One of the most common ways people fail is by pretending certain sections do not exist. “I’m a clinician, I don’t need stats” is the EPPP equivalent of saying “I don’t believe in gravity.” The exam absolutely believes in statistics, biological bases, and ethics, and it will test them enthusiastically. Ignoring weaker domains or planning to “wing it” is a fast track to disappointment, confusion, and Googling “EPPP retake timeline” at 2 a.m.
Another classic failure point is the belief that knowing facts is enough. The EPPP does not want to know if you memorized something. It wants to know if you can apply it while mildly panicking and watching the clock tick down like it is personally offended by you. Many people get trapped overanalyzing questions, changing correct answers into wrong ones, or spending five minutes debating two nearly identical options that both sound like they were written by the same therapist. Practice exams are not optional. They are the gym where your test-taking muscles stop crying and start functioning.
Finally, people fail the EPPP because they treat it like a short sprint instead of a long, emotionally complex relationship. Cramming, passive reading, and “I’ll just see how it goes” energy rarely end well. Add sleep deprivation, caffeine-induced anxiety, and the sudden urge to rethink your entire career, and you have a perfect storm. The people who pass are not necessarily smarter; they are calmer, more consistent, and slightly more boring. They study regularly, track weak spots, and show up on test day rested, fed, and ready to defeat the final boss of psychology exams.
Simon Downes, MD, PhD 