Passed on my 4th attempt
Let me say this first: whether you are on your 2nd, 3rd, or even more attempts, don’t give up. Keep going.
I know it’s hard not to compare yourself to people who passed on their first try. I know it can affect your confidence and make you question yourself, but we are all on different timelines. Keep your head up and keep pushing forward.
After my 3rd attempt, I felt defeated. I honestly thought I would never pass, but it all worked out. All praises to the Most High God.
My journey:
First attempt:
I had just graduated and didn’t put in much effort. My peers said it was an easy exam, so I decided to just take my shot.
Second attempt:
I used Mark Mattson and Gregory Michaelson videos, along with the NCEES 100-Question Practice Exam.
Third attempt:
I used Direct Hub, which really helped me understand concepts and skills that I had been lacking.
Fourth attempt (the one that worked):
I focused more on practice questions instead of watching videos. I used PrepFE and completed two to three timed 20-question quizzes every evening. If I kept getting something wrong, I would pause and quickly review that topic.
I also found a Islam- 800 question practice exam that was being shared online. It helped expose me to different question styles, and I actually saw at least one very similar question on the real exam.
It’s completely normal to walk out of the exam feeling like you failed. That’s exactly how I felt. I ran out of time and had to blindly guess on about 8 questions. Between those and the other questions I wasn’t confident about, I was already preparing myself to take the exam for a 5th time.
But it worked out.
So if you didn’t pass this time, don’t lose hope. Keep studying, keep practicing, and trust the process. Your time is coming.