Which section of the REC is hardest? My breakdown after taking it

Just finished the REC and wanted to give a detailed breakdown of the difficulty by section for people currently studying.

The practice test questions were the most challenging by far — not because they're tricky, but because they require you to apply concepts rather than just recall them. I studied that section twice as hard after my practice scores showed a consistent gap there.

The easier wins are in the foundational areas where memorization pays off. I recommend starting with the rec federal railroad administration (fra) regulations to get a feel for question style — the format really does match what you'll see on test day.

My advice: don't neglect the applied sections even if the theory feels comfortable. The exam is designed to catch people who understand concepts in isolation but struggle with real-world scenarios. Practice those especially.