“The Facebook Post that Started It All”

(posted to multiple EPPP Study Groups in May 2017)

My EPPP journey consisted of multiple failing attempts, getting fired from my job, financial strife, mental health issues (anxiety, depression), procrastination, and a litany of rationalizations and excuses, such as “I will study when I get home from work” or “I will wake up super early tomorrow and put in a few hours in” or “I have a bunch of vacation days that I will use this summer and I will non-stop study for ten straight days!” or enrolling in an intensive workshop as a way to delude myself and also to get friends, family, and colleagues off my back! And, on the few occasions I did attempt to prep for the exam, I would instantly become frustrated as evidenced by litany of unproductive self-talk such as, “The EPPP is stupid!” and/or “This test has nothing absolutely nothing at all to do with my job” or my all-too-often refrain, “Why the hell do I need to know this stuff!?!?” In retrospect, all of these mantras were incredibly self-defeating and offered NO HELP when the goal was to pass the licensing exam!
 
Before I begin with my DO’s and DONT’s of EPPP Test Prep, I issue this disclaimer: Everyone is different as we (of all people) know as psychologists.  I am, by no means, an expert on the EPPP and there is not a ONE SIZE FITS ALL MODEL for passing this test.  Simply put, the methods employed by some candidates may not work for others and vice versa.  I know of candidates who passed the exam while under a tremendous amount of stress (i.e., working full time, family obligations, financial pressures), some of whom crammed, a few that exclusively listened to audio recordings to and from work, and I’ve even heard of one individual who passed the EPPP without even studying!  For me, however, none of the aforementioned methods were successful!!
 
The following “Study Hint/Tips/What Worked for Me” are based on my experiences in preparing for the EPPP for four months and enabled me to pass with a comfortable margin:
 
1. Know Thyself: It is important to have a degree of self-awareness at the beginning of the study process.  What do I mean?  Assess your initial knowledge base with the Assessment Exam.  In addition, your learning style is key (auditory or visual, studying with friends vs studying alone, studying at home vs. the library or at a cafe, etc.).  I also contend that it is vital to assess your focus and concentration abilities.  Nowadays, we all battle with this issue a bit (but some of us struggle more than others).  For me, 45-minute increments and spaced practice were crucial factors in my ability to adequately comprehend the massive amount of data required to pass the EPPP.  
 
2. Make the EPPP your Buddy: One should have a comprehensive understanding of the EPPP -- domain and content areas, format of the exam, number of questions on the exam (225), scaled score (500 is passing in most jurisdictions), as well as the number of experimental questions (I believe its 50) not counted towards the overall score (meaning questions on the exam "tested out" on the examiner that are not counted towards your overall score).  I was unaware of the “experimental questions” in my previous attempts and felt tremendous angst while taking the exam thinking to myself “"How is is possible that I studied and took practice tests and that I don’t know a thing?!?!  I must be really dumb.”  Moreover, one should have an understanding of the consequences of failing the EPPP.  Would you be able to immediately retake the exam?  Does failure result in a loss of your ability to work?  How soon after failure are you able to retake the examination?  Every jurisdiction has slightly different regulations and awareness that “failing the exam is not the end of the world” may result in a a more, relaxed test-taking approach.
 
3. Positive Thoughts: Eliminate the negative self-talk and stop referring to the EPPP as THE BEAST!  In retrospect, the negative-self talk I employed (when I failed the exam) was counterproductive and did not serve a purpose other than assisting in my failure!!  I had provided myself a “built-in excuse to quit” and had also inhibited my ability to learn effectively. This time around I viewed the EPPP as my Super Bowl.  Everything I did in my preparation was designed to prepare me for the BIG GAME aka EXAM DAY and I consistently told myself, “I can and will pass the EPPP!”
 
4. Study Methods: The same tenets that apply to the body apply to the brain.  For a person like myself who had not intensively studied in years, the thought of reading textbook style literature from cover to cover was daunting and quite frankly...unrealistic!  Thus, I recommend utilizing audio materials as an adjunct.  
 
Utilizing “the brain as a muscle” analogy (for those who are into physical fitness)...when one has not been to the gym in quite some time, the first several weeks may be very discouraging as your body fatigues easily, your strength is diminished, and a litany of negative-self talk may permeate your psyche.   Alluding to this brain/body analogy, (in those instances) I would tell myself “If I can just make it through my first week back without quitting, I will be fine.”  In my EPPP test prep, the same credo applied.   For the first three weeks, I was merely trying to “get through” the materials without quitting!   And I did!!!  At the conclusion of my first pass through the materials, I began…
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5. Practice Exams/Identical Elements:  At the end of each week, I took a Practice Exam and tried to simulate actual exam conditions as much as possible.  For me, this meant taking the exam in the library on a library computer NOT on my lap top.   In my opinion, taking Practice Examinations (as I did the first time around) while lying in bed or texting with friends or taking half the exam in the morning and the other half in the evening, is counterproductive.
 
Try to simulate actual exam conditions as much as possible!  Think of it this way...When the Miami Dolphins are playing the Green Bay Packers in December, practicing in 90 degree South Beach weather is illogical.   For that reason, warm weather teams will often practice in colder climates (or will at least attempt to simulate the conditions in their practice facility).  In my humble opinion, the same logic applies to taking Practice Exams!
 
6. Memory Aids: Utilize memory aids, such as mnemonics, acronyms, and acrostics.  Many of the concepts/theories on this exam are not intuitive (at least they were not for me) and must be committed to memory!   Quite often, the more elaborative the (and sometimes inappropriate) memory strategies one utilizes the easier it is to recall the material.  
 
7. Statistics and Test Construction: For most of us, these two domains equate to “UGHHHHH!!!”  In retrospect, one of the major mistakes I made when I failed the EPPP was avoidance of these two areas. I told myself that “from a mathematical perspective it is possible to answer all of these questions incorrectly and still pass the EPPP.”  Although this is factually correct, there are some problems with this approach.   First and foremost, some of the Stats and Test Construction concepts bleed into other content areas (specifically I/O).  In addition, when taking the exam, it is quite intimidating and anxiety-provoking to come across a question that you have no clue how to approach or answer.  This time around I prepared for these sections by breaking it into "manageable chunks"  (45 minutes per day over a 2-week period). This was far more doable, much less anxiety producing and most importantly -- actually enabled me to truly grasp the concepts!
 
8. Reviewing the Practice Exams/Content Areas: After taking a Practice Test (usually on a Saturday), I would take the remainder of the weekend off.  The brain (like the body) needs to rest.   Exam review was the next step.  I reviewed  ALL OF THE QUESTIONS as opposed to just the questions I answered incorrectly and paid close attention to the rationales.  On Monday, I reviewed questions 1-50 and 200-225...Tuesday 51-100...Wednesday 101-150...Thursday 151-199.  
 
I focused upon four major content areas per week.  I also utilized index cards which highlighted the major concepts/terms in every section.   For example, I had an index card for the terms“emic” and “etic” as well as cards for “Structural Family Therapy,” a bunch of “Piaget Index cards,” “Frontal Lobes” etc….  As I reviewed the exams, I wrote notes on the corresponding index cards.   At the end of the day (often while lying in bed or on the couch), I read the cards from start to finish (often aloud) without trying to memorize verbatim, and then went to sleep.   I believe this strategy worked incredibly well as my REM sleep helped catalog the material in my long-term memory.
 
9. Study Groups:  If at all possible, try to find others whom are in the same boat as you are.  I was fortunate enough to find people through the internet who were studying.  Words can not express my gratitude to my “study buddies” – super intelligent, cool people – who were supportive, validating, and most importantly – knowledgeable!
 
​10: Scheduling the Exam: If at all possible (and I know this is not always the case), I advise scheduling the EPPP when you are ready as opposed to picking your exam date months or weeks in advance.  In my experience, picking a date far in advance can create unnecessary pressure and stress.  Too much stress and pressure does not equate to optimal performance.
 
​11.THE ACTUAL EPPP: I found the actual EPPP to be “very manageable.”  I broke the exam into 25 question increments to alleviate stress and pressure.  Midway through the examination I took a break, had some water, used the bathroom, and stretched.  This was much needed and approximated exactly what I had done while taking the Practice Exams.  After my first time through the exam, there were approximately 26 questions I had skipped.  After going back to those questions, I was very confident that I had passed so I was, therefore, able to approach my unanswered questions in a fairly relaxed manner.  
 
​If you made it through my marathon post, I hope you found it helpful (and you're still awake).  I have many more thoughts on this process (but I’d be writing for days).  I mean this sincerely – YOU CAN AND WILL PASS THIS EXAM!   It is all about preparation, focus, and determination.  In the end, I do believe that my EPPP preparation (and I can’t believe I’m writing this) has made me a more knowledgeable and better psychologist.   If I can do it, so can you!!!
 
GOOD LUCK!
Steve