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Psychology from ABD to Licensure
copyright 1999, 2000 Shoshana D. Kerewsky, Psy.D.
may be reproduced with this attribution only
What is the EPPP?
All states and provinces require the written exam (the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, or EPPP). It is created and administered by ASPPB. Some states and provinces allow candidates for licensure to take the written exam before completing their postdoctoral hours. Check with your state or provincial board for its practices.
What kind of test is the EPPP?
The EPPP is a 200-question, multiple-choice test. It includes material from a number of domains.
How often is the EPPP administered?
The written exam is currently administered twice a year. Exam dates have been set through 2005. Beginning in 2001, the exam will be continuously available by computer at selected sites. To take the EPPP, you need your board's permission; in other words, you must meet the board's criteria to qualify to take the exam and you must get the board's permission. You must also pay a rather large fee that varies from state to state.
When should I take the EPPP?
Picture this: you're done with your postdoctoral hours, but you're not licensed and the EPPP is not offered again for 6 months. Your state doesn't let you take the EPPP until your postdoctoral hours are completed. What are you supposed to do for work in that half-year period during which you're still not licensed? Your best move may be to avoid this situation by one of two means. First, don't be in it--work backward from the EPPP administration date, to your state's deadline for signing up for the EPPP, to your state's schedule for evaluating and accepting your postdoctoral hours. Then begin your postdoc so that you'll be able to take the EPPP as soon as possible after you meet your state's criteria for admission to the exam. Second, since some states allow you to take the EPPP after completing a master's degree, or during postdoctoral training, consider applying for licensure in the second state as well, taking the EPPP there during your postdoc, and transferring the score to your first state.
How many people pass the EPPP?
Passing scores are set by each state and province. Many require you to pass at about 70%. ASPPB currently uses the formul "raw score x .5" to determine your score. However, they expect to change to a T score sometime soon.
ASPPB provides cumulative EPPP test data for the last few years, including breakdowns by group, number, maximum raw scores, range of raw scores, average raw scores, standard deviations, and percentage means. You may find information about how many candidates took the EPPP and how many passed in each state on your state board's website. (I have asked ASPPB for information on overall pass/fail rates, but they have not responded.)
Do some psychology programs have a higher passing rate than others?
Wesleyan provides a list of clinical psychology programs rank-ordered by EPPP scores from 1988-1995. The site gives ranks, schools, programs, sample sizes, and means. When comparing programs, don't forget that all you have to do is pass, that almost all programs have a passing mean raw score, that selection of incoming students may influence programs' scores, and that the site apparently only ranks clinical (not counseling) programs.
How should I prepare for the EPPP?
My conversations with licensed psychologists suggest that passing the EPPP requires more than having been an intelligent student and good clinician or researcher. Of the people with whom I've spoken, those who studied only for a week or two did not pass on the first administration. Many people have reported the belief that six weeks is the minimum useful preparation time. The commercially available study materials run to hundreds of pages; AATBS (one of the companies selling these study aids) suggests that you begin to study several months before the exam. Yes, there are people who didn't (or couldn't afford to) buy commercial materials and nonetheless passed the exam. However, most of the people I surveyed felt that the commercial materials were very helpful. Some supplemented them with textbooks, class notes, flashcards, and GRE study materials.
Which company should I choose?
I have heard praise for materials available from both AATBS, which is California-based, and Academic Review, which is New York-based. One consideration in choosing what to buy might be the locations in which each company runs workshops. Academic Review tends to offer workshops in the East, while AATBS tends to offer them in the West. I have heard mixed reviews about the workshops, but many people seem to agree that if you haven't studied much, have a hard time reading, or need to focus solely on the test, a workshop might be helpful. Both companies also offer study tapes to people who buy their written materials. The tapes are a good but cursory overview of a number of test domains. Try AATBS's practice test and Academic Review's practice test to get a feel for each company's product.
Are other study materials available?
ASPPB, which administers the EPPP, sells a set of 350 previous test items. It's fairly expensive for what you get, but a few people have told me that it was useful to see actual test items and to get a sense of ASPPB's idea of the correct answers. However, this set of items contains only answers; no explanatory notes are included. ASPPB also sells other publications.
ASPPB now offers a computerized practice test. I know nothing about it; please e-mail me and let me know what it's like if you take it.
You may want to use GRE preparatory materials as well. Here is a home page that includes one person's reviews of GRE Psychology exam practice materials.
What are my human resources?
eppp_prep is a listserve devoted to the EPPP. "While NOT taking the approach of 'how to beat the test' and keeping the list's purposes on high ethical grounds, the discussion will include talk of pertinent areas of content to focus study efforts on, test taking strategies, etc. and other topics related to certification requirements for the professional practice of psychology" (from the site). A wonderful feature of this list is that all postings are archived. You can read hundreds of messages about the EPPP if you are so inclined.
NEWPSYCHLIST is an APA listserve for new psychologists. People often discuss the EPPP here. Click on the link and follow the subscription information further down the page.
Will I be licensed after I pass the EPPP?
In some states, once your postdoctoral hours are accepted and you've passed the EPPP, you're done (after you pay for your license, of course). Other states require an oral exam or a state written exam. These tend to focus on state laws and the Ethical Principles, but may include other areas as well. Check with your state or provincial board.
(This is a web-based poll. If it doesn't load, please try again later.)
Please send me your comments, suggestions, and other EPPP resources. I'll review them for possible inclusion on this site. Thanks!