Finally passed the PC exam after two failed attempts — here's what worked

I'm not going to sugarcoat it — I failed the PC exam twice before I finally passed last month. The first time I went in pretty cocky thinking my on-the-job experience would carry me through. Big mistake. The second time I studied harder but still didn't really understand what the exam was actually testing. Third attempt I changed my whole approach.

What actually made the difference was being brutal about my weak spots instead of just reviewing what I already knew. I spent about 6 weeks this time, roughly 90 minutes a day, and leaned heavily on a structured PC study guide that broke down each domain separately. I also did timed PC practice test sets every few days to simulate real pressure — not just flashcards. My target was 75% or higher on practice sets before I'd even book the real date.

A few PC exam tips I wish someone had told me earlier: read every answer choice before picking one, flag anything you're not 100% sure about and come back, and don't spend more than 90 seconds on a single question. The time management piece alone probably saved me this round. Happy to answer questions if anyone's prepping right now.