Passed the NBCOT on my second attempt — 443 to 484
I wanted to share my experience because this Reddit helped me so much throughout the process.
For my first attempt, I was working full-time until June 6 and took my exam June 17, so I crammed a lot of studying into the last couple of weeks. I completed over 1,000 TrueLearn questions and took two TherapyEd exams, scoring 53% and 49%. Those scores really hurt my confidence.
Going into the exam, I was extremely anxious. I even took a break halfway through and cried in the bathroom before going back to finish. I walked out feeling like I barely knew anything. After waiting over a week, I found out I scored a 443.
I was devastated, but I immediately reapplied and changed my study strategy. I realized that TrueLearn helped with content, but the question style didn't translate well to the actual NBCOT for me. The second time, I focused heavily on the official NBCOT study tools, completing all of the mini-tests and practice exams. My final practice exam score was a 463.
Going into my second attempt, I felt much calmer and more familiar with the questions. I walked out feeling confident that I had passed, and a few days later I found out I scored a 484.
If you fail, please don't let it convince you that you'll be a bad OT or that you can't pass. Figure out what didn't work, change your approach, and keep going. I did a lot of praying and self-reflection throughout this process, and I'm incredibly thankful I didn't give up.
443 to 484. Failing was devastating, but it made finally passing that much more rewarding. Don't give up!!!!:))