I took the NPTE in July 2023 after graduating from the University of Southern California in May. I dedicated a lot of time to my studies, and was fortunate enough to pass on my first attempt. However, while preparing for my test, I found that the simple act of choosing a study strategy can be overwhelming. There’s SO much information available when it comes to what study materials to use, how many practice tests to take, and how many hours per day, or week, to study in general.
Throughout my months of preparation — often doubting my own study strategies — I found it was helpful to read about other people’s experiences and what was successful for them. One blog in particular I found helpful was The Curly Clinician, who motivated me to share my own tips for preparing for the exam.
First, I began by reviewing the Scorebuilder’s book, front-to-back. This was tedious and boring, and I wasn’t sure if I was retaining information at all. I broke up reading page-after-page by integrating the below strategies.
DISCLAIMER: What works for one person might not work for others! Yet I wanted to share my study strategy for others researching the best NPTE study methods. Feel free to take away what you need to, and ignore what you don’t!
Here are 6 things I did that helped me nab that 600+ score.
1. I joined a study group
I knew I would need motivation to study day after day, so when a friend/classmate asked if I wanted to meet regularly via Zoom, I said YES. We formed a small study group of four and met twice a week from mid-June through the week before the test for about 1-2 hours, taking turns teaching one another NPTE content. Not everyone made every meeting, but there were always at least two of us in attendance. We created a Google Doc filled with topics to cover, and collaborated on a massive Google Slide project to cover the material.
While it was tedious to make Google Slides and practice questions for my study partners, I really grew to understand and know the subject matter I was presenting, and it became ingrained in my brain. Plus, listening to my classmates explain a concept was WAY more interesting and memorable than reading it in a textbook.
We also had fun with it, and lots of laughs (and eye rolls, concerns, freak outs, frustrations, etc) were shared! I highly recommend joining a study group, as you can all benefit from one another’s strengths and experience.
2. I listened to Kyle Rice’s NPTE Clinical Files Podcast Daily
From mid-June to mid-July, all of my long car rides and runs were accompanied by episodes of Kyle Rice’s Clinical Files podcast. Rice not only takes the time to fully explain concepts, but he also makes his episodes fun, engaging and relevant. He celebrates your wins with you and motivates you to keep learning when you are incorrect. I found myself really engaging with his material and retaining important concepts, as well as getting great practice question exposure.
I would pause the episodes and sometimes replay the question 2-3x, but I would always make myself answer before listening to his explanations, which I recommend to anyone else using his material to learn! Arguably the best part is his pep talks at the beginning and end of each episode, which I recommend NOT fast-forwarding through.
3. I made flashcards and used them to review material
One thing about me is that I’m a super visual person, so I would make flashcards with concepts I was having trouble retaining, and go on ‘flashcard walks’ in my neighborhood when I hit a wall while studying or just needed a break from the textbook. This allowed me to get some fresh air and remove myself from my computer screen for a while. I also felt like I learned and retained information simply from creating the flashcard itself.
During my last 2-3 weeks of studying, I started most mornings with 15-20 minutes of flashcards with my coffee (and most importantly, NO screens). I tried to end my days with flashcards as well, but often was too tired.
4. I attempted at least 20 practice questions every day
After taking my first practice test and scoring lower than I would have liked (i.e., NOT passing) I panicked. I signed up for a TrueLearn account and also used my second Scorebuilder’s test and a retired PEAT I had gotten in PDF form for practice questions. I would try to answer about 20 questions every morning, and then review them before studying anything else. As someone who gets distracted easily, I would also turn to practice questions when I got sick of studying and reading the textbook.
I found my TrueLearn account to be incredibly helpful for this, as I could choose the number of questions I would get, and could also filter by category/topic. With over 2k questions to choose from, I never got a repeat question (unless I asked to be quizzed again on questions I got wrong!). I believe I learned better and retained more information by getting questions wrong, so this was more effective than just reading the textbook.
In the last 2-3 weeks of my studies, I would use my TrueLearn account to quiz me specifically on concepts I KNEW would be covered (cranial nerves, specifically V vs. VII) and those I was having significant trouble with (amputations and gait impairments associated with amputations).
5. I took advantage of free resources
I downloaded the PT 365 app to answer a free test question every day, downloaded Kyle Rice’s free cheat sheets and study guides, and joined a free Final Frontiers jeopardy session the week before the test. I definitely recommend joining Kyle Rice’s free Facebook group (the PT Hustle) and the Final Frontiers’ free Facebook group for additional resources and practice questions.
6. I took my practice tests seriously, and spent time reviewing them
I took several practice tests, including a PT Final Exam practice test, two PEATs through the FSBPT website, one Scorebuilders test, and two PEATs in pdf format. While I did not take every test super seriously, I took both PEATs through the FSBPT website and both PEATs in pdf format in “test mode” — AKA acted like it was a ‘real’ test, with the time limit enforced in a quiet room by myself. I have to admit that I was very tempted to just take practice tests all the time, because I was eager to see how I would do. But I can’t emphasize enough how it’s important to be patient and take the time to actually study and review concepts. It’s also incredibly important to take the time to review each practice test and understand if there are any subject areas you’re performing poorly in.
I also would like to note that I never “passed” or got over a 75% on a Scorebuilders or PT Final Exam practice test, so don’t worry if that is also the case for you.
Since PEATs are the most relevant, I’ll share those scores with you, as well as my final passing score.
Here are my stats:
- Review Series 2 Form A (Retired Form) taken 6/26/2023: Score 136/200, 68% (On track to pass score: 136)
- Review Series 2 Form B (Practice Form) taken 7/22/2023: Score 163/200, 82% (On track to pass score: 143)
- PEAT #1 pdf: 72%
- PEAT #3 pdf: 80%
- (I took these both in between my FSBPT PEATs but do not remember specific dates. The percentage score is out of 500, so I’m unsure what it would have been out of 800).
- NPTE Exam taken 7/26/2023: Score 699/800 – PASSED!
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To be 100% honest, the worst part of this entire process was waiting for scores to come out. The day they were released, my score didn’t come out until 6:30 pm EST even though I saw LOTS of people getting their scores HOURS earlier. If this happens to you, try to find a way to distract yourself and stay off the Internet.
My best advice is to trust yourself, trust the process, and try to find some joy in your studying! Good luck!