I've been lurking here for almost a year and figured it was time to give back since so many posts helped me get through this. Failed the PCS twice before I finally passed last month with an 82. The first two times I was just reading through the HRCI materials and calling it good — huge mistake. The exam is way more scenario-based than I expected, and memorizing definitions only gets you so far.
What changed for me was committing to a real PCS study guide with practice scenarios and actually timing myself. I did about 90 minutes a day for six weeks leading up to my third attempt. The compensation strategy and global mobility sections killed me on attempt two, so I hammered those specifically.
Taking a solid PCS practice test under timed conditions every weekend was the game-changer. You start recognizing how the questions are framed, which is half the battle. Happy to share more exam tips if anyone's prepping right now — just ask.