Someone recently asked me to comment on some of the budget EPPP prep materials people can buy off Amazon and which are currently being advertised through Google. Some of these resources promise students everything they’ll need for successfully passing the EPPP. This seems to be an inexpensive way for busy candidates to quickly bring themselves up to scratch on EPPP preparations.
I know that some people reading this post may have already wasted months using these resources in the hope of becoming better prepared for the EPPP, only to find that they are no nearer their goal than when they started.
Why is this? Why are students finding that the EPPP books on Amazon let them down and bring them no closer to their goal of becoming a licensed psychologist?
Part of the answer to this question is that these materials do not provide comprehensive content or practice opportunities. They also do not provide a methodology for effective learning.
Don’t be deceived by the promise of a quick short-cut. There are no short-cuts in your EPPP prep. The only way to pass a test as difficult as the EPPP is to become a practiced and critically-thinking test-taker, equipped with a thorough mastery of the content.
While the EPPP guides being sold online can be used as preliminary resources, they are significantly lacking in their ability to thoroughly prepare a candidate for their EPPP. This was demonstrated in 2010 when the ASPPB (the organization responsible for the EPPP) published the results of an EPPP exit poll. They found that those students who had studied with a commercial online company such as TSM were the most likely of anyone to have a passing score. Here is a graph showing their findings:
These results reflect exactly what TSM has known for years. As you can see, workshops are the least effective way to prepare for the EPPP. Sadly, many EPPP candidates spend thousands of dollars to attend such workshops. Our experience has been that workshops designed to cram 4 years of content into a few days is self-defeating and actually creates a mindset of hopelessness.
The same difficulty with workshops also plagues the EPPP preparation books being sold on the internet through vendors such as Amazon. There is just no way all the content you need to know for this test can be crammed into even a large book. In order to pass the EPPP you need to master over 780 Key Terms in 11 Domains. To achieve such mastery, you need more than simply a list of some of the facts on the test; you also need a clear road map for how to study, together with a methodology to guide you. That is exactly what the Taylor Study Method provides.
TSM has been involved with online learning and license preparation for 18 years, and we know what you will need to be successful in passing your licensure exam the first time you sit for your EPPP exam.
As you begin your EPPP preparation with us, you’ll quickly see that TSM has taken all the guess work and confusion out of the study process for you. We have purposefully designed our program to help you easily and thoroughly navigate your preparation from beginning to end. We’ve done that through creating a structured, step-by-step course of study that literally walks you through each essential phase of the study process. As you take this journey with us, you will clearly know what your task is in each phase of preparation, and how you’ll complete it.
Our goal in providing candidates with this clarity is to enable you to focus all your energy and attention solely on studying. We’ve done all the planning and organizing for you, so that all you need to do is master the material.
TSM offers 4,000 test questions in three strategically placed testing opportunities (Practice Quizzes, Domain Specific Exams, and Full Length Mock Exams). We also offer a research-based methodology of preparation based on the best ancient and modern theories of learning. Moreover, those who purchase our EPPP curriculum membership will receive
- Step by step structured and supportive approach to studying
- TSM’s proven method of learning developed over 16 years
- EPPP-relevant and professionally written content delivered in 160 1-hour study sessions
- Unlimited access to over 4,000 test questions with detailed rationales
- 800 Fully editable and printable Flashcards
- Customization of your course of study based on your current knowledge
- The highest level of member support provided by TSM’s professional staff
- TSM’s community of candidates providing mutual support and accountability
- Structured final review process
- TSM’s many content and support videos
- TSM’s test-taking strategies and winning mind-set strategies
We realize that preparing for and taking the EPPP is costly in terms of time, money, energy and emotion, not to mention the cost involved in having to postpone your career until after you pass. That’s why we want you to only have to take it once. We want your EPPP prep to involve following a strategic, research-based course of study in order to give you the certainty of passing the first time.
We believe in what we do so much that we even offer a money-back guarantee that you will pass the EPPP by following our program.
Don’t take my word for it. Read some of the testimonials of students who have been through our program. They are filled with statements like the following:
I just wanted to share my great experience with TSM. I began my EPPP journey by reading study materials from another prep company given by my school upon graduation. After doing all the readings and taking notes, I still felt lost. Not to mention, my scores on some practice exams I had got my hands on were barely going up. With just 2 weeks left until my scheduled exam, it hit me that I wouldn’t pass with what I had been doing. None of the information that I had spent months reading stuck. Out of desperation, I began browsing EPPP blogs (for I don’t know, some kind of a miracle at that point!) and read a post someone made about TSM. I quickly signed up and made TSM my bff for 2 weeks. I was able to see my score go up each time I completed a section. The active process of reading and quizzing really helped me learn and retain the material. While I did not follow the TSM method, I wish I had. However, it amazed me how much I was able to learn and retain in a short amount of time. I passed! So thankful!
Mumta P
TSM didn’t make the EPPP easy but it made it a surmountable feat. It broke the topics and studying down so it was manageable and easy to follow. There is true beauty in its simplicity and knowing that the program is based on learning theory is very reassuring. The personal connection was amazing too. I really did come to rely on Karmell’s weekly phone check-ins and she definitely fielded a few panic-stricken phone calls from me. Dr. Taylor’s personal coaching made all of the difference. My final coaching session with him was invaluable to my exam day strategy (complete with pushups in the testing room!) and it really allowed me to manage my anxiety and allow all of my knowledge to come forth. I will be forever grateful to TSM and am so happy that I am know one of the many people they’ve helped to be successful with the EPPP.
Nicole R
I studied for almost 2 years with academic review, wrote 3 times and failed. I also took the 4 day intensive workshop. I’ve invested thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into my eppp preparation, only to still have the burden of passing. I sold all my materials and started fresh with TSM. I’ve only been back at it a few days and I already know it was the best decision I could have made. I got for $600 what cost me almost $2000 with AR. I was able to have a one on one consultation with an eppp expert to help me prepare my study plan. He listened to my needs. He showed compassion when I explained my struggles, and he provided encouragement that this will be the last time I write because I will pass. He also invited me to contact them at any time with questions. Academic Review told me I had to pay extra for that kind of service. If you have yet to purchase your study materials, I strongly suggest TSM over any other program. Save yourself some money and some grief and do it right the first time.
S. Lacharite
Further Reading