So I just got my results back yesterday and I finally passed the PAC certification on my second try. Honestly, I was pretty defeated after failing the first time by just 4 points, so I completely overhauled my study approach. The biggest mistake I made round one was relying too heavily on reading the textbook without actually testing myself.
This time around I used a PAC practice test almost every day for the last three weeks. Doing timed practice under realistic conditions made a huge difference — I went from feeling totally lost on the policy and administration questions to actually feeling confident. I also found a solid study guide that broke down the competency areas in a way that finally clicked for me. Spent about 60–70 hours total studying over six weeks.
If you're in the middle of prep right now, I'd say don't underestimate the ethics and governance sections. I dropped a ton of points there on attempt one without even realizing it. Happy to answer questions if anyone's gearing up for their test date.