study routine has been pretty scattered — I've been reading through the NCCCO study guide, watching random YouTube videos, and doing some practice problems I found online. But I don't think I'm targeting the right stuff. The load charts are killing me, and I keep second-guessing myself on the signal hand sections. Has anyone found a solid NCCCO practice test that actually mirrors the real question format? I need something that drills the weak spots, not just throws generic questions at me.

I've got about 6 weeks before I can test again. Testing at a Prometric center in Columbus. Any exam tips from people who've been through this would be seriously appreciated — especially for the load chart math.

Alex G.

May 28, 2026

Load charts tripped me up too. What helped was finding practice scenarios online where you work through actual manufacturer charts step by step — not just memorizing numbers but understanding the logic. Radius, boom length, configuration, then find the intersection. Do that process maybe 30 times and it becomes automatic. Also, for hand signals, the CCO has flashcard-style resources that are way more efficient than reading paragraphs about them.

Tyler B.

May 28, 2026

Dude I was in the exact same spot last spring. The thing that finally clicked for me was focusing on the CCO candidate handbook — not just skimming it, actually memorizing the boom angle and capacity reduction tables. Also I did timed practice tests in the last two weeks, like 50 questions in 60 minutes to simulate the real pressure. Went from failing twice to passing with an 82. Don't give up, you're clearly close.

Sarah M.

May 28, 2026

Six weeks is plenty of time if you're intentional. I'd spend the first two weeks only on load charts, then shift to signals and safety regs. Doing a timed NCCCO practice test every few days will also show you exactly where your gaps are rather than guessing. You got this.

Failed my NCCCO written twice — what am I missing in my prep?

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