FROM SETBACK TO SUCCESS
Bianca's Journey to Passing the California Property & Casualty Exam
Real Student • Real Data • Real Results • Verified Google Review
Shared with Bianca's permission.
"I wasn't looking for another course; I was looking for a different approach."
Friday evening at 6:00 p.m., Bianca called Great Test Academy feeling completely defeated.
She had just failed the California Property & Casualty licensing exam for the third time.
Her score?
88 out of 150.
She needed 90 to pass.
After completing two different exam prep courses and paying for three state exams, she wasn't looking for another online course. She was looking for someone who could help her understand why she kept coming so close without getting over the finish line.
A Different Approach
Because Bianca lived just minutes from our Burbank classroom, we recommended our Ready Pass Program, a combination of Smart Prep, instructor-led classroom reviews, and unlimited access to our Study Center.
The goal wasn't to start over.
The goal was to identify the handful of concepts preventing her from passing.
We told Bianca something simple:
"You're closer than you think. We just need to teach you a few things and get you over this hurdle."
She Committed to the Process
For the next two weeks, Bianca showed up every morning.
She attended our instructor-led classroom study sessions alongside other students preparing for their California insurance exams.
After class, she stayed in the Study Center to continue working through Smart Prep, reviewing missed questions, and asking questions whenever she got stuck.
When she went home each evening, she continued reinforcing those same concepts with targeted quizzes and practice exams.
She didn't simply purchase another course.
She committed to a different process.
HER STARTING POINT
Measuring Where She Stood
Before creating a study plan, Bianca took one of our full-length State Simulations, a 150-question practice exam designed to closely mirror the format, timing, and difficulty of the California Property & Casualty licensing exam.
The goal wasn't simply to generate a score.
It was to identify exactly which subjects needed the most attention before exam day.
Bianca's First State Simulation - 68%
That score wasn't discouraging.
It was a roadmap.
Instead of reviewing hundreds of pages again, Smart Prep identified the specific concepts she still needed to master, allowing every study session to become more focused and productive.
REAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Bianca's Actual Progress
Every green bar represents a full State Simulation percentage score. Blue bars represent Smart Prep quizzes used to reinforce weak areas between simulations.
Instead of wondering whether she was improving, Bianca could actually see her progress.
Performance data shared with Bianca's permission.
CONSISTENTLY READY
One good practice score doesn't guarantee success.
Consistency does.
In the days leading up to her exam, Bianca was consistently scoring well above the passing benchmark on full State Simulations, giving her confidence that she was ready for the real exam.
BIANCA'S MESSAGE TO FUTURE STUDENTS
"If you're close but just can't seem to get over the finish line, don't give up. Sometimes you don't need to study more, you need a different approach, the right strategy, and someone who knows how to help you find it."
Bianca's Story, In Her Own Words
Everything you've read above was built from Bianca's actual experience.
Here's the complete Google review she shared after passing her California Property & Casualty exam.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Verified Google Review
Bianca L.
A quick disclaimer: This is a longer review, but if you’re feeling discouraged after failing your exam, this review is for you. That was me just two weeks ago.
I can’t recommend GTA enough!
After failing my CA P&C exam three times, I was completely discouraged. I’d already completed two different prep courses and, despite scoring well on practice quizzes, I kept falling just a couple of points short on the actual exam. I knew I was close, I just couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. I wasn’t looking for another course; I was looking for a different approach.
That night, I Googled “in-person P&C classes near me” and found GTA. I called that Friday evening feeling completely defeated and remember telling Gareth, the instructor, “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but I need help. I need a new approach.” He took the time to listen, answered all of my questions, and explained how the Smart Prep program identifies your weak areas so you can study smarter, not just harder. After that conversation, I didn’t feel the need to call anyone else.
My first state simulation score was 68%, but for the first time I knew exactly where I needed to improve. The quizzes, Q&A sessions, and explanations helped me understand how to think through the questions instead of simply memorizing answers.
One thing I really appreciated was the flexibility of the program. Since I have a busy schedule, I loved that I could study at my own pace and come into class whenever I wanted extra support. If attending in person doesn’t fit your schedule, the program is designed to be flexible. I also chose to take my exam in the classroom, which eliminated so many unnecessary stressors, driving to a testing center or trying to test from home with teenagers, dogs, cats, and even a bird! Being in a quiet, familiar environment allowed me to focus completely on the exam.
Just two weeks later, my simulation scores were consistently 83–91%, and I passed my CA P&C state exam on my fourth attempt, improving my score by 23 points from my previous exam.
What impressed me just as much as the curriculum was the support. From my very first phone call to exam day, I never felt like just another student. Gareth even made sure I was successfully logged into PSI before my exam, and being able to give him a thumbs up afterward to let him know I had passed was such a rewarding full-circle moment.
If you’re close but just can’t seem to get over the finish line, don’t give up. Sometimes you don’t need to study more, you need a different approach, the right strategy, and someone who knows how to help you find it.
Exactly two weeks ago, I made a phone call hoping someone could help me pass. Today, I walked out of that same classroom having passed my CA P&C state exam.
Thank you, Gareth, for your guidance, encouragement, and for creating a program that truly works. I’ll always be grateful.
Great Test Academy
Owner
Thank you so much, Bianca. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your story. Reading reviews like this is exactly why we built Great Test Academy the way we did.
You were never far from passing. You simply needed a study strategy that identified your weak areas and helped you understand the material instead of memorizing answers. Watching your confidence grow over those two weeks was incredibly rewarding, and seeing you walk out of the classroom after passing made all the hard work worthwhile.
We know your story will encourage others who may feel discouraged after a failed exam. Thank you for trusting us to help you reach the finish line. Congratulations again on earning your California Property & Casualty license, and we wish you nothing but success in your insurance career.
READY TO WRITE YOUR OWN SUCCESS STORY?
Whether you're taking the California insurance exam for the first time or preparing after multiple unsuccessful attempts, Great Test Academy was built to help students who are ready to pass.
If you're willing to commit to the process, we'll help you get over the finish line.