Passed 1st try
Passed the S65 today - I used Knopman Marks, completed over 2500 practice questions, read the textbook and did 2 of their exams (74% and 76%). I also bought supplemental exams from STC (79, 81, 83, 86).
The bell curve of the exam is definitely real. The first 15-20 questions felt like a breeze. Once I got past those I definitely thought I was getting my butt kicked. Just stick with it, trust your gut and try not to get discouraged. Take your time and keep breathing. Narrow down your options and try and work off a 50/50.
I completed the 140 questions and took a quick break to regroup before I went back to my marked questions. It definitely felt like I was looking at them with fresher eyes/clearer mind. I was completing my practice exams in roughly 90-100 min. I took pretty much the entire time for the real deal, about 10 min left to spare.
During my time studying I’d come on here a lot. Definitely some noise, but a lot of helpful stuff too. It felt like a lot of people who passed did so quietly so just wanted to come here and say that plenty of people pass this thing! 70% pass rate - so don’t get discouraged.
Stick with it and you’ll be fine. Good luck to everyone studying