Just wanted leave a little 'bread-crumb' trail here of what my experience was like taking an online course, and passing the exam.

Who I went with for the 'course':

I took a self-paced licensing course for Virginia through 'The CE Shop' -- this was actually the second time I paid for the course -- the first time, I lost momentum, and didn't complete it on time (if you struggle to be self-motivated, you may find an 'in-person' course more to your liking?).

This time, I went through it in two sprints-- one before the winter holidays, and one in late winter after the holidays-- and I would definitely recommend doing it all in one go, if at all possible. The more time passes since you've reviewed a subject in the the course, the harder it will be to recall correctly in an exam!

The did the course, and exam-prep package with the CE shop, and can recommend both. The lessons can be a little slow-paced (I wasn't a fan of many of the videos they used to teach... I would have preferred to just read a transcript), but the frequent quizzes helps to reinforce lessons, and keep things fresh. I learn just as much, if not more, from taking quizzes and tests, than from just reading through material.

Things to be aware of:

One thing to keep in mind with The CE Shop -- to get your license, you need to pass 2 exams, not just one. The first exam (proctored, but can be done remotely while a proctor watches you) is just to prove that you satisfactorily completed the course. Don't be fooled, that's not your 'license exam'... just the course completion exam. Once you have satisfactorily completed that exam, they'll notify whatever state testing-provider the state chooses to work with, and you can schedule your actual licensure exam. Both exams will be the same format -- but only the second one is for actual licensure.

That being said, I felt pretty well prepared after completing the The CE Shop course -- passed both the 'course exam' and the 'license exam' on the first try. But... that was also taking lots of practice exams.

Exam Day:

The testing center I went to (Brainseed / PSI) didn't allow you to take any material of your own into the exam room (you even had to pull your pockets out... I thought that was more theatrics than anything...) -- they provided a little electronic "scribble tablet" instead of a pencil and scratch paper, and very simple calculator to work with (I had brought a calculator of my own, just in case), and the exam took place on a computer, within a secure/proprietary browser. Nothing fancy, but it was quiet and comfortable. I didn't need to write anything down from memory when I got in, and I wouldn't rely on that if that's your plan -- those electronic tablets erase with the push of a button, so anything you need to remember, best to keep it in your head.

The exam center I went to in Alexandria VA did not provide a 'score' (I still have no idea how many I got 'right'... only that I passed). I don't know if it's any different if you don't pass (maybe they'll give you a score, and tell you some areas to work on??)

Bottom line:

Practice Exams were the key to helping me feel confident and prepared, at the end of the day. Lessons and documents are one thing, but ... translating that into being able to answer multiple-choice questions can be another thing entirely. It'll help you to get a lot of practice at that in before exam day arrives -- and on that note, you can often find "free" study, and practice exam material through a local or regional public Library.   It's often in the 'Digital Resources' section of your library's online resources. Don't underestimate the benefits of actually practicing taking the exam. In high school, I was part of Academic Decathlon... and I lost count of how many practice exams I took ahead of competition. They really do help.   I found the exam prep through my library to be remarkably helpful -- it was a different 'flavor' than the exam prep package practice exams from The CE Shop, and I really felt confident, after taking those, that I would pass the exams, and I did!

Here's an example of where I found some exam-prep material through my library:

Don't just limit yourself to whatever 'exam prep' materials you might have already paid for -- find anything you can get your hands on, and use it -- you don't want to have to re-take an exam if you don't have to!

Overall, I give The CE Shop 3.75/5 stars -- it was decent material, but I didn't realize until after I took the first exam, that I hadn't actually qualified for getting a license yet! They could have been a lot more clear about that for their self-paced online learning crowd. I think for myself, an in-person class might have been more time-effective, and figuring out what The CE Shop needed you to do to 'complete the course' was sometimes a little foggy, but we got it done.

Feel free to ask questions if you'd like -- or share what you did to study for and pass your exams!

Alan Taylor

Washington, DC

3 Votes