Top 10 Most Common Reasons People Fail the CBAP Exam
There are a lot of professionals who come to us after failing CBAP, therefore we decided to do an investigation into the most prevalent causes of CBAP failure. The CBAP test is well-covered in publications and blogs, but I couldn’t locate anything that explained why individuals fail the exam. This will assist CBAP hopefuls avoid making the same errors again.
- CBAP Experience is Insufficient.
CBAP certification might be tempting for professionals who aren’t ready for it in terms of both ability and knowledge. Despite the fact that IIBA’s qualifying requirements state that CBAP candidates must have at least four years of business analysis experience, we’ve seen people apply for the certification despite having just four years.
For the CBAP, you need have at least 5.5 years of expertise in business analysis. The case-based nature of the CBAP v3 test necessitates familiarity with both BABoK v3 and business analysis expertise. This needs the capacity to apply the BABoK’s knowledge to the current situation and provide an appropriate response. It is thus vital to have a working knowledge of business analysis in order to pass this test.
- Assuming that the BABOK will ask you questions.
As a result, despite having the necessary expertise, many individuals fail because they don’t have the proper resources or aren’t prepared to answer the relevant kinds of questions. They often anticipate BABoK to ask them straight questions.
In CBAP v2 based exams, this was the case, but not in CBAP v3. A case study with numerous questions is used for the CBAP v3 questions, thus expect lengthier cases with more material (1-1.5 pages long). Based on the BABOK Guide, Version 3, it is competency-based.
- BABOK membership is way too important
We recently heard from a participant who was distraught at her failure, and she shared her preparation with us “Despite having memorized the whole BABoK, I was still unable to pass the CBAP Course exam. I’ve previously failed the test three times, and I’m not sure how to best prepare for a fourth attempt.”
- Failure to Understand Babok Terminologies and Expectations.
In the case of BABoK v3, this is especially relevant since the standard has been significantly improved. The standard’s language has also become more complicated as a result of this change. Business analysis information, for example, is a crucial phrase in BABoK v3. In BABoKv2, this was referred to as BABoK needs and other relevant information.
- Initial difficulty level questions cause stress based on the stress level
Most tests use this strategy; the first few questions are deliberately kept challenging to test the candidate’s confidence and ability to deal with the more difficult ones later on. This part of the exam is designed to see whether the applicant can retain the necessary level of mental acuity to solve the remaining questions.
- The Exam Complexity Can Be Underestimated
One of the most common causes for failing the CBAP test is underestimating the exam’s severity and hence under preparedness.
- Failure to Prepare Adequately
A number of factors might cause a student to be underprepared, some of which are outlined below:
- Attempting the exam too early
- Not having enough time to plan.
- Having the wrong mentors or coaches
- Using the wrong resources while preparing.
- Irregularity in the preparation of questions
In order to pass the CBAP test, Sprintzeal provides understanding of the exam’s principles, as well as a sufficient number of practice questions. It’s impossible to succeed if you just do one of these things correctly. It’s also a good idea to practice with questions that are comparable in difficulty to the actual exam so that you have a sense for what to expect on test day.
- Over-reliance on one’s own BA experiences as the most important factor in passing the exam.
A sampling of what we’ve heard from certification applicants: They fail to achieve their certification objective because they underestimate the test and the preparation required. To pass the CBAP test, they mostly depend on their knowledge of business analysis procedures.