Social Work Exam Prep Reviews

I wanted to say thank you very much for helping me pass the LMSW exam. I took it today and PASSED all because of your coaching, audio on the exam prep and materials. It was a really good information for me on how to look at the test. This was my third time taking it. I was doing the wrong thing all along and I know I wouldn’t have passed without your help. I will definitely recommend the therapist development center to anyone I know. Once again thank you and have a good day!  

I passed my LCSW clinical vignette exam today! THANK YOU!!!! I have to say that your study material and using the frames were the BEST information that I have received. I failed the first time and now I absolutely know why! Simply by learning the frames and USING them to frame  the questions on the exam served me 100 % better than going over and over the AATBS questions and becoming frustrated over the answers. No more inferring-no more guessing what they wanted from me! I listened to what you said- memorized the frames-applied them and leaned in. No second guessing! Best money I have spent! Thank you! Blessings!

I just wanted to tell you that I finally cleared my 1st exam using your study methods, and would like to sincerely thank you. I tried AATBS the first time, Berkeley the second time, and the Therapist Development Center the third time, and all you said was true. For the first time when I read the questions they made sense, and I realized I did not need all those thick books to study, the thick materials were just overwhelming and slowing my progress. I look forward to studying the second exam with you, and God bless.

Working with the TDC was great. Prior to taking her course I had taken a packaged LCSW seminar over a year ago and yet never registered for my first test, (not to mention spent a significant amount of money doing it)!! I think my hesitation in taking the test was largely because the previous seminar gave so much information it almost seemed impossible to absorb. It took an incredible amount of time just to strategize on how to tackle the material…A year and a few months later I felt I was finally ready and passed the first exam. In preparation for the second exam however, I knew I could not wait another year, I needed someone who knew how to teach, motivate and present the most concise material to get me through. My co-worker referred me to the TDC. I contacted them on the phone and by the end of our conversation I felt totally confident that I could tackle the second exam in 6 weeks. I quickly signed up for her courses and just 2 weeks beyond my initial timeline I had passed my second exam. The TDC is all about the “test”. In referring them to my co-workers I explain their approach as “trimming all the fat and getting straight to the meat”. They gave very practical and concise approaches to taking the test. They provided the motivation and support I needed to get it done and get it done quickly. Thanks TDC.

Preparing for the LCSW exam is daunting.  I found that having the guidance and support of The Therapist Development Center gave me the individualized direction I needed to know what and how to study for the exam.   The workshops allowed me to break down a large amount of information into a more “doable” amount of information. I found the individual tutoring session particularly helpful.  My tutor was able to assess my practice exam results allowing for a tailored session that focused on areas of the exam that was most challenging for my individual case.  I believe I was less anxious during the actual testing experience because I had that individual time with a tutor to talk about my individual challenge areas.  I obtained a better understanding of how to read a question stem and determine what the question was asking.  Overall, the support received from the Therapist Development Center was what I needed when preparing for the LCSW exam… and it worked!  I PASSED!

A year ago I took the LCSW Standard Written Exam and ran out of time–resulting in a fail on the exam. I realized that I needed to learn some test-taking strategies specifically geared towards the LCSW exam. Upon doing some research and consulting with colleagues, they referred me to the Therapist Development Center. After speaking with the TDC over the telephone, I knew that they were the one to go to for test taking strategies. Less than a month after taking their two workshops; I sat for the LCSW Standard Written Exam for the second time and PASSED! I even had twenty-two minutes remaining after I finished the exam. There is no doubt in my mind that the TDC strategies were the key factor aiding my confidence to pass the exam. The TDC definitely the one to work with as you prepare for your exam. Best of luck to everyone!

I wanted to first inform you that I am finally an LCSW!!!  I had used AATBS and Gerry Grossman for the second part of the vignette and studied really hard, but failed in 2011.  I only missed it by 1 point, but I finished barely on time and half the time I felt like I was guessing.  When I heard about your program I decided to try it out especially since I knew 2 other people who reported you had helped them tremendously.  After I listened to your first workshop the test made sense.  I was shocked.  I practiced all your techniques, I realized that AATBS makes you assume things and therefore I failed my exam the first time.  But I took the exam on 2/24/11 and not only did I pass, I finished in 90 minutes!!  I am not joking.  I was wondering if it was that simple, and I was going to review my answers at the end for fear that I had answered prematurely, but as I read a few questions I realized it made sense and that I had followed your instructions.  And I passed!!!  I am so thankful to you.  I am telling all my friends about you.  Truly, this is huge for me and I am so happy.  Thank you and keep up the great job!!

I got more benefit out of 5 hours with the TDC than I did from any 5 days or 5 weeks of other materials.  Others pile on reams of materials that aren’t on the test, and provide online tests that we are guaranteed to fail, intimidating us into paying for weeks or months of their services to prepare for a test that we’re never going to see.  Your materials and seminar were so succinct and so to the point for the type of questions we were actually going to face! Sincerely, Amanda, your company’s approach to this exam was such a breath of fresh air for me!  As you & I (& others) agree, other offerings are encyclopedic with information that overwhelms and intimidates and yet isn’t needed for the exam.  There are probably more points lost due to that distraction than there are gained from studying the available information. The TDC’s concise review of the 50 top areas, thinking strategies and mock exam, on the other hand, reassured me, calmed my mind and brought me back into focus on the things that really mattered.

I gained my Master of Social Work degree in 2001. Since that time I have wanted to return to San Diego, CA. I put it off due to California's policy of having their own exam process versus accepting the results of the national exam I passed in 2001. I had heard how difficult the California exams were and avoided taking them to the point of moving to Arizona instead of San Diego, in 2010. 

I found the Therapist Development Center workshops via the TDC website (google search) and voila! Success! The workshops were focused on teaching strategy versus memorization (I KNEW I could not and did not WANT to use memorization!). The workshops were not overly long and they were NOT overly expensive! The TDC is a great teacher, getting to the heart of teaching concepts and strategies that instill confidence and bring out one's personal competence. 

Before I even ordered or paid for a workshop they quickly returned a phone call and in the first conversation shared a point that was instrumental in helping me pass both California exams, on the first try. 

I highly recommend the TDC workshops! Don't hesitate!