The Angel Of the South
Networker
I completed the first of my CPC program's three practice exams last night. It took me 2-3 days.
To my surprise, it's much easier than the 150-question practice exam I took out of a slightly outdated book. On that test, I passed with only a flat 70 on the first attempt; spent at least a solid week puzzling over some of my errors (even with rationales); and ultimately could never score higher than about 86. That test was formidable. But this "official" practice exam? Although I scored only 76 on the first attempt, most of my wrong answers were "silly mistakes" that I immediately recognized and can chalk up to not reading carefully enough. The exam lets one correct one's errors and re-grade; so within an hour, I had corrected every single error (mostly without looking at the rationales) and had reached a perfect score. Also, I did this while tired after work.
Being a ruthlessly objective thinker, I know this result shows not so much that I'm good as that the practice test is simply not as challenging as it could be. (Although I have realized that the three tests might be progressively more difficult. Perhaps I'll fail the second and third exams.)
I don't have the allegedly more difficult exam book with me, but it's this book, if anyone recognizes it. https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Exam-2020-proctor-examinee/dp/1674713371/ref=sr_1_3?crid=37IACFXPA3R22&dchild=1&keywords=2020+cpc+practice+exam+150+questions&qid=1628879885&sprefix=2020+cpc+pra,aps,192&sr=8-3
What I learned from this first practice exam is that I make "silly mistakes" far too easily and must be more careful.
Who wants to tell me that it simply does not reflect the real exam's difficulty?
To my surprise, it's much easier than the 150-question practice exam I took out of a slightly outdated book. On that test, I passed with only a flat 70 on the first attempt; spent at least a solid week puzzling over some of my errors (even with rationales); and ultimately could never score higher than about 86. That test was formidable. But this "official" practice exam? Although I scored only 76 on the first attempt, most of my wrong answers were "silly mistakes" that I immediately recognized and can chalk up to not reading carefully enough. The exam lets one correct one's errors and re-grade; so within an hour, I had corrected every single error (mostly without looking at the rationales) and had reached a perfect score. Also, I did this while tired after work.
Being a ruthlessly objective thinker, I know this result shows not so much that I'm good as that the practice test is simply not as challenging as it could be. (Although I have realized that the three tests might be progressively more difficult. Perhaps I'll fail the second and third exams.)
I don't have the allegedly more difficult exam book with me, but it's this book, if anyone recognizes it. https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Exam-2020-proctor-examinee/dp/1674713371/ref=sr_1_3?crid=37IACFXPA3R22&dchild=1&keywords=2020+cpc+practice+exam+150+questions&qid=1628879885&sprefix=2020+cpc+pra,aps,192&sr=8-3
What I learned from this first practice exam is that I make "silly mistakes" far too easily and must be more careful.
Who wants to tell me that it simply does not reflect the real exam's difficulty?