I used Gerry Grossman and liked it a lot – had purchased the AATBS for another state and then went with GG for CA. I took the test yesterday and passed. I thought the classes were very helpful (though expensive) because it limited the info you need to know and gives you great little visual [...]]]> Congratulations Cara!

I used Gerry Grossman and liked it a lot – had purchased the AATBS for another state and then went with GG for CA. I took the test yesterday and passed. I thought the classes were very helpful (though expensive) because it limited the info you need to know and gives you great little visual ideas on how to remember a lot of the info with timeframes, ages, etc. I was scoring between 68% and 79% on a full 200 questions practice test and in the high 80′s in individual areas after studying them. I thought the actual test was more abstract, theoretical and integrated knowlege of theory, stage of tx, and DX in one question – the practice test quetsions were a bit more straight forward. I felt I had studied a lot of info I never had to recall and really had to focus hard to make sure I read the questions correctly and then read the answer sets carefully too. It wasnt as hard a I expected in terms of content – I felt ready having used my GG materials but the test requires a lot of critical and intense thinking. I recommend the GG materials and the CD’s were good while driving around – never used the flash card,wound up making my own since I am a doer/visual learner. The exam focussed on CBT, Systems, Bowen, Structural, and a lot of psychodymanic – also know the ‘schiz’ DX’s and their diferentials. Good luck!

So for those using AATBS TESTmaster and accompanying materials, I certainly struggled to make sense of what my testmaster scores meant in terms of the actual Clinical licensing test. Here’s what I have to pass on: I studied for probably about 4 full days, took 5 of the [...]]]> Congratulations Kel, who posted this in comments:

So for those using AATBS TESTmaster and accompanying materials, I certainly struggled to make sense of what my testmaster scores meant in terms of the actual Clinical licensing test. Here’s what I have to pass on: I studied for probably about 4 full days, took 5 of the TESTmaster tests, with scores that ranged from 57%-68% (first attempt only). So needless to say, despite what others had said, I was extremely nervous about taking the actual exam. However, I am pleased to report that I did FAR better on the actual exam in terms of percentage – I passed easily with a significant margin, with a score in the 80′s on the actual exam. So for those struggling with TESTmaster, it’s great preparation, but the questions rely FAR less on actual information and facts (and randomness), and are generally easier. That said, given the trickiness of this exam, I wasn’t very confident while taking it, and was shocked with my result.

Best luck to all – and don’t be like me and stress out too much!

Have a success story?  Other test-prep advice?  Share it!

Pleased to tell you I passed the LISW Clinical exam on the first try and didn’t just “barely pass,” but passed with flying colors! SocialWorkExam.com was recommended to me by a fellow social worker and I have already recommended the  site to others preparing for the exam. I think [...]]]> From my inbox, a strong recommendation for SocialWorkExam.com.

Pleased to tell you I passed the LISW Clinical exam on the first try and didn’t just “barely pass,” but passed with flying colors! SocialWorkExam.com was recommended to me by a fellow social worker and I have already recommended the  site to others preparing for the exam. I think the program is well designed in order to become familiar with the types of questions that will be asked on the exam and the test format in general. I can’t think of anything on the exam that wasn’t addressed on the SocialWorkExam.com web-site. I consider my money well spent.  Katherine

Congratulations, Katherine!

Have wisdom to share with people still studying?  Send it in!

I just took the exam today and passed. I used the AATBS Testmaster via computer — went through all 5 tests in study mode (did not retake any in exam mode). My highest overall percentage was 69% and lowest was 57%. I agree with comments made by Eva on 10/15/09. I’d recommend [...]]]> Up from comments:

I just took the exam today and passed. I used the AATBS Testmaster via computer — went through all 5 tests in study mode (did not retake any in exam mode). My highest overall percentage was 69% and lowest was 57%. I agree with comments made by Eva on 10/15/09. I’d recommend using the online exam and using AATBS flashcards or making your own to review the areas you’re not familiar with. A friend loaned me the AATBS Volumes for reviewing Exam Prep Material, but I think that can be overwhelming and not as valuable as focusing on the exams. If I had it to do over again, I’d only do the exams and flashcards (and spend less than 10% of time on flashcards) and I wouldn’t look at the volumes at all.

Congratulations, Lisa!

Share your success and advice about how to get others there:  write socialworktestprep@gmail.com

Thanks for your website–really helpful for me in passing the California Written Clinical. Here’s what worked for me (and what didn’t).

I am a pretty anxious person in general, so even under the best circumstances I can get sidetracked by worries that I am “not doing this [...]]]> From my inbox–KC, recent CA exam passer.  Thanks and congratulations!

Thanks for your website–really helpful for me in passing the California Written Clinical. Here’s what worked for me (and what didn’t).

I am a pretty anxious person in general, so even under the best circumstances I can get sidetracked by worries that I am “not doing this right,” or “what if” type of thinking. I had put off studying and taking the exam several times in the past year due to other factors (major life changes, work, health, etc.), so now my anxiety was really amped up and I had practically developed a test phobia. Lesson learned: avoidance = increased anxiety.

What finally worked for me, along with using the AATBS program, was doing some self-CBT (identifying and evaluating negative automatic thoughts and distortions, gradually exposing/desensitizing myself to the anxiety of studying and getting prep test questions wrong so that towards the end I was spending 2-5 hrs a day studying or taking practice exams, and building in rewards–eg, study one hour, read “Harry Potter” or watch “Mad Men” thirty min.) I also went for a session of hypnosis in which the hypnotherapist (who had experience working with people taking licensing exams) guided me through relaxation and visualization exercises and gave me a recording of the session to use on my own, which I did frequently. I also cut down on sugar, took a homeopathic supplement called “Calms Forte” to sleep at night, and was moderate with caffeine.

In short, I had to do a lot to get through the first exam, and others may not need to go to such lengths to manage their anxiety. Also, I was lucky to be able to budget in the AATBS and the hypnosis session, but I think I could have found another way to relax (free online guided meditations, write/record my own guided visualization, etc.) had I needed to.

Good luck!

KC

Made it through the exam?  What worked for you?  Send in your success story or comment below.

Some questions:

How did you study content (program, hours, duration)?  What was worth it, what was wasted time?

How did you prepare for the test-taking [...]]]> Gotten through the exam already or know someone who has?  Send in words of wisdom for all those not yet there.  People want to know how to get it done.

Some questions:

How did you study content (program, hours, duration)?  What was worth it, what was wasted time?

How did you prepare for the test-taking process (online, offline, program, etc.)?

What sort of things did you do to help manage your anxiety?

What other tips do you have people prepping for the exam?

Remember, you signed something saying you wouldn’t talk about the content of the exam.  Leave that stuff out.  But everything else, have at it!

Send responses to socialworktestprep@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance from all involved.

Hi,

I was glad to find your site – it was helpful in preparing and passing the first exam.

I’m planning to take the second exam tomorrow. [...]]]> Congratulations to SWTP reader Eva, who passed the California Clinical Vignette exam earlier this week.  Here, some emails that preceded exam time, and an explanation of how she made it happen:

Hi,

I was glad to find your site – it was helpful in preparing and passing
the first exam.

I’m planning to take the second exam tomorrow. I just got into the
“hard” questions for AATBS. They seem absolutely ridiculous in terms
of the language used to phrase potential answers: it is sooooooo
incredibly confusing. I am considering not even taking them because it
might erode whatever confidence I was feeling so far. Are there any
questions on the exam that are like the “hard” questions? Or, do you
think I’ll be ok with reworking the medium questions and retaking the
mock exams?

Thanks in advance,

Eva

Eva,

Those hard questions are impossible, nearly unanswerable, and nothing like the questions on the real exam, in my experience. Their only value is in helping you mega-hyper-concentrate on every word in each question and answer…which you’re already doing if you’re getting the medium questions right. Probably best to do with the exam tomorrow: quit studying. You’re ready.

Good luck! Let me (or the blog) know how it goes.

Best,

Will

Thanks so much for your reply. Helps to know I was going in right direction when I decided to take a break and just focus back on mock exams. Geez, those hard questions are enough to make you really worry…taking a deep breath, eating and taking one more mock exam.

Thanks again for your quick reply-
I’ll keep you posted re: tomorrow ;)

Eva

Hey Will,

I just got back from my test. I passed!!! I have no idea how well or poorly I did other than the 17 I had to get right. I really had no sense of my performance during the test, which is frustrating. Still, I am thankful I passed and enjoying the completion of this stage in my life.

Thanks again for your help – I appreciated your encouragement yesterday very much.

Eva

ps – you were absolutely right about the hard questions – why do they even put them in there? it could just erode your confidence for no good reason. that, and i felt like the practice exams were not super helpful – the real exam was much more subtle – it was much harder to decipher the “rightest” of the right than on the practice exams….breathing easier now ;)

After congratulations, Eva accepted my invitation to share her process with Social Work Test Preppers.

The strategy of folding your paper into 10 squares (per side = 20 total per page – they give you two sheets at the exam) so that you can rate each potential answer is useful. I tend to work as intuitively as possible, trusting my gut and knowing that I have the all the information I need in my head to get the right answer. Even so, as I quickly discovered while studying, there is so much information that it is hard to keep track of it. So, the system of ranking each part of each answer can be a useful way to keep track of it and still work intuitively. Basically, at the very least, it helps you to eliminate answers more quickly and just focus on narrowing down the remaining 2 or 3 choices so that your brain doesn’t go on overload during the exam. I found that the real exam was much more subtle in its answers (it was harder to distinguish between “right” and “most right”) than the practice exams, so having a tool to knock out one or two answers was really helpful. Even so, you still have to rely heavily on your gut.

The strategy is as follows:

Make/draw 10 squares for each side of two pieces of paper:
1. fold paper 4 times (leaves you five rows) in the portrait direction
2. fold paper lengthwise (portrait) in half

see image:
3. draw a cross in each square (kind of like a window); each space allows to rate one answer
4. draw a cross in each of the four squares; each space allows you to rate one of four aspects of an answer
5. if each answer has a fifth element, you can use the center of the cross for the fifth element
6. i labeled each answer 1-4 and then added the question number to be able to go back and compare my rating with the aatbs rationale to improve my ability to rate accurately

Rating system (you’ll find this in aatbs, and i believe in gerry grossman too – they might explain better, but this is how i broke it down):

0=not something that responds to the question (wrong)
1=maybe
2=responds to question accurately (right)

Highest number = “rightest” answer; sometimes you’ll get two answers that are even – then you compare based on gut. you’ll usually fall off on the right side if one has to do with safety – assessing/evaluating suicidality/homocidal intentions or referring to a doctor/psychiatrist. In other words, you’ll have to assign a higher value to one based on the importance.

The other thing to keep in my mind is that all these test prep companies make money off of our anxiety – so, really, managing your anxiety is going to be the most important aspect (at least, it was for me). Just to give some balance here – some people study months and months. I studied all day for four days for the first exam, and studied three straight days for the second exam. I took the second exam two weeks after I got the BBS notice (about six weeks after exam 1). I know I do better if I study a lot before the exam because of the way my brain works, I forget a lot of stuff quickly – so go with what works best for you. To some extent it is about what you know, but mostly it is nailing the strategies – understanding what to look for and how to knock out incorrect answers as quickly as possible. If you study the knowledge base in the best way that works for you (cramming vs. studying every day over a longer period of time) and then really focus on specific strategies (such as the squares) that help you understand the “rules” of how the test works, and you’ll be successful.

Three things I did that helped:
1. Since your time doesn’t start until you hit “enter” on the computer, take your time setting up your squares. it actually helped me focus, and feel more prepared by taking that time. It slowed down my nervous energy a bit, and got out a little anxiety by doing “busy work”.

2. I focused on visualizations for days ahead of time – seeing the “congratulations, you passed!” message when i hit enter at the end; calling friends to tell them; updating my facebook account to say LCSW; etc. Whenever I started to experience some doubt or anxiety, I went straight back to one of those visualizations and the feelings of relief and excitement they engendered. I also imagined myself going through questions and clicking on answers to get the “green” button that comes out of the aatbs practice exams when you get the answer right.

3. Know ahead of time how much time (more or less) you have for each question and give yourself some buffer time. For example, I knew that I had about 2:30 per question – or about :50 minutes per 20 questions to give myself about :20 minutes of time of buffer for the second exam. It helped me keep my pace without having to figure it out during the exam. It’s also nice to know you have time to go to the bathroom, eat a snack if your brain is drained, etc.