After I got control of my anxiety (2 weeks before my exam), I started thinking, “I wonder how high I can pass by,” instead of, “I wonder if I will pass.” I encourage you to shift your thinking to this as soon as possible. I took the exam during my postdoc year. I also reviewed this forum to compare my studying. It gave me more anxiety, but also confirmed I was on the right track. https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/eppp-practice-test-scores-for-those-who-passed.892453/page-22

If you are Black, attending a Psy.D. program, English is your second (or third) language, or are part of another marginalized group, here are special tips for you.

1. The exam is weirdly worded. Almost tricky, but not very tricky. You NEED online practice exams to learn the style of these questions.

2. You will not get most questions correct by using your best guess. You think differently from much of the world and you need to give them what THEY think is their best answer.

3. This is not really a test of your skills. You are smart. This is a test of strategy. Learn the style of the test.

4. During my postdoc year I worked with another fellow who told me her school provided her with over $1500 worth of study materials. My Psy.D. program gave me ZERO prep.

5. Links with well written articles about why there is a discrepancy

a. https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/mental-divide-the-qualifying-test-thats-twice-as-hard-for-minority-psychologists/96496/

b. https://www.gradpsychblog.org/the-examination-for-professional-practice-in-psychology-eppp-whats-race-got-to-do-with-it/#.XwexzUVKjFg

c. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223980.2018.1504739?forwardService=showFullText&tokenAccess=dDcKJ2KeCXeQ5CVVwGb5&tokenDomain=eprints&doi=10.1080%2F00223980.2018.1504739&doi=10.1080%2F00223980.2018.1504739&journalCode=vjrl20

d. A critique of EPPP Step 2 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/87568225.2016.1263134?src=recsys  

How much I spent for licensure in Georgia:

TOTAL     $ 1,587.25

Initiation fee     $100.00

ASPPB fee       $200.00

EPPP       $687.50

AATBS online exams       $451.25

PEPPPO          $63.50

Jurisprudence          $85.00

Study for around 200 hours:

I started studying September 2019. I missed October and studied once in November. I picked back up in March 2020 when I got an exam date of April 23. My exam was canceled because of Covid-19, so I stopped studying and picked back up in May. I got it rescheduled for July 8. I logged about 180 hours, but I know that’s an underestimation. I had about 100 hours of study by the time my exam was initially scheduled and I know now that I wasn’t ready. I studied 3-5 hours almost every day for the last 3 weeks.

What to study: I strongly suggest you invest in the online practice exams by any company. Academic Review (AR), Psych Prep, Taylor Study method, Association for Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences (AATBS). I used AATBS. I found a 10% discount code online and paid $450 for one month. I’d suggest you get it for 3 months. Because of Covid-19 canceling my exam they offered me 6 additional weeks for free.

Old study materials are fine, in my opinion. I used workbooks from PsychPrep from 2015 and Academic Review from 2013. They each have a different style. I also used the Behavioral Health Study App (formerly called Pocket Prep for EPPP)

How to study:

Take a practice exam and see what your weakest areas are. Focus on those areas first and the areas that are weighted the most. Read the study materials you have, then take another practice exam. In the month leading up to your exam, you should focus mostly on studying with practice exams. Practice exams are harder than the actual EPPP. The ASPPB Retired Questions and the PEPPPO were most similar in style.

My scores on practice exams:

Times taken 1 2 3

1 51% 55% 92%

2 51% 68% 79%

3 53% 73% 89%

4 53% 71%

5 57% 82%

6 52% 77%

7 56%

8 64%

2006 ASPPB Retired Questions – 76%

ASPPB Practice EPPP Online (PEPPPO) – Pass

My EPPP Score – 625 (NY- 85)