Dear Future Licensed Psychologist,

Consider this a warm embrace from someone who’s been through the same emotional turmoil of sadness, confusion, and anger you might be feeling now. Yes, the urge to give up is strong, especially if the EPPP knocked you down initially. But don't worry—this course is your safety net. You’re not alone, and you’re certainly not starting from scratch.

You have a solid foundation; you just need the right key.

We know many EPPP study programs can be expensive and often offer confusing material. The thought of redoing, repaying, and re-studying can make the path to licensure feel daunting. But fear not! We've faced the same challenges, retaking the exam more times than we’d care to admit (Ok, 3). With our experience, we've crafted this guide for you—someone who’s invested countless hours and brainpower but still feels short-changed by the score. Remember, not hitting the required score isn’t a reflection of your intelligence; it’s about strategy. The EPPP is 30% knowledge and 70% strategy—it’s less about cramming facts and more about outsmarting the question writer. If your scores are in the 400s, think like the exam’s mastermind, not just a test taker.

We understand where you're coming from. After marathon study sessions, burnout and content overload can make your brain feel scrambled. Our approach is about high-impact, one-on-one consultation to boost your accuracy, reasoning, and confidence for the EPPP. It’s not about tutoring you on content—it’s about training your clinical reasoning for the exam. You already know the material; you need a reset, not a repeat. Our study guide is designed to lift the burden of endless studying and support your journey to becoming a Licensed Psychologist.

We can't wait to hear about your licensure success! We’re already proud of all you’ve accomplished—studying, thesis-writing, practicums, internships, and patient care. The heavy lifting is done; this is the final hurdle. When you see that glorious PASS, you’ll feel vindication, triumph, and joy. Seriously, text us, email us, tag us, tweet us, or even name your babies after us. We want to be there when this magic happens.

Why Not Passing the EPPP Is More Common Than You Think—And How to Move Forward

Many clinicians feel isolated after failing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), yet the reality is that failing—or under-performing—is more frequent than most believe. For example, recent data from California show that only about 39 % of candidates passed in 2025—leaving over 60 % needing to retake.  Meanwhile, across doctoral-level first-time attempts nationwide, pass rates still hover around 80% or slightly higher, but that figure masks wide variation and does not reflect the experience of those aiming for improvement beyond the first try. 

A Few New Perspectives

1. Time in study doesn’t equal score increase. Extended study spans often lead to burnout, memory fatigue and reduced clarity. The issue is not how much you study, but how you study.

2. Many qualifiers don’t lack theory—not surprising. Possessing content knowledge doesn’t guarantee success because the exam tests reasoning, decision-making and item interpretation rather than simple recall.

3. Understanding error trends matters more than domain coverage. The patterns of mis-reading question stems, failing to spot distractors, or mixing up clinical vs. ethical decisions often lead to lower scores more than any one content gap.

4. High-yield focus beats broad review. The eight domains of the EPPP are not weighted equally. Repeat takers improve fastest when they prioritize critical domains, streamline review materials, and train their decision-making process.

5. Repeated attempts are not a sign of failure—they’re data. Each attempt offers insight into how you think and approach the exam. Use feedback to refine how you reason through items rather than digging into more content

Here’s What You Can Do To Move Forward

• Shift the goal from “cover everything” to “break the key patterns.” Focus on how questions are constructed, what cues they use and how correct answers connect to that logic.

• Map and track your error types: misinterpretation, distractors, concept confusion, time pressure. Use data from your practice exams to identify recurring mistakes.

• Build a tight, four-week targeted cycle rather than elongating your study timeline indefinitely. Freshness and precision matter.

• Practice with live exam-style questions under timed conditions, then debrief each item thoroughly—why the distractors worked, what cue was missed, how reasoning could improve.

• Protect your energy and mindset. Knowing that 60 %+ of candidates don’t pass means you are not alone. Use the setback as part of the process, not a final verdict.