How I Took (and Passed) the LICSW Exam

How I Took (and Passed) the LICSW Exam

By Cameron Murdock

Sitting down in the quiet room, I listened eagerly as the test proctor explained how to use the computer.  He brought up the practice exam screen and walked away.  I inserted the complimentary earplugs and the hum of background noises slowly resolved into silence.  As I carefully worked through the practice exam, the only sound I could hear was my racing heartbeat. I sat looking at the button that would start the actual exam. I needed to pass in order to advance my career, to make the most of hundreds of dollars spent for the exam and credential. I took a couple of deep breaths and willed myself to calm down, then I clicked on a button, and the exam started and I answered the first question.

In the field of social work, becoming a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) is arguably the ultimate goal.  With those letters after one’s name, a social worker can engage in private practice, provide expert testimony in court, obtain supervisory jobs, etc.  For many of us that have chosen social work as a career, that word “independent” is a pretty important one.  Independent clinical licensure typically involves a certain amount of direct service hours, formal supervision and sitting for the Association of Social Work Board (ASWB) exam. The ASWB is the nonprofit association of social work licensing boards in the United States and Canada.  The exam is required for licensure in all provinces and states except California (they have a separate exam). 

The LICSW exam is the lynchpin of the effort to obtain the coveted LICSW credential.  While roughly three quarters of those who take the exam pass on the first try, very few of those who make a second attempt pass.  The ASWB exam consists of four areas of content: Human Development, Diversity and Behavior in the Environment; Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning; Psychotherapy, Clinical Interventions and Case Management; and Professional Ethics and Values.  In real terms, that means virtually any type of social work practice, in any social work practice setting with any demographic and drawing from any theoretical or practice framework. 

I was daunted by the task at hand and decided that I needed to do some research.  What I discovered was that there are about as many different products and services one could purchase to study for the exam as there are potential exam questions.  I purchased some of these exam materials, including a set of study guides, practice exams and flashcards, a couple of flashcard apps for my iPhone, some handouts and I downloaded some podcasts (audio files) and subscribed to several web based resources including blogs, groups and YouTube videos.  In the end, I was overwhelmed, frustrated and delayed taking the test.  My confidence was shaken.

Here is how I overcame that lack of confidence and passed with a pretty high score in the end:

Number One Strategy: Study Group

I saw a lot of references to study groups as being a crucial element to passing the exam.  However, working in an ER where my schedule changed weekly and where my co workers were really only interested in study group until we were actually supposed to meet and study, I decided I needed a different approach.  I started my own study group, but since I didn’t have enough local interest, I went global.  I explored different options and settled on Google+ for the interface.  Google+ works like Facebook or Pinterest in so much as you can post articles and status updates.  More importantly, it has a fantastic group conference feature, allowing users with a computer equipped with a microphone and webcam to see and talk to each other in real time with no typing required.  Even better, it’s a free conference service, unlike Skype. 

I recruited members through LinkedIn and Facebook, sent out a message to all my coworkers and on the local university’s SW listserv.  I got a lot of response, but as with any new idea, it sounded good to many, but only five of us really engaged and met up.  I met five really fantastic people, and the best part was that I could study with them at work during my meal break and at home; even sometimes on my treadmill!  Google+ works on computers, iPods, iPhones and iPads. I ended up using all of these devices to meet with my study mates. 

Here’s the thing: we studied, but we also got to know each other, we became supports to each other and grew to care about each other.  One might think that studying on the Internet would be impersonal, but it was not at all.  Of the five of us, three of us have taken and passed the exam!  I was the third to test, and it felt great to cheer on my mates and to be cheered on by them.  We did a lot of laughing, and that seemed to help shape the way I looked at the exam.

Number Two Strategy: Change the Way You Look at the Exam

I have to admit that when I first thought about sitting for the exam, I really didn’t think I needed to study.  I figured that I had worked in the field long enough to answer most questions about it.  A colleague showed me a set of materials and that changed that confidence.  I ordered my own set, they were cumbersome volumes and the review questions focused on such minutia without structure, I quickly became overwhelmed.  The practice exams that were part of the same bundle gave me low scores and answers seemed to contradict each other and no patterns emerged.  I have to admit, I grew to hate the exam and see it as a form of hazing.  It seemed too big, not really tied to anything and focused on small items, not the big picture.

Let’s face it, the exam is expensive and important to one’s career.  It does not measure your ability to do the work, but it does ensure that those doing the work have demonstratable knowledge of theory, best practices, ethics, etc.  I had to really come to terms with the idea that failure was not the end of the world and that I recognized the hard work I put into preparation and believed it to be sufficient.

Slowly, I started to notice that research I did using “Social Worker’s Desk Reference” (which I highly recommend for all social workers) started to influence my practice.  It occurred to me that my study prep was helping me to expand my abilities and helping me to be more effective with the clients I was working with at the time.  That helped me to get more excited about studying and sharing the things I was picking up-or simply being reminded of- helped reinforce the learning.  I started to believe that, regardless of the outcome of the exam, the studying improved my skills, my practice and ultimately, my confidence.

Number Three Strategy: The Social Work Podcast

Jonathan Singer has busily been building a fantastic library of short podcasts that focus on areas of social work theory, practice, special populations, elements of working in the field and more.  He is an excellent interviewer and his guests have great experience and knowledge that he draws into a succinct podcast.  I made CDs of the podcasts and played them in my car on my way to and from work.  I listened to them as I did chores, worked out and on meal breaks. That was a  great way to get more information, tie it to personalities and to do so while on a pretty strict time budget.

Number Four Strategy: Take the Class

The NASW offers a prep class (check your local chapter’s web site). There were pros and cons to that experience, so I am more hesitant to recommend it.  One study mate did order the book and skip the class (Nearly everything said in the class was in the book).  For me, it was helpful to set aside 6 hours to sit in a classroom and focus on the exam, but it is probably not a good use of time for everyone.  Most important is that they stressed that one has enough time to take the exam.  On exam day, I did not turn on the clock feature, so I was surprised to learn that I took the exam, reviewed questions and took a short break in two hours and fifteen minutes.  NASW also stressed that the exam would not go into minutia and that the material is structured so that you can break the questions down, eliminate at least two possible responses and figure out the “best” response.

Number Five Strategy: Take the ASWB Practice Exam

I took several practice exams, used lots of flashcards, wrote my own practice questions, etc., and I cannot recommend any of them.  The exam questions really are pretty clearly written and I took the ASWB practice exam a week before my real exam and used the questions to study.  The questions are the most like the real thing, and that was a piece of advice I got from another of my study mates!

Number Six Strategy:  Explore all Relevant Areas of the ASWB Website

The handbook is a must read, and I read every FAQ related to the Independent Clinical exam.  The best part was the video about the day of the exam.  It actually looked like the test site and thoroughly walks the viewer through the process from arrival to completion of the exam.

Number Seven Strategy: Get There Early and Don’t Try to Study

I drove to the test site, walked up to and into the office, and left to eat something and drink something.  I listened to soft music and I did some relaxation exercises in my car.  I then went for a walk around the building to get some fresh air before I went inside.  I was warned not to try and look at study materials because it could make me doubt my degree of readiness and undermine my confidence.

Number Eight Strategy: Acronyms

There really is a structure ranking potential exam answers.  I looked at several of them and went with FAREAFI (F: Feelings, A: Assess, R: Refer, E: Educate, A: Advocate, F: Facilitate, I: Intervene).  This seems to be attributed to Linton Hutchinson, who sells a wide range of study products.  As soon as I started the exam, I wrote that down so I wouldn’t panic and forget it.  I realized later that I never looked at it again since I had really internalized it!

Number Nine Strategy: Wear the Earplugs

I did not want to be distracted during the test, and I knew there would be other people testing beside me and they might say things under their breath, make noises or otherwise prevent me from putting 100% focus on the exam.  I did hear my heartbeat, which reminded me to take deep breaths and calm down.

Number Ten Strategy: Sally Social Worker

Another tidbit I learned was to not answer exam questions with what I would do.  I had to answer with a prediction about what my fictitious coworker, Sally, would do in a given situation.  The exam can’t take every possible scenario into consideration, but when it asks for the “Best,” “First” or “Most Helpful” activity, the exam is looking for a textbook response, and Sally, who knows everything and is just a little rigid in her work style is the best example.

The result of all of these strategies is that I passed on my first try with a pretty high score.  While there were several other activities I attempted, these are the most relevant- my top ten if you will- ways to get through the process with a degree of enjoyment and the least amount of worry and stress.