So I just got my results back and I passed the TDA on my second try. First attempt I scored a 68 and needed a 75, which was brutal after putting in about three weeks of studying. I think I made the classic mistake of just re-reading my notes over and over instead of actually testing myself.
What changed for me the second time around was using a TDA practice test almost every day for the last two weeks before the exam. That exam simulation pressure is just different from passive review — it showed me exactly where my knowledge was falling apart under time constraints. I also found a solid study guide that broke down the competency domains in a way that actually made sense instead of just listing bullet points at me.
For anyone prepping right now, the data literacy and visualization interpretation sections hit harder than I expected. Way more scenario-based questions than I anticipated. Has anyone else found certain topic areas more weighted than others? Happy to share more exam tips if people are working through this same material.