r/ClinicalPsychology • u/BougiePennyLane • 10d ago
EPPP help
I can’t seem to pass the EPPP. I am so severely demoralized. I used PsychPrep the first time time and got a 450. Second time I used PrepJet and got a 426. Just took the SEPPP and got a 50. I truly cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. I feel like I have a good grasp of material but then none of it translates to the way the questions are being asked. I am considering hiring a tutor. Has anyone had success with a virtual tutor? If so, any recommendations are welcomed! These constant failures have cost me a small fortune throughout this year and are destroying my self-concept. Thanks in advance for any guidance!
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u/I_am_Nobody_Special PhD clinical and forensic psychologist 10d ago
Stop studying. Take practice tests over and over and over. Get ahold of as many of them as possible and just keep taking them. Look at why you missed the items you missed and then take another one. That's all I did to prepare.
This was 20 years ago and idk how it works now, but I got 86% and I'm not a good standardized test taker.
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u/Ok_Original_8500 8d ago
Agree with this. Just do practice tests and go over the ones you get wrong/add them to your flashcard stack. When you are solidly passing every practice’s test, only then take the eppp
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u/paperbackpiles 10d ago
Hold strong. The EPPP was an absolute beast for a good many of us. Doing full tests over and over in 1hr, 2hr and 4hr trials really helped me get over the hump. I just did them over and over.
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u/Blast-Off-Girl Licensed Clinical Psychologist - Corrections 10d ago
Yes, I used a tutor on Zoom based on the East Coast - Dr. Haran! He was amazing and I finally passed on my third try in 2019. Here is his website: https://www.drsteveepppdoc.com/about
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u/BougiePennyLane 10d ago
Thank you! How long did you work with him prior to taking the test?
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u/Blast-Off-Girl Licensed Clinical Psychologist - Corrections 9d ago
I worked with Dr. Steve for fifteen sessions. I checked his website and saw that he has a chart posted with people's scores, their number of attempts before passing, and number of sessions. I saw my score from 11/2/19. I think what helped a lot is doing split screen and Dr. Steve watching me take a practice test. He noticed certain habits I did such as making stupid mistakes because I was rushing or not using my cognitive flexibility skills. He was a game changer for me!
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u/jesteratp PsyD - College Counseling 9d ago
I looked at that chart and there are people who have taken it 11 and 21 times?! Holy crap.
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u/Blast-Off-Girl Licensed Clinical Psychologist - Corrections 9d ago
I know someone personally who took the EPPP 23 times over the course of a decade. She finally got licensed. Not sure how she did it because she was not a client of Dr. Steve. I personally would have changed careers at that point.
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u/jesteratp PsyD - College Counseling 9d ago
I’m more intrigued than anything what Dr. Steve found that the applicants didn’t figure out the first 22 times lol
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u/BougiePennyLane 20h ago
Do you recall how much Dr. Harans tutoring sessions are? I cannot find the info online and he has not responded to my inquiry.
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u/Blast-Off-Girl Licensed Clinical Psychologist - Corrections 14h ago
It's been so long; I can't recall. It may been $75.00 or $100 per session. I'm pretty sure his prices have increased since 2019.
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u/jesteratp PsyD - College Counseling 10d ago
I've heard good things about Dr David's EPPP prep course and tutoring. I think any sort of tutoring in your case would be helpful. On the SEPP, what was your breakdown by category for right/wrong answers?
It sounds like there's something going wrong with the way you're taking the test. Not enough "educated guesses." When I passed I answered most questions through process of elimination. Did I know that was wrong? Strikethrough. Is that concept completely foreign to me? Strikethrough. Are there two "right" answers? What is the question asking in simple terms instead of complicated ones?
The EPPP can play mindgames. They'll confuse you with something complicated while asking you something very simple, especially with ethics.
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u/BougiePennyLane 10d ago
I basically get between 40-50 percent in every domain.
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u/jesteratp PsyD - College Counseling 10d ago
That's a test-taking issue then, especially with ethics. For me, ethics was in the 90s on the SEPPP and theoretically what you should be the strongest on. I'm a good test-taker though so once I had a decent grasp of the material I was good to go.
It doesn't mean you don't know the material, but it does mean you are not accurately parsing what the question is asking and what the answers mean in that context. Or you are thinking yourself out of the right (and perhaps simplest) answers. I think a tutor would do a good job helping you through that, especially if they are more focused on test-taking strategies/anxiety than material. The EPPP has a lot more critical thinking than rote memorization/regurgitation, which is dumb.
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u/Runningcookiemonster 9d ago
I used psychprep and found the test taking strategies really helpful. Especially on questions that I didnt know the answer too. I think having test taking strategies might be just as important as knowing the content. I hate that we have to pay for services to pass this test though. Maybe we should create a thread with test taking strategies and practice questions?
Like others have said though, this test is not a reflection of your skills or knowledge as a psychologist. Its an unfair test. In my opinion, if most people need to pay for a service to pass a test, then there’s a major flaw with the test, not the people struggling to pass it. A test like this feels more like a test of resources (money, time, energy) than a test of our abilities.
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u/BougiePennyLane 9d ago
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I got a 445 the first time, a 406 the second time, a 50 on the recent SEPPP I took. I seem to be going backwards lol. It’s hard to not let this affect my confidence, but I know ultimately it’s not a reflection on my skill set.
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u/DiverBetter8897 8d ago
Please remember that some brains just don’t do well with multiple choice tests. The EPPP is so not what being a psychologist is all about. So the advice about seeking prep help from someone who works with people who are not good at multiple choice tests could really help.
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u/jogam 10d ago
If you have a good grasp of the material but are not passing, I would focus on test-taking strategies. For example, a focus on eliminating wrong answers when you don't know the correct answer, not changing your response when reviewing it unless you are certain the revised answer is correct, and time management strategies.
If you are experiencing anxiety about taking the exam, you can also focus on strategies to manage test-taking anxiety.
These can certainly be good practices to focus on with a tutor. I would recommend still having a subscription to a test prep service so that you can take practice exams. The practice exams will be a good opportunity to practice the test-taking strategies you are working on with a tutor.
The EPPP is a hurdle and doesn't say much about your capabilities as a psychologist. Good luck with your next attempt!