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

I'm not going to sugarcoat it — I failed this thing twice before I finally passed last month. First time I went in basically cold, figured my field experience would carry me. It didn't. Second time I studied but used the wrong materials and still missed by four points. Third attempt I actually found a decent UST practice test online and drilled it until I was consistently hitting 85%+. That made all the difference.

What caught me off guard both times was how heavy the underground storage tank operations section is — I expected more on spill prevention and less on the technical release detection stuff. The study guide I ended up using broke it down by regulation category which finally made it click for me. Spent about three weeks, maybe 45 minutes a day, and went in feeling genuinely prepared for the first time.

Anyone else here studying for this? Happy to share what resources I used. Curious whether people are taking the state-specific version or the general certification — the content overlap is significant but the weighting is different.