Melissa McCurry, MAMHC, LCAS-A, turned to Pocket Prep to prepare for taking the National Counselor Exam (NCE). A mother of two, she needed an easier way to study on-the-go and make the most of her time spent in the carpool line or just a few minutes here and there throughout her day. Using a few different study tools throughout her process, she explains why Pocket Prep helped her pass on the big day.

Melissa’s story, in her words:

I used Pocket Prep to prepare for the National Counselor Exam. I’d completed my master’s degree program at Wake Forest University in Mental Health Counseling in 2016, so the idea of studying for another major exam was overwhelming to say the least. In addition to those concerns, I had to register with less time to study than I would have liked in order to meet the deadline of the licensing board.

Initially, I panicked and started ordering every study prep material I could find. (I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD!) But then I found Pocket Prep on my phone and it became my major source for studying on the go.

As the mom of a teen and pre-teen, I don’t have a lot of “free time” for studying. Pocket Prep allowed me to review material and quiz while sitting in the carpool line, grocery store, or even one time while walking on a treadmill! My 11-year-old son even got into quizzing me in the car!

As the mom of a teen and pre-teen, I don’t have a lot of “free time” for studying.
Melissa McCurry

The information was easy to follow and the questions were fairly reflective of what I later saw on the exam. I also used a major study guide from another industry leading source and the questions in Pocket Prep dovetailed nicely as a review for that material.

I especially appreciated the reminder to take the ‘Question of The Day’. Typically once I opened the app to take that, I stayed in the app for another 30 minutes to an hour which got me into a great daily routine!

I also loved that I could choose whether or not to get immediate feedback on wrong answers or receive it all at the end which made for great pre and post tests as each of the focus areas for competence were separated into different areas.

I highly recommend Pocket Prep as a stand alone or review guide in conjunction with other resource materials. The day of the test I arrived a bit early and sat in the car doing one last quiz which gave me a great little boost of confidence going in!

And, drum roll please… I PASSED! I didn’t just squeak by passing, I passed with 40 points to spare!!!!

Thank you Pocket Prep for providing a great resource for a busy mom reinventing herself in the carpool line! Couldn’t have done without you!

And to my fellow counselor candidates… you got this! Review with the app each day and you will find yourself being asked to write the next testimonial! Good luck!

At Pocket Prep, we offer exam preparation via mobile or desktop app for the NBCC® National Counselor Exam™. Our exam prep offers 500 questions spanning six content areas of Professional Practice and Ethics, Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis, Areas of Clinical Focus, Treatment Planning, Counseling Skills and Interventions, and Core Counseling Attributes.

To learn more, check out the Behavioral Health Pocket Prep app. The app features study prep for 8 different major behavioral health credential exams, including the NCE, right from the comfort of your phone. As always, Pocket Prep apps are free to download and feature introductory content at no cost.