So I just got my results back yesterday and I finally passed the INACE on my second try. Honestly I was pretty defeated after failing the first time by only 4 points, so I want to share what changed in my approach because I know a lot of people in this forum are prepping right now.
The biggest mistake I made round one was relying too heavily on just reading the textbook chapters. What actually clicked for me was switching to an INACE practice test format — doing timed question sets instead of passive reading. I found a solid INACE study guide that broke down the competency domains separately, which helped me stop cramming everything at once and focus on the areas where I was consistently weak (for me that was the regulatory compliance section).
My second attempt I studied about 90 minutes a day for six weeks, tracked my wrong answers in a spreadsheet, and retested those concepts every Friday. Total study time was probably 60-70 hours. Anyone else taking it soon? Happy to share the specific exam tips that helped me on the harder scenario-based questions.