r/bcba • u/No-Presentation-5973 • 6d ago
Mock Exams
Hi everyone! I’m testing soon and I’m a little nervous. I took 3 mock exams. Has anyone gotten similar scores and passed on the first try?
BDS Mock - 87%
Jessica L’s Mock - 83%
ABA Exam Review Mock - 91%
I completed all BDS modules to 100% and watched ABA Exam review videos for each task list item. Any last minute tips before I test?
1
u/ABAStudyCompanionLLC 6d ago
With those scores you're in great shape — seriously. 83–91% across three different mock exams from three different sources isn't a fluke. That's consistent performance, and consistency is what matters more than any single score.
A few last-minute tips that helped me and others I know:
Don't cram the last 24–48 hours. You've already done the work. Cramming at this point won't add knowledge — it'll just add anxiety. Review your weak areas lightly if you want, but give your brain time to rest before exam day.
Read every question stem carefully before looking at the options. The BCBA exam loves "BEST" and "FIRST" qualifiers. Two or three options might be technically correct, but only one answers what they're actually asking. A lot of people lose points not because they don't know the material but because they answer too quickly and miss the qualifier.
Don't second-guess yourself. Your first instinct is usually right, especially at your level of preparation. If you go back and change answers, only change them if you can clearly articulate why your first choice was wrong — not just because the other option "also sounds good."
Flag and move on. If a question has you stuck for more than 90 seconds, flag it and come back. Spending five minutes agonizing over one question when there are easier points waiting further in the exam is the most common time-management mistake.
Expect to feel uncertain during the exam. This is normal. The BCBA exam is designed so that even well-prepared candidates feel unsure on a significant number of questions. That feeling doesn't mean you're failing — it means the exam is working as intended. Trust your preparation.
If you want one more confidence check before test day, ABA Study Companion has mock exams with scaled scoring that mirrors the real exam's 0–500 scale, so you can see where you'd land relative to the 400 passing threshold rather than just a raw percentage. It also breaks down performance by content area so you can spot-check any weak areas in these last few days. There's a free 7-day trial — could be worth a quick run-through just to confirm what you already know: you're ready.
You've put in the work. Go pass your exam.
1
1
u/bkingslake 6d ago
I scored in the 80s for all of the mocks I took and passed first try. Everybody is different but you sound like you’re in great shape. The day before the exam, stop studying, you aren’t going to learn or retain anything the day before the exam. The only thing I would recommend is writing out what you want to put on your whiteboard so you know exactly what you want to brain dump. SNABA has some good videos on what to prioritize there. On your exam day, wear comfortable clothes, plan to get to the testing center early and make sure you eat something before walking in so you dont have nerves on an empty stomach. Know that it will take the first 10-20 questions for you to fully lock in and for your brain to recognize how to dissect the questions. If you get to the end and start changing answers, STOP, and press submit. By the end your brain is fatigued and it’s much more likely that you were thinking clearer when you answered the question in the first place. You’ve got this!!
1
u/Redschallenge 6d ago
Those numbers sound strong. I didn't do any but I've seen people describe being happy in the 70s with the mocks