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TherapyEd’s Prep Course for the OTR® Exam
TherapyEd’s two-day Prep Class creates a social learning atmosphere that is individual, responsive, immediate and dynamic. Our expert instructors motivate students to prepare for the OTR® exam and provide the best tools and resources to implement an efficient and successful study plan.
TherapyEd’s Exam Preparation Course for the NBCOT®‘s OTR®Exam
The NBCOT®‘s OTR®exam is a high stakes exam and TherapyEd’s course is the best way to prepare for it. Revised and updated for the current exam outline, the course is offered live online and on-campus at Occupational Therapy programs across the country. Whether taking the exam for the first time or repeating it, our intensive two-day course will help direct and focus your preparation to help you pass the exam.
Dates & Locations
Course Agenda
Instructors & Authors
OT Review & Study Guide
OT Prep Course
$330.00
Click on Course below to Register
First Day
8:00 – 8:30 AM Sign In
Morning 8:30 – 12:00
- Introduction, Exam Format, and Content
- Reasoning through NBCOT® Exam Items
- Assessing Your Strengths and Weaknesses
- Physical Disabilities Evaluation & Intervention
- Self-Assessment and Tips & Strategies for Mastering Physical Disabilities
12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch
Afternoon 1:00 – 4:30 PM
- Pediatrics Evaluation & Intervention
- Self-Assessment and Tips & Strategies for Mastering Pediatrics
- Psychosocial Evaluation & Intervention
- The Final 6 – Blended Questions and Wrap Up
Second Day
8:00 – 8:30 Welcome Back
Morning 8:30 – 12:00
- Assessing Strengths and Weaknesses: Common Errors
- Test Taking Styles
- Developing a Study Plan
- Psychosocial Evaluation & Intervention (continued)
- Self-Assessment and Tips & Strategies for Mastering Psychosocial Practice
- Competency and Practice Management
- Self-Assessment and Tips & Strategies for Mastering Competency and Practice Management
12:00 – 1:00/1:15 PM Lunch
Afternoon 1:00 – 4:00
- Self-paced Simulated Exam
- NBCOT® Exam Procedures and The Exam Day
- Course Wrap-up and Course Evaluation
Amy E. Bryant M.Ed., OTR/L
Amy Bryant is an Instructor for TherapyEd and has been an occupational therapist for 32 years. She has served as the OTA program director at Keiser University in Pembroke Pines, FL and at Middle Georgia State University in Cochran, GA. She received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of New England in 1990, and her Master’s in Adult Education from the University of Georgia in 2007. She has completed one year of the Ed.D program at the University of St Augustine. She has spent the majority of her career in OTA education serving as a faculty member, academic fieldwork coordinator, and as a program director. She is passionate about assisting students in their preparation for the certification exam, both in regards to content and for issues related to test taking skills and test anxiety. Currently she remains active in OT/OTA education through consulting and guest lectures, and uses all her OT skills while teaching ESL classes to adults.
Paula Carey OTD,OTR/L
Dr. Paula D. Carey, OTD, OTR/L has been an instructor for TherapyEd for over 18 years and has been an occupational therapy educator for over 30 years at Utica College. She served as the weekend coordinator and as the program director for occupational therapy at Utica College, but has now retired from full-time teaching. She earned her Post-Professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Chatham University, Master of Science in Adult Education from Syracuse University, Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Utica College, and Associate degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant from Herkimer College. She is invested in facilitating exam candidates’ successful preparation for the occupational therapy and the occupational therapy assistant certification examinations. Her primary research interests relate to occupational therapy education and productive aging in the areas of driving and stress management and coping.
Donna M. Costa DHS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dr. Costa is an Instructor for TherapyEd and formerly an Associate Professor and Program Director at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Donna was also formerly the Chair of the Occupational Therapy Program at Stony Brook University in New York and also served on the faculty of the University of Utah. She earned a doctorate from the University of Indianapolis in Occupational Therapy, as well as a Master’s degree in Health Care Administration from the New School of Social Research in NY, and dual baccalaureate degrees in Occupational Therapy and Psychology from the University of Buffalo. Dr. Costa is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and has served on the AOTA’s Board of Directors. She is the author of three books on fieldwork education published by AOTA Press, as well as numerous articles which have appeared in OT Practice. Donna serves on the editorial review boards of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy in Health Care.
Cathy Dolhi OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dr. Dolhi has been an Instructor for TherapyEd since 2012 and is Emeritus Faculty at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. She received her undergraduate degree in occupational therapy at Elizabethtown College, her master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh, and her professional doctorate in occupational therapy from Chatham University. Dr. Dolhi has served in a number of professional leadership positions, including President of the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association, Pennsylvania Representative to the AOTA Representative Assembly, and Chair of the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee. She has published and presented in multiple venues on occupation-based practice and has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association for her leadership in this area.
Thomas Fischer PhD, OTR, CCM, FAOTA
Dr. Fischer is an Instructor for TherapyEd and Dean & Professor at the Dwyer College of Health Sciences at Indiana University – South Bend. He received his PhD in Education Psychology and his EdS in Educational & Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky, his MS in Education from Purdue University, and his BS in Occupational Therapy at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and was honored with the AOTA Award of Merit in 2016 to recognize him for his notable contributions to the profession. He was also named “One of the 100 most influential people in OT.” Dr. Fischer’s research agenda has two lines of inquiry: (1) professional issues in occupational therapy and rehabilitation and (2) assessments and interventions for neuro-musculoskeletal injuries, including strains/sprains and traumatic brain injuries, especially as they relate to return to work and independent living.
Rita P. Fleming-Castaldy Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA.
Dr. Fleming-Castaldy is an Instructor and Director of Occupational Therapy Education at TherapyEd, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Scranton. She is the Chairperson for the History Preservation Project of the Occupational Therapy Leaders and Legacies Society. Dr. Fleming-Castaldy previously served as Program Director at Dominican College and on the faculty at New York University. She received her Doctor of Philosophy, post-professional M.A., and undergraduate degrees in Occupational Therapy from New York University. In addition to the best-selling “National Occupational Therapy Certification Exam Review & Study Guide”, Dr. Fleming-Castaldy is the editor of several texts and the author of numerous journal articles. She has presented nationally and internationally on a diversity of professional issues. Dr. Fleming-Castaldy serves on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy in Mental Health. Her areas of expertise include occupational therapy history, professional development and career mobility, mental health practice, community participation, and disability rights and advocacy. In 2002, she was honored by being named a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association, and in 2017 she was given the Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Occupational Therapy by the AOTA in appreciation for her extraordinary contributions to the advancement of occupational therapy.
Kari C. Inda Ph.D., OTR, CEAS
Dr. Inda is an Instructor for TherapyEd and serves as the chairperson of the Occupational Therapy program at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, WI. She received her Occupational Therapy education at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, WI, earned a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Mount Mary College, and a Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. She specializes in teaching kinesiology, orthopedics, and neurorehabilitation. Her previous work experience includes inpatient, outpatient, sub acute, long term care, and home health rehab for adults with various physical disabilities. She has certification as an Ergonomics Assessment Specialist (CEAS). Her research focuses on the role of critical reasoning skills in certification exam performance and in academic performance.
Colleen Maher OTD, OTR/L, CHT
Dr. Maher is an Instructor for TherapyEd and an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at Saint Joseph’s University (formerly University of the Sciences,) where she serves as Program Director of the Post-bac MOT Program. She received her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Temple University, her MS Post Professional Masters in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University, and her OTD Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine. Dr. Maher has over 30 years experience working in hospitals, hand clinics and home care. She is a certified hand therapist and is certified in manual lymph drainage. Colleen’s research interests include Upper Extremity Orthopaedics and Cancer Management. Dr. Maher has mentored seven Critically Appraised Papers (CAPS) that are published on AOTAs Evidence Exchange.
Marlene J. Morgan Ed.D, OTR/L
Dr. Morgan is an Instructor for TherapyEd and an Associate Professor and former Program Director in the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Scranton. She received her B.S. degree from The Pennsylvania State University, a Master’s degree in occupational therapy (MOT) from Texas Woman’s University, and a doctorate in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from Temple University. Dr. Morgan has over 25 years of academic and clinical experience. She has held a number of academic positions including appointments at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Rush University in Chicago, Illinois and her clinical experiences include a combination of patient care and administrative responsibilities. Dr. Morgan has published and presented nationally and internationally.
Ingrid Provident Ed.D, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dr. Provident is an Instructor for TherapyEd and Faculty Emeritus at Chatham University, and currently serves as an Education Specialist for Select Rehabilitation providing continuing education content and consultation for over 15,000 therapists nationwide. She has been in higher education for 30 years, having served as an Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork educator at Duquesne University as well as an Associate Professor and post-professional online OTD Program coordinator at Chatham University. She received her undergraduate degrees in occupational therapy at Mount Aloysius for her COTA certification and at Dominican College for her OTR. She earned her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Education at Duquesne University. Dr. Provident has served in a number of professional leadership positions, including the Agenda Chairperson and Pennsylvania Representative to the AOTA Representative Assembly. Dr. Provident has presented at state, national and international conferences and has over 35 peer reviewed publications on topics related to occupational therapy. Most recently she has been trained and certified in the use of Mindfulness practices which she incorporates in occupational therapy education and personal meditative practices. She has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association for her leadership in Occupational Therapy Education. When not involved in Therapy Ed efforts, research, or work, she enjoys traveling, quilting, kayaking and spending time with her family, particularly her two young grandchildren.
Yvonne Randall EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dr. Randall is an Instructor for TherapyEd and CEO of Caballito, LLC. She is the owner and Director of the future Town Square©® Adult Enrichment Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, and provides consultation services for businesses and educational programs. A long-time educator, Dr. Randall has taught in occupational therapy, occupational therapy assistant, occupational science, educational leadership, and special education/early childhood education academic programs for over twenty-five years. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy education at Texas Woman’s University, her Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Chapman University, and her doctorate in Special Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Passionate about her profession, she served as Chairperson of the American Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee (AOTPAC) (2016 – 2021), Treasurer – Society for the Study of Occupation (SSO: USA) (2014 – 2017), Speaker – AOTA Representative Assembly (2010 – 2013), AOTA Board of Directors (2010 – 2013), President – Nevada Occupational Therapy Association (1999 – 2003) and Mentor – AOTA Emerging Leaders Development Program (2011 – 2019). In 2022, Dr. Randall received the AOTA Lindy Boggs Award for her advocacy efforts at the national level. She brings experience in leadership, fieldwork education, classroom instruction, and student supervision.
Susan Robertson Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA
Dr. Robertson is an instructor for TherapyEd. She received her Occupational Therapy Education and advanced Master’s degree at San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, and her PhD in Human Development from the University of Maryland. Dr. Robertson is a Mental Health Specialist in the Rehabilitation Medicine Department of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. She has considerable experience working in community psychiatric settings. She has served as a staff member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and is an expert in OT Continuing Education. Dr. Robertson has been an Assistant Professor in occupational therapy academic programs and has contributed greatly to the profession by numerous publications and national and international presentations. She was recognized as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association in 1988. She was awarded the AOTA Recognition of Achievement for mental health advocacy, research, and education in 1999, and the Maryland Occupational Therapy Association’s Recognition of Achievement in 2006.
Toni Thompson DrOT, OTR/L, C/NDT
Dr. Thompson received her undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois and earned her DrOT from Nova Southeastern University. She also earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Webster University in St. Louis. Dr. Thompson was formerly a Team Leader of Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology at the Shriners Hospital for Children of Tampa, FL and her work experience includes service with the Peace Corps in Ecuador and Venezuela. She has significant experience in SI and NDT-Pediatrics, and has written numerous articles for a variety of Occupational Therapy and Orthopedic publications. Her areas of concentration include health care programs for Hispanic populations and the role of occupational therapy in human trafficking. She has been an instructor for TherapyEd for over 20 years and has provided individual tutoring to students as well. In 1995 she received the Award of Excellence from the Florida Occupational Therapy Association.
Testimonials
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“My name is Rebecca Mitchell, and I had Paula Carey as a TherapyEd tutor from June 26, 2023 to October 2nd, 2023. At that point in time, I had failed the exam twice and felt like I exhausted all options from: receiving Pass the OT tutoring to studying AOTA, NBCOT StudyPack, TherapyEd, 450 Formula Videos, and OT Miri Videos. My tutor through Pass the OT would show up late, and end the sessions on time often making me feel like I was just a paycheck. Then I met Paula. She showed up on time, improved my critical reasoning, listened when I needed it, helped me develop a time management plan, catered each session to strengthen my problem areas, helped me develop confidence, pushed me to work on my mental health, and believed in me even when I didn’t. She never made me feel like my questions were stupid, and would always answer them even if it was close to the end of our session. She was tutoring so many people, but always made me feel like I was a priority. Before meeting Paula, I was studying 8-10 hours a day, overthinking questions, reading too much into details, spiraling when I couldn’t find answers, and constantly stuck on questions that haunted me from past exams. My third attempt I increased 20 points, but didn’t pass by 9 points. I was absolutely devastated because I was so adamant in my mind that I past. After this, I had hit one of the lowest points of my life, and began questioning if I still wanted to become an OT. I broke down to Paula during a tutoring session. I explained to her how I was grieving a family member, navigating planning a wedding and helping close friends plan their weddings, and going through big life changes. I told her my reservations about becoming an OT, lack of motivation, and how the fear of failure was consuming my life. Paula didn’t charge me for that session, but listened to me and showed me grace. That session became a pivotal point in changing my mindset, and the trajectory for the weeks to come. She helped me realize it wasn’t the content, but essentially my mental health. Every test I took I missed it by a couple points, but never walked away thinking I didn’t know enough content. When people would quiz me I knew it, and when I did questions I had the right critical thinking. I would pass every time I took practice tests, because I didn’t have anxiety or the fear of failure while taking them. My anxiety would get so bad the weeks leading up to the exam that I wouldn’t sleep for days. By my 4th attempt the only thing I had done differently was work on my mental health. I attended therapy once a week, strengthened my relationship with God, met with Paula once a week, but only studied/reviewed the content for 2 weeks for a couple hours a day leading up to the exam. I didn’t study the two days prior to the exam for the first time ever, and engaged in occupations I enjoyed and relaxed. The 4th time I passed with flying colors. This showed me that even if you have all of the right study tools and know all of the content if you aren’t in the right headspace you won’t pass. I’ve grown more over this year than I have my whole life, and Paula was a crucial component in that. She made a huge impact on my life both professionally and personally, and I will be forever grateful that we met. If you need a tutor, please don’t hesitate choosing Paula Carey!!!”– Rebecca Mitchell
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“I am writing regarding Paula, my tutor, to pass on to you how great I think she is. I think she is an incredible motivator, she holds people accountable, and most importantly instills confidence in her students.
I am still on quite a high from learning I passed. I sort of can’t believe it still, I was going through all the ones after the test I was certain I didn’t get and assumed that cost me the test. BUT, it didn’t!
I’d like to thank you for being the biggest reason I passed this test. I know you’ll say it was Me who was the biggest reason but I think it was Paula’s approach, attitude, motivation, and willingness to help that propelled me over the hump. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me pass and really think you are very good at what you do. I hope we stay in touch or our paths cross again. Thank you, Paula!
”– R.J. Tuchscherer, OTR -
“As a new OTD program, our faculty has been anxious and excited in anticipation for our inaugural cohort to meet all of their educational milestones with success. Then, this inaugural Class of 2021 was met with challenges, barriers, and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We had always planned to integrate the Therapy Ed preparation course into our curriculum in the 8th semester as a component of the professional competency seminar. This course has learning outcomes around NBCOT exam preparation and professional transitions from student to practitioner. For this Class of 2021, these objectives became more important and challenging after experiencing delays in fieldwork and adjusting to hybrid communications and learning. Therapy Ed could not have been more accommodating and supportive. They were able to offer a virtual preparation course for our students on the timeline that worked best for all of them. There was flexibility for students who had a conflict and superb follow up from the staff and the course instructor. Our students reported back that the instructor was engaging, helpful, and seemed to truly care about their success. Therapy Ed and Dr. Fleming-Castaldy went above and beyond by scheduling an online “refresher” course for our students (and others) after they completed their Doctoral Capstone placements to review and prepare them for intensive exam studying. All of our inaugural graduates who took the exam in 2021 have passed on the first attempt and the rest of the cohort are showing great success as well! We look forward to a return to in-person Therapy Ed courses but feel confident that our students will be prepared in any format!”– Meredith Gronski, OTD, OTR/L, CLA Program Director & Chair Methodist University OTD Program
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“I appreciate the time and all that you have done in supporting my preparation for the NBCOT. I PASSED MY EXAM and I can’t help but think of people that have helped me through this arduous process. Susan, thank you so much for all that you do to support students like myself. Wishing you a beautiful day!”– Monica Martinez, USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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“We are so appreciative of the support and resources at TherapyEd that begin with the personal contacts with the company, the instructors, and the quality and variety of resources they offer. The Office Hours is a great resource for students especially when they are out on their final Level II fieldwork.
Our students who take the course have found it extremely helpful and it seems to increase their confidence with the strategies they learn in the course and the study plans they create.
Personally, I also value the direct support to programs. I am learning more each year as I work with TherapyEd and receive the analysis of student performance on the practice exams and how we as a faculty can reflect and use the results to improve our program to better support student learning. Thank you!
”– Heather Javaherian, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA Program Director, MOT Department of Occupational Therapy School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University -
“It exceeded my expectations! It was a great review and gave great hints and practice for multiple choice questions. The instructor was knowledgeable and very good at guiding the group!”– Megan Shanley, OTR Indiana University
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“Taking the prep course was the absolute BEST thing for me. I took the NBCOT twice before finally investing in the course. The course taught me to not second-guess myself, to take my time, to look at key words and utilize the test-taking strategies and tips they offered. It’s expensive but it’s so worth it. I went into my exam the third time feeling so much more prepared and ready and I’m happy to say I passed my exam with flying colors. If you’re wondering whether you should invest in the course or not this is your hint to DO IT! You won’t regret it! Thank you TherapyEd!!”– Briyana Jackson, OTR/L, Radford University–Carilion
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“The course was helpful in that it improved the way I read and interpret questions. The study guide is most helpful in that it is a great overview of OT info (organized and concise). I feel more confident now in my ability to take the exam.”– Angela Mahosky, Duquesne University
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“Before taking the course:
After not passing I was devastated! However, this course provided a different outlook for me. It gave me a chance to practice my test taking strategies and learn how to analyze the questions. The instructor was great and I feel good about re-taking the exam.
After taking the course:
I can’t express how much the course helped me prepare academically and mentally. My instructor was wonderful! She did an excellent job and provided the class with concise information. The class was very beneficial to me and I have no regrets. I would like to mention that I was successful this time with my boards! What a relief. I would recommend this course to everyone! Thank you so much for having this course available. Thank you for my recent success!”– Lanette S. Glady, O.T.R. Occupational Therapist, Registered , Saginaw Valley State University -
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank TherapyEd for providing me with an amazing tutoring experience with Paula. I failed my first exam by 5 points and felt completely defeated–I thought I was never going to pass the exam and almost gave up. I then reached out to TherapyEd for guidance as I had used the book while preparing for the exam. The woman on the phone was so helpful and put me in touch with Michele Emery who hooked me up with the most amazing tutor!!!! Aside from teaching me strategies in how to break down a question and chose the best answer she also gave me confidence and was my ‘therapist’. At times I felt down and honestly quite depressed on how difficult this was for me but Paula pushed me and I really have to say I don’t think I could’ve done this without her!!!! She rooted for me until the very end! Additionally, she was extremely flexible with meeting times and responded to emails and texts promptly! She made herself always accessible to me even if it was just to chat on the phone and to lift my spirits. I feel that many people don’t know about the tutoring that TherapyEd offers and for many this can be all they need in order to be successful on the exam. I want to thank you again for providing this service and for providing the best tutor!”– S.W. – New York Institute of Technology
About the Course
TherapyEd’s OT Exam Prep class creates a social learning atmosphere that is individual, responsive, immediate, and dynamic. The course stresses developing critical reasoning skills within the context of the exam and active learning is emphasized. Practice in reading, interpreting, and answering questions like those on the OTR® exam help assess individual strengths and weaknesses, and the guided learning format helps develop students’ critical reasoning skills. At the heart of the course, instructors motivate and teach students to breakdown and analyze questions to understand the best answer choice. Appropriate tools and resources to implement a successful study plan are provided, and actual exam behaviors are replicated to better develop the reasoning abilities needed to be successful. Our exam prep courses are taught by leading educators with years of experience helping students. They use their collective knowledge and diverse practice backgrounds to help students prepare and do their best on exam day.
Course materials include the full-color 9th edition of TherapyEd’s best-selling National Occupational Therapy Certification Exam Review & Study Guide with 3 Online Practice Exams and the TherapyEd OT Course Manual.
TherapyEd’s Review & Study Guide for the NBCOT®‘s OTR® exam (full color, 840 pages with 3 complete online practice exams) contains a complete content review, Multiple Choice and Clinical Simulation Test items updated for the current exam, complete question rationales, diagnostic practice tests to help determine individual strengths and weaknesses, and diagnostic score reports to help customize your study plan.
The TherapyEd OT Course Manual contains information about the NBCOT®‘s OTR® exam, principles of successful test-taking, general study hints and content review in important areas. Also included are study plans, a self-assessment guide, practice questions and a self-paced practice quiz with a Clinical Simulation test item included.
TherapyEd Guarantee
Our goal at TherapyEd–our mission–is to help students pass the NBCOT®‘s OTR® exam the first time. Although most students who take our course pass the first time, sometimes life unfortunately intervenes and a student is not successful. We know this is difficult, disappointing, disheartening–and expensive!
If you take our course and do not pass the NBCOT®‘s OTR® exam, you can take the TherapyEd Exam Preparation course again, anywhere, anytime, FOR FREE. Just look at the schedule of upcoming courses, pick one out, contact us, and we will register you for the course at no charge.
With our course guarantee, our Online Office Hours, the best-selling Review & Study Guide, and rigorous practice questions, our commitment is to help students pass the exam and begin their professional careers. We hope all this will give you the confidence of our experience.
