For those of you who already know, and for those of you who don’t- to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), you must pass a national certification exam administered by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). For a lot of people, myself included, this causes a lot of STRESS! The stress is totally natural, and when you think about it, being stressed about the exam just means you are holding yourself to a high standard as a CTRS, and you want to do well- which is a good thing! However, don’t get caught up in it- with proper preparation you will fly through that test! To alleviate some of that anxiety and stress, in this post I’m going to outline some information on the exam, resources, and tips on how to study and prepare for it!
Basic Info about the CTRS exam:
It is a 150 question test with six categories included. The categories are: Foundational Knowledge, Assessment Process, Documentation, Implementation, Administration of TR/RT Service, and Advancement of the Profession.
Foundational Knowledge makes up 20% of the exam, Assessment Process makes up 19%, Documentation makes up 18%, Implementation makes up 26%, Administration of TR/RT Service makes up 10%, and Advancement of the Profession makes up 7%.
In order to pass the CTRS exam, you need to get a 65%- there is a grey area surrounding that score- if you get very close to passing, you are given a testing booklet with an additional 15 questions, giving you the opportunity to pass.
You have 3 hours to take the exam.
The exam is made up of solely multiple choice questions.
Your score will be presented to you directly at the end of the exam- so you will know if you passed or failed right away.
The fee to take the exam is $325, plus a $125 fee for a professional eligibility application. The NCTRC has a scholarship to apply to if this cost is a concern.
The exam has different dates to take throughout the year. There are exam times every other month, and once you register you will have your set date, time and location to take the exam.
I know that’s a lot of information- don’t be overwhelmed! While the process may seem stressful, there are many resources given to you to help prepare- you are NOT alone! Make sure to check out the NCTRC website, all the information you need to know is there! The NCTRC is also very helpful and responsive to students or anyone with questions- so if you have any questions feel free to give them a call!
While NCTRC is a great resource to help you on your journey to becoming a CTRS, there’s a few things you can do to help yourself, as well! Make sure you listen to yourself, because everyone preps for exams differently- but, here are some tips I have to help you succeed!
Purchase and use the NCTRC practice exam booklet- a bit expensive I know, but trust me, it’s worth it! Familiarize yourself with the wording of the questions, because at first glance they can be daunting! You can purchase the practice exam here, or it’s available on the NCTRC website as well.
Build up to a real exam level practice- the test is long and can be tiring. You don’t have to sit down for 3 hours straight the first time you take a practice test! Go through it slowly at first, take breaks, recharge your brain, and then go back to it. Build yourself up to taking it all at once!
Practice the exam in a setting similar to the test setting. Get yourself a quiet space with no distractions, have your phone propped up with the time remaining, make it feel realistic!
Don’t be hard on yourself! You likely won’t pass the practice exam you take on the very first try- and that's totally normal and okay! It takes patience and practice to get to where you want to be.
I hope that you take these resources and tips to heart- trust me, they will help! Now that you know some basic info on the test, and how to prepare yourself for it, you’re ready to start your preparation. Good luck, you’re going to do great!
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