I want to take a moment to address all the students out there. Training to be a behavior analyst is hard. You have to learn so much. You have to train, get LOTS of feedback, and gain so many skills before you start practicing as a behavior analyst. Between going to school full time, working full time, attending to supervision, and the general need to deal with life, it’s stressful. But you’re doing a good job, so keep it up.
There is currently some kind of emphasis on first-time exam takers. You’ll see posts like “one and done” in your study groups. There are lots of folks that make it sound like it was easy. I promise you that it wasn’t. They got there with lots of hard work. The same hard work you’re doing right now. It’s currently seen as a badge of pride to get that “one and done,” first time taker badge. Now, what I’m about to say is going to upset some folks (I’m sorry), and but more than anything, I hope it frees you a little bit of this pressure.
Nobody but you gives a shit about passing the first time.
Now, that isn’t to say that failing isn’t disheartening. It’s an absolute drag to miss by a few points when you spend so much time and effort on your exams. I don’t want this to read as if you shouldn’t feel a certain way about NOT passing. That’s not my point here.
When you become a BCBA and you begin applying for jobs, there is never a question of “what was your GPA” or “how many times did you have to take the exam?” Do you know why? It’s not a measure of your work. Or your intelligence. Or your skillset. I’ve met INREDIBLE behavior analysts who have taken the exam multiple times. I’ve also met some really terrible behavior analysts who were in the “one and done” club.
I think there is a certain culture of academic performance that is upheld while you’re in school. There is an expectation for high academic performance that honestly doesn’t matter the same way when you’re in the field. That family you’re working with who desperately needs services? They aren’t interested in your GPA or the clubs you ran or your journal articles or your exam number. They care that you’re competent and that you care about their loved one. That school that is asking you to consult? I can PROMISE you that they aren’t going to ask how many times you took the exam. They care that you’re a BCBA and that you’re there to provide some insight.
Give yourself a little compassion here. Be disappointed if you must, but please know that none of us are as interested in first time passing as you might think. We’re interested in caring behavior analysts who do good work. We’re interested in the future of the field moving toward better practices. We’re interested in creating a culture of less burnout and more support. None of those things rely on the number of times you’ve taken the exam.
So basically, it’s ok. Keep going, because the field needs you.
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