The Prepia Blog
Study strategy, exam changes, and honest advice — 36 posts, newest first.
The 6-week NCLEX plan that survives week three ZZTEST
Most study plans die at the midpoint. Build yours around review blocks instead of chapter counts and it holds all the way to test day.
Marcus Hale, RN · 9 min read
Security+ SY0-701: what actually changed, domain by domain
CompTIA cut a domain, rebalanced the weights, and quietly rewrote what “threats” means. Here’s the delta that matters for your prep.
Tom Braddock · 7 min read
How to read a two-step USMLE question without falling for it
The wrong answer is written for people who stop at the diagnosis. A simple habit for spotting the second ask before you commit.
Dr. Lena Vasquez · 6 min read
Test anxiety: what the evidence supports, and what it doesn’t
Breathing apps, lucky pens, last-minute cramming — we sorted the interventions with real effect sizes from the comforting rituals.
Nadia El-Sayed, LPC · 8 min read
How to register for the NCLEX in 2026
The state board application, the Pearson VUE registration, and the ATT window that decides when you can sit.
Marcus Hale, RN · 6 min read
How long should you study for the NCLEX?
Why the gap between graduation and test day matters more than total study hours.
Marcus Hale, RN · 6 min read
How to apply for the PMP exam in 2026
Documenting your project hours, surviving a possible audit, and scheduling once PMI approves you.
Sam Whitfield, PMP · 6 min read
How long should you study for the PMP?
An eight-to-twelve week plan around a full-time job, from the ECO to full 180-question simulations.
Sam Whitfield, PMP · 5 min read
How to register for the ATI TEAS in 2026
ATI account setup, booking a seat at your school or online, and the ID rules that surprise people on test day.
Dr. Lena Vasquez · 5 min read
How long should you study for the TEAS?
Realistic timelines by starting point: a four-week sprint, the standard eight, or a twelve-week rebuild.
Dr. Lena Vasquez · 7 min read
Spaced repetition isn’t magic. It’s scheduling.
Forgetting is the feature. How review intervals actually work, and how to set them up without turning your prep into card maintenance.
Aiko Tanaka · 5 min read
How long should you study for the SAT?
Six to twelve weeks around a school schedule, sized by the gap between baseline and target.
Aiko Tanaka · 6 min read
How long should you study for a CompTIA cert?
Timelines by experience level, and why half of good CompTIA prep happens hands-on.
Tom Braddock · 5 min read
How long should you study for a clinical licensure exam?
Eight to twelve weeks around a full caseload, and why reasoning practice beats rereading theory.
Nadia El-Sayed, LPC · 5 min read
PMP in 90 days while working full time: an honest plan
No 4 a.m. heroics. A schedule built around three evenings a week, one long Saturday block, and the mock-exam checkpoints that keep it honest.
Sam Whitfield, PMP · 10 min read
What’s a passing TEAS score?
Composite vs. adjusted scores, the national average, and the cutoffs nursing and allied health programs actually use.
Dr. Lena Vasquez · 4 min read
How to schedule a CompTIA exam in 2026
Vouchers, Pearson VUE booking, online vs. test-center delivery, and the exam-version trap.
Tom Braddock · 5 min read
A+, Network+, or Security+: where do you start?
Matching your first CompTIA certification to your experience and the role you actually want.
Tom Braddock · 5 min read
How the NCLEX decides you’ve passed
No percentage, no fixed length—how computerized adaptive testing reaches a pass–fail decision.
Marcus Hale, RN · 4 min read
Why practice questions beat rereading, every single time
Retrieval practice has one of the largest effects in learning research — and rereading one of the smallest. The numbers, briefly.
Aiko Tanaka · 6 min read
How to register for the SAT in 2026
College Board account, seat selection, fee waivers, and what the digital format changes about test day.
Aiko Tanaka · 5 min read
SAT or ACT: which should you take?
Every college accepts both—so the real question is which format scores you higher.
Aiko Tanaka · 5 min read
How to register for the ASWB exam
Board approval first, ASWB registration second, Pearson VUE last—the order that trips people up.
Nadia El-Sayed, LPC · 6 min read
LMSW or LCSW: which ASWB exam do you need?
The license ladder, the exam that matches each rung, and why your state’s naming matters more than the internet’s.
Nadia El-Sayed, LPC · 5 min read
How the PMP exam is scored
No percentage, no published cutoff—what the domain ratings mean and what to aim for in practice.
Sam Whitfield, PMP · 4 min read
MCAT CARS for the impatient: five habits that move your score
You can’t out-content CARS. What improves it is how you read under time — five habits our highest movers share.
Dr. Lena Vasquez · 7 min read
What score do you need to pass a CompTIA exam?
Scaled scores from 100–900, the cutoff for each exam, and why PBQs deserve your practice time.
Tom Braddock · 4 min read
TEAS vs HESI: which do you need?
How to confirm which entrance exam each program on your list accepts before you pay for the wrong prep.
Dr. Lena Vasquez · 6 min read
From help desk to SOC analyst: a certification path that works
A+, Network+, Security+, then CySA+ — in that order, for a reason. What each one unlocks and how long each hop really takes.
Tom Braddock · 8 min read
What’s a passing ASWB score?
170 questions, 150 that count, and a passing line that moves with the difficulty of your exam form.
Nadia El-Sayed, LPC · 4 min read
What’s a good SAT score?
Percentiles, the middle-50% rule, and how superscoring changes what your target actually is.
Aiko Tanaka · 4 min read
NCLEX-RN vs NCLEX-PN: which one are you taking?
Two different licensure exams for two scopes of practice—and why your program already made the choice.
Marcus Hale, RN · 3 min read
PMP or CAPM: which fits your experience?
Same body of knowledge, different gates—one deciding question tells you which to pursue.
Sam Whitfield, PMP · 4 min read
Your practice scores are talking. Here’s how to pick a test date.
Stop guessing whether you’re ready. The score trend that says “book it,” and the one that says “give it three more weeks.”
Aiko Tanaka · 5 min read
NCLEX Next Gen case studies: how to think in layers
Six questions, one unfolding patient. The clinical-judgment model behind NGN cases and a worked example, step by step.
Marcus Hale, RN · 9 min read
The night before the exam: a boring, proven checklist
No new content after 6 p.m. Lay out your ID. Eat the breakfast you always eat. Why the dull routine outperforms the heroic one.
Nadia El-Sayed, LPC · 4 min read