So I just got my results back and I finally passed the TCAP on my second try. Honestly I'm still kind of in shock because I was convinced I was going to fail again. The first time around I just read through the manual twice and figured that'd be enough — spoiler, it wasn't. I scored a 68 and needed a 75, which was brutal to see.
What made the difference this time was actually doing timed practice. I found a solid TCAP practice test online and did it under real conditions — no phone, no breaks, strict time limits. That exposed how slow I was on the measurement and data interpretation sections, which I'd been totally underestimating. I also grabbed a study guide that broke down each domain separately instead of trying to review everything at once.
For anyone prepping right now: don't skip the constructed response prompts. I spent maybe 80% of my first attempt study time on multiple choice and it showed. Give yourself at least 6 weeks if you're working full time. Happy to answer questions about specific sections if anyone's stuck.