Reading the ARE community blogs there seems to be a common thread about failing as part of the process and while I don’t want to discourage anyone who has already failed an exam, I don’t think it’s a fore-gone conclusion that failing is part of the process—at least I don’t think it needs to be.
I say this because that sort of rhetoric is why so many people use hushed tones to speak about the exams and it dissuades a lot of people from getting in there and knocking these out. I think you can do it with patience, commitment, and time.
I took almost a year to get through all six divisions from initial study to completion. There were two things that helped a lot: one was grouping the exams. I went through all of the content for PA, PPD, and PDD that I had at my disposal before I ever scheduled an exam, and once I got through that initial foundation of learning and finding my weak areas, I gave myself 2-4 weeks to study intently for each exam, this time primarily focusing on weak areas. I did something similar for the next three, pausing for a nearly a month to review CE, PJM, and PCM materials and then going back to study for each individually. 
The second thing that I found helpful was to set things up in a way that I would actually study. I work full time and have a family. I knew that carving out time to sit down and study was going to lead to failure, so I so took notes on chart paper and covered a wall in my apartment with my notes. That way, I could just stand and drink my morning coffee or brush my teeth and get in those crucial repetitions and review several times a day, every day. I watched YouTube or Black Spectacles videos in the shower, before bed, or on the subway platform. Sneaking those little moments in allowed me to cover a lot of material without having to block out hours of the day I didn’t have. The only time could really block out a big chunk was on Saturdays and even that was tenuous at times when project deadlines forced us to work over weekends at my old job.
I passed all six divisions on the first try in about six months doing this, but the key was slowing down and laying that foundation for a few months before diving into actual testing. In the army we used to use the phrase “slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Take your time, understand how you learn, and don’t rush the process. You’ll do great.
I typed up those chart paper notes and compiled them with some other thoughts and tips on how to approach the exam. Hope some finds these helpful. Download the PDF below :)
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