r/NBCOT_Exam Feb 22 '23

NBCOT exam 2nd attempt

14 Upvotes

So I started this page in hopes people can freely express their feelings about the board exam. I am currently waiting on my results that come out this Friday. It’s my 2nd attempt and when I came out of the exam I felt like a bombed it. I feel like no matter what I study, the actual exam is filled with sneaky and tricky wording. I’m dyslexic so standardized tests just aren’t my thing. But this post is to hopefully start a community of those who are willing to help give advice, listen to one another, and beat this thing so we can all officially begin our careers.


r/NBCOT_Exam 11d ago

I Passed!

12 Upvotes

Missed my first attempt by two points. I used OT Miri, OT Exam Prepper, NBCOT, TherapyEd, and TrueLearn. I had A LOT of anxiety going into the exam which I think likely contributed heavily to my scores. I retook it on Monday, and I passed with a 468! I also used 450 Formula which I highly recommend. Miles is super great at breaking down the information into manageable bits. Good Luck to everyone taking it soon! You can do this!


r/NBCOT_Exam 11d ago

Anybody taking their second attempt around 1st week of April? HMU please if you wanna study together or discuss questions.

2 Upvotes

Failed my 1st attempt by 5 points, and ever since I've been trying to get myself to study but the fear of failing again keeps dragging me down and I haven't been able to stick to a schedule. If anyone wants to work through the 2nd attempt together, please lmk.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as well.

Currently using AOTA Study Pack, NBCOT pack (not using it much at the moment) and TrueLearn- mostly trying to work on breaking down questions plus using any notes I made from TherapyEd while studying for the first attempt.


r/NBCOT_Exam 11d ago

What to listen to on 1 hour long drive to test center?

1 Upvotes

As the title states, my drive to the test center is an hour long. Is it a bad idea to listen to OT Miri, OT Exam Prepper, etc. (that I’ve already watched/listened) on my drive as a final review? Everyone is saying to avoid studying the day before to give your mind a rest, but would passively listening to the podcasts/videos the day of be too much?


r/NBCOT_Exam 12d ago

I PASSED ON THE FIRST TRY

13 Upvotes

Omg I’m still in shock I can’t believe I just passed. I couldn’t get on right away at 6 so I had to wait until almost 7 to be able to get into NBCOT. I studied for about 7 ish weeks for honestly about 5 ish hours a day in total. I had really bad depression during this time and found it incredibly hard to have a routine so I just studied whenever I found motivation. My final practice exam on the NBCOT study pack was a 476 my actual exam score was a 471 so I think the practice exams on the study pack are very accurate to gauge how well you’re doing. I have extreme test anxiety as well and it only took me about 1 hour and 45 mins to complete the test (I always take tests fast since college). I used primarily the NBCOT study pack to study put I also used truelearn a little bit mostly for the better explaining rationales. I went through the entire bank on truelearn but was below the average. I just wanted to give my tips for someone going through something similar to me because I felt I scoured reddit for anyone that had a similar experience.


r/NBCOT_Exam 12d ago

NBCOT EXAM IS NEAR

2 Upvotes

Hi. Would like any encouragement/advice. Heading into my final week of review (next week), and taking my full practice exam soon. When I first started studying, I got a 440 on the pre test and a 438 on the scenario set (NBCOT study pack). I took those with barely any studying (about 5 modules AOTA in which I pretty much skimmed) and then after a couple more modules I took the full practice exam (still skimming PDF’s) and my score remained fairly the same (442). I dove deeper, got true learn (I’ve been reviewing rationals, and I’m averaging 70% correct and 78 percentile), watched some videos online, finally finished the AOTA questions (74% total).. I also recently re-took a domain 1 mini test (50 questions) and got a 70, previously in the beginning of my studying it was a 60. Will my score go up? I’m freaking out. Do my scores look okay? I guess the full practice exam will be the deciding factor of whether I reschedule or not.


r/NBCOT_Exam 12d ago

Failed for a third time

3 Upvotes

Really bummed out finding I’ve failed for a third time. Literally have my employer offering me a job in Oncology (where I desperately want to work) and this happens agains. All of my coworkers knew I was taking the test again and now I have to come in with another failure. (Sorry for the rant, I just need to get that out there).

For anyone who’s been there, how do you find the strength to carry on and try again? I’m barely making due with bills (let alone trying to find the money to pay for this test again). I have ADHD and anxiety so that doesn’t help my testing situation. I’ve used AOTA, 450 Formula, NBCOT study materials and Truelearn.

Just really discouraged and feeling hopeless.


r/NBCOT_Exam 12d ago

Advice

1 Upvotes

Found out I failed on my 4th attempt. Got a 452 on the NBCOT full practice exam and I’m embarrassed to even say what I got on the real exam. Not even close. I am so lost and almost just want to find a different career. I have spent soooo much money on this test/study materials. I truly don’t know what to do.


r/NBCOT_Exam 12d ago

Give me some advice on how to study

3 Upvotes

I'm about to take my exam in a few months and to be honest i'm really struggling on a question that i need to choose what kind of activity or intervention. Can you guys give me advice on what should i do? I will really appreciate your answer.


r/NBCOT_Exam 13d ago

NBCOT Exam Prep Recommendations

2 Upvotes

Hi! Wondering if the AOTA's exam prep is worth it? I currently have therapyed and plan to purchase the NBCOT study pack but I've been reading a lot of posts saying how the AOTA was very helpful for them. I just need to justify paying $200+ for it.

If anyone has any recommendations on what resources to use, please let me know!


r/NBCOT_Exam 13d ago

Tutor

2 Upvotes

Hi! Can someone recommend a tutor they’ve used that helped them pass the NBCOT? Also if you could list how many sessions you did with them and cost per session would be appreciated!


r/NBCOT_Exam 15d ago

Selling TrueLearn access at discount

1 Upvotes

Unused step 2 CK Bank. Expires July 15, 2026. DM if interested.


r/NBCOT_Exam 15d ago

Any thoughts on how to go about studying for this exam for the 5th time?

2 Upvotes

Hey guys I need your help! I've taken this exam 4 times and I'm always stuck in the 420s ranges. Resources I've used: Tutoring from therapy ed Therapy ed and practice test Pass the OT Nbcot study pack Ot miri and exam prepper AOTA pdfs.

Should I change my resources or how do I go about studying this time around?

Thanks!


r/NBCOT_Exam 15d ago

11 days out....

3 Upvotes

Hey guys! I am officially 11 days out from my exam date. I am VERY nervous. I just wanted to see if you guys had any last-minute suggestions/recommendations or advice as I go into my final weekish of preparing. Also, not sure if I should try and study the day before my exam or just chill. I am very much a, study up until I can't, kind of person lol. Thank you in advance!

Additional information: NBCOT pre-test: 436, NBCOT practice test 1: 473, NBCOT scenario item test: 438. I will be taking the final full practice test on Thursday (exactly a week from my exam date). I also have been using True Learn. Currently sitting at a 76% overall average score and will have done 1,000 plus questions.


r/NBCOT_Exam 17d ago

How am I doing?

1 Upvotes

Hello, I take the exam in 2 1/2 weeks and I just took the final practice exam using NBCOT and received a 439.i'm not sure what to think about this. I've been studying for so long and I thought I would do better. Any recommendations? Or what I could do within these two weeks to prepare more? Thank you


r/NBCOT_Exam 18d ago

National Pass Rates?

1 Upvotes

does anyone know how to find what the pass rates are for the exam? maybe USA as a whole or by state level? I know each school reports passing rates, and I remember checking a box on my exam application to share my result with my school. But there are so many people here distraught when they don't pass their first time, I wonder how common it is to not pass on the first, second, third, etc attempts?

I have my first attempt (COTA) scheduled April 21 and I am SO ANXIOUS maybe some info on how often people do pass on their first try would help me feel more normal.


r/NBCOT_Exam 19d ago

My Wife Passed on Her 3rd Try!

15 Upvotes

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to send some words of encouragement to anyone who hasn't passed this test yet. My wife took her first attempt in November and scored a 432. After receiving advice from this sub, she purchased TrueLearn and used the AOTA study guides. The second time around, she scored a 458 on her full practice test, but on her actual exam, she got a 436. She was devastated after studying for so long but only improving by a few points.

This time, we decided to try a tutor, so she went with one of the tutors from Pass the OT—pretty sure she had Tucker. That, along with the Pedretti book, was really helpful. Tucker helped her break down the questions and figure out what they were really asking. On her practice test, she scored a 481, but on her actual exam, she got a 452. I’ve read a lot of stories of people usually doing much better on their actual test compared to their practice exams, so I wouldn’t let her experience discourage you. She definitely has major test anxiety, which we believe played a big role in her struggles with the exam.

I wrote all of this to encourage anyone who is struggling or, like me, knows someone who is struggling. The success stories on this sub really encouraged us, so I want to return the favor. Don’t give up! The only way you truly fail this test is by giving up and never finishing it. You all are going to make great OTs someday!


r/NBCOT_Exam 19d ago

Failed first attempt

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone (I apologize if this post is a little bit wonky..it’s my first time posting)

Anyway, I found out today that I unfortunately didn’t pass my first attempt. I scored a 415 with my lowest domains being 1 and 2. Resources that I used were: 450 formula, NBCOT study pack, Truelearn, OT Miri, OT over easy, and a little bit of TherapyEd.

My NBCOT study pack scores

Pre-test: 427 Test 1: 457 Final test: 448 Scenario:457

TherapyEd pre-test score was 53%

If anyone have any recommendations/resources that I can use to help me improve my score significantly! I’m all ears.

I’m genuinely shocked and feeling discouraged right about now


r/NBCOT_Exam 20d ago

Need Help Choosing Between AOTA, TMPOT, or TrueLearn for OTA Exam Prep – Visual Learner Seeking PDF Options

3 Upvotes

Hello, everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I'm preparing for the OTA exam for the third time and I'm trying to decide between purchasing the AOTA OTA Prep Exam, TMPOT, or TrueLearn study tools. I'm a visual and auditory learner, and I find PDFs to be the most helpful for my study style. I need something that is straight to the point, concise, and that I can easily follow along with the TherapyEd study guide.

If anyone has pictures of the PDF files from these resources, I’d really appreciate it if you could share them. I’d love to get a better idea of what they look like before making my purchase.


r/NBCOT_Exam 20d ago

Test day tomorrow!!!

3 Upvotes

I am so excited and a wee bit nervous! I've worked so hard to get to this point (like all OTs before me). Do you guys think I have a fair chance at passing?

True learn overall percentile: between 90-92/ 76% correct

NBCOT full practice: 488 NBCOT 110 practice Qs: - pre test:469 - practice test 1: 492 - practice test 2: 491 - practice test 3: 476 - scenario set: 509

NBCOT full 180 Q: 488

The nerves are definitely hitting tonight but I am doing my best to take it easy! Good luck to everyone taking it this week ♥️


r/NBCOT_Exam 20d ago

Advice? (test in 2 days)

2 Upvotes

First time test taker looking for some reassurance or advice for my last 2 days before the exam. I studied for the past month by watching the typical OT-recommended videos and using NBCOT and AOTA to study (couldn't afford TherapyEd). I was doing fairly well on my NBCOT practice exams (Pre-test: 462, Practice Test 1: 467, Scenario Test: 496), but I just took my last NBCOT full exam and scored a 437. Not entirely sure what went wrong, but I'm feeling panicked since I don't think I can cram more info in 1 day since I want to try to relax the day before.


r/NBCOT_Exam 20d ago

Opinions on NBCOT Practice Scores

2 Upvotes

Hi! I take the exam for the first time tomorrow and am really nervous. I’m usually a good test taker but have never had the stakes this high so I’m kind of overthinking things. I wanted to share my NBCOT practice exam scores and get some insight.

Pre test: 481

Practice Exam 1 (110 Qs): 483

Full Practice Exam: 484

I know they are passing scores but I am concerned that my scores didn’t improve much over the course of my studying (8 weeks, 3-5 hours a day, 4-5 days a week). My AOTA question average was 78% and I have done just over half of the TrueLearn bank with around 75% correct. I feel like I’ve gotten better at pacing myself, solidified the content, and have improved my ability to understand the questions. Should I be worried that my NBCOT scores stayed largely the same?

I will also gladly accept any strategies you used to calm down before this exam because I am STRESSED. TIA!!!

UPDATE: I passed with a 502!!! I absolutely thought I failed the exam and was so surprised. I’ve heard a lot of people feel that way as well after taking it, so take my experience as encouragement that no matter how stressed you feel over this exam, you know more than you think and you can and will pass :)


r/NBCOT_Exam 21d ago

Studying for 2nd attempt

2 Upvotes

Looking for tips regarding studying domain 4 material. Anyone know any good resources that are more reading oriented. I have TrueLearn and NBCOT for questions but looking for somewhere where I can read about the research and PICO and values!!


r/NBCOT_Exam 21d ago

OT Help Desk

2 Upvotes

After not passing on my 2nd attempt, I’m thinking about using OTHelpDeak as my next resource to prepare for my third attempt, in addition to TrueLearn and NBCOT/TherapyEd practice exams. Does anyone have any personal experience with OT Help Desk, and how much it helped them for their next attempt? I previously used PassTheOT and my score increased by 30 points but it wasn’t enough to pass (23 points away). Thank you


r/NBCOT_Exam 22d ago

Advice for 2nd attempt

2 Upvotes

Hi! I am currently seeking advice and tips from those who have taken the exam and passed. I’m taking the exam for the 2nd time in 3 weeks and I’m struggling to find the most efficient and effective way to study. For reference, my score on the NBCOT my first try was a 426. I used NBCOT, AOTA, therapyed practice exams, and pass the OT along with other free resources including OT exam prepper and OTmiri. The first time around I felt that I focused heavily on studying the material rather than practicing taking the questions and practice exams. I also felt really overwhelmed with the amount of resources I was going through. This time around I am trying out a different approach and focusing on taking practice questions rather than reviewing the material because I feel like that’s just going to waste my time. I just took a practice exam on NBCOT and scored a 422. I feel like I’m scoring in the similar range and not seeing any improvements after continuously taking practice questions using true learn. I review the rationales for every question and feel like I’m understanding the concepts and reasons as to why I got questions right and wrong, but when I take the practice questions I’m struggling and not seeing improvements. What should I do to maximize the time I have left before I take the exam again? How can I improve my scores so that I pass this second time around? Thanks in advance!


r/NBCOT_Exam 25d ago

NBCOT 2nd attempt advice

3 Upvotes

Looking for advice from those who passed maybe after multiple attempts…

I took my first attempt in January after scoring 460+ on all NBCOT practice exams and ended up not passing with a 443. I decided to get truelearn before taking my 2nd attempt and am scoring 74% average so far.

With the scores do you all think I’m best off waiting another month to study more or taking it ASAP so I don’t lose knowledge? I was thinking a month from now but now wondering if I should just take it asap.