Help! My Program’s Pass Rates Concern Me
*Authors’ Note: This text was developed with the aid of an AI writing assistant. The authors are responsible for the content enhanced with AI
Recent data from the BACB paint a concerning picture: In 2024, 71 Verified Course Sequences (VCS) reported pass rates of 50% or lower, and two-thirds of programs with more than 100 candidates fell into this category [BACB, 2024]. This may leave some students concerned that first-time exam failure is inevitable.
But here’s the good news: Your program’s pass rate doesn’t have to define your future. With the right strategies and resources, you can take charge of your own preparation and set yourself up for success.
Don’t know the pass rates from your program? You can check University Program Pass Rates here.
Five Things You Can Do if Your Program’s Pass Rates Worry You
Even if you are in a program with lower pass rates, there are steps you can take to strengthen your preparation.
1. Know the skills
The BACB 6th Edition Test Content Outline should be your roadmap. It outlines the precise skills and knowledge areas assessed on the exam. Use it to guide your reading, note-taking, and self-assessment.
Practical steps you can take:
Print the outline and keep it visible where you study.
As you review, check off each task list item once you feel confident with it.
Use it as a self-assessment tool: Can you not only recall the concept but also explain it and apply it to examples?
Color-code areas (green for strong, yellow for needs review, red for weak spots) to track progress and guide your study plan.
By aligning your study habits directly with the test content outline, you ensure that no matter what your program emphasized—or failed to emphasize—you are preparing for the exam itself.
2. Hit the Books
Don’t rely only on your coursework. The gold standard is Applied Behavior Analysis, 3rd edition by Cooper, Heron, & Heward. (often referred to as “the Cooper book/text” or “the White book”). This book is dense, but it is comprehensive and written specifically for training professionals in behavior analysis. Don’t just skim the assigned sections; read broadly, and make sure you understand the concepts deeply.
Additional steps:
Review your syllabi and compare them with syllabi from other reputable programs. Are there readings your program skipped that others included? Add them to your list.
Take active notes rather than passively reading. Summarize definitions, create your own examples, and write practice questions.
Don’t be afraid to revisit challenging chapters multiple times. Mastery often comes with repetition and rephrasing concepts in your own words.
Use free resources like the BOOST Task-to-Text Tracker and Chapter Tabs to organize your study content and link tasks to chapters.
The more primary sources you engage with, the stronger your conceptual foundation will be. And a strong foundation is what the exam—and your future practice—requires.
3. Engage With the Research Literature
Behavior analysis is a science, and the BACB® exam reflects this. Many of the questions are grounded in the application of research-based concepts. If you have only read textbooks, you may miss the nuance and real-world application of journal articles.
How to build this habit:
Begin with the articles already assigned in your program. These are often carefully chosen to highlight core concepts.
Expand into high-impact journals like Behavior Analysis in Practice, the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), and the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB).
Tip: if you are already an RBT or BCaBA you get free digital access to journals through the BACB portal. If not, you should have access through your university library.
Choose a few key areas from the BACB outline and identify associated seminal studies (e.g., Iwata et al. on functional analysis, Baer, Wolf, and Risley on applied behavior analysis).
As you read, practice summarizing findings in one or two sentences. Can you clearly explain the purpose, method, and outcome of a study? This skill will serve you both on the exam and in professional discussions.
Pro Tip: Before reading the result section, look at the results graphs. What type of graph is it? What do YOU think the results are? Did the intervention have an effect? Was experimental control demonstrated?
Not only will engaging with the literature make you better prepared for the test, but it will also strengthen your professional identity as a behavior analyst.
4. Use Test Prep Wisely
There is no shortage of commercial test-prep products: mock exams, flashcards, question banks, and intensive review courses. These can be valuable, but they are not substitutes for truly learning the material.
Think of test prep as the “finishing school” of your studying. It should come after you’ve already built a strong knowledge base. Otherwise, you risk memorizing practice questions without understanding the concepts behind them.
To use test prep effectively:
Ensure you are using quality resources. Additional practice is only beneficial if it is accurate.
Schedule it for later in your study plan, once you’ve reviewed the major content areas.
Use mock exams to identify weak spots, not to predict exact questions.
Treat wrong answers as opportunities: Go back to your books and research to understand why you missed them.
Avoid over-relying on quick tips or tricks—there are no shortcuts for deep understanding.
Test- prep tools provide practice, feedback, and confidence-building when used strategically. But the heavy lifting must come from mastering the core material yourself.
5. Supplement With Professional Resources
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of informal learning. Podcasts, blogs, and online study groups can make concepts more approachable and give you different perspectives on tricky topics.
Some ideas:
Find podcasts led by experienced BCBAs who explain concepts in conversational terms. Listening during your commute or workout turns idle time into study time.
Join reputable online study groups where you can quiz each other, share resources, and discuss problem areas. Teaching a concept to someone else is one of the best ways to solidify your own understanding.
Follow professional blogs or newsletters for practical applications and current discussions in the field.
Exposure to multiple voices and explanations strengthens comprehension. Sometimes the way one person explains a concept will “click” when others haven’t.
The Bottom Line: Your Success is in Your Hands
Yes, program pass rates matter. They give you context about how students from your program have performed historically. But they are not destiny. Your outcome will be shaped by what you do: how you study, the resources you seek, and the effort you dedicate to mastering the material.
Take charge of your success: Anchor yourself in the BACB test content outline, engage deeply with the textbooks and research, use prep tools wisely, and surround yourself with professional resources. By doing so, you can overcome any program limitations and set yourself up for success on the exam—and more importantly, in your career as a competent, effective behavior analyst.
Remember: Your effort, not your program’s pass rate, is the ultimate predictor of your performance.
