Exam Prep - ICF, BCC
The finish line is in sight!
Successfully completing training, embracing mentor coaching, and collecting the requisite number of coaching experience hours get you to the the final critical step--PASS THE EXAM(S). Just like most people wouldn't dream of taking the GMAT, Bar exam, CPA exam or any other crucial credentialing exam without studying and preparing, the ICF and BCC exams are just as important. Preparing for the exam includes more than knowing the content, which of course is fundamental. But it also includes understanding how to most effectively TAKE the exam. There are subtleties and nuance in every standardized exam that can dramatically impact success or failure.
Positive Coaching Solutions is dedicated to supporting coaching candidates, whether they graduated from our programs or not. Our unflinching mission is to be a learning partner, long-term, and to walk along side you all the way to the finish line.
Our success ratio is truly enviable. And that's because we care. We invest our time, resources, and whole heart in expanding the world of coaching with like-minded and dedicated coaches. Coaching changes people, and one-by-one, we can change the world.
Upcoming ACC Sessions:
February 12, 2026
May 14, 2026
August 13, 2026
November 12, 2026
All sessions 1:00 - 4:30 pm Central Time
Upcoming PCC Sessions:
September 10, 2026
All sessions 1:00 - 5:30 pm Central Time
ICF Written Exam Prep -- ACC and PCC
Positive Coaching Solutions is dedicated to getting our students and ALL ICF credential candidates successfully through the ICF written exams, as painlessly and productively as possible. We offer two sets of ICF Exam Preparation Workshops that dig into the format and success factors of both exams. When a candidate is getting close to their experience hours target, we recommend registering for an exam prep module when you can "see the light at the end of the tunnel."
Having an exam prep close to the exam date ensures the competencies are refreshed, the code of conduct has a renewed focus, and any announced evolutions in the exam can be adequately communicated. All our graduates may take any exam prep module for FREE for 12 months after the end of the program using their unique coupon code for the cohort.
The ACC Exam: The ACC exam is a straightforward multiple choice test that requires a strong understanding of the core competencies and the code of conduct. It's 90 minutes in a proctored setting, either in a testing center or in a proctored virtual setting that meets the requirements.
The PCC Exam: The PCC exam is more comprehensive in terms of assessing an experienced coach's judgement and deep understanding of the complexities of providing coaching in multidimentional situations.
As with any standarized exam, we believe it is essential to understand the objectives of the exam, the structure of the process, and the underlying rationale for success. We are here to help you pass the first time! Time to tune up your test-taking for just $395!
BCC Written Exam Prep
We are a Registered Coach Training Provider (RCTP) for the Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential. We have a number of students who decide the BCC credential is an important "interim" credential while they are working toward their ICF credential or a preferred "terminal" (only) certification in their credentialing porfolio.
- For one thing, it can be much quicker to obtain because it does not require three months of mentor coaching or a recorded performance evaluation for any applicant.
- For anyone with Master's degree or higher in social or behavior sciences (includes MBA), it only requires 30 hours of coaching experience compared to 100 hours for ICF. While I remain steadfastly opposed to their conditions, they do allow candidates to look backward and count "coaching experience hours" prior to receiving any coach-specific training. In my opinion, this is improper and undermines the significance of the required training.
- And honestly, the title "Board Certified Coach" has a perceived value, relevance, and marketing cache, especially in certain professions or industries, such as health care, law, medical services, or any distinctive professional services marketplace.
There are seven different sets of certification requirements, depending on the candidate's level of education. Here's the whole list with corresponding educational requirements: https://www.cce-global.org/credentialing/bcc/requirements.
A brand new set of "competencies" was published in 2024, and the new exam based on these competencies went into effect July 2025. We believe these updated skills are vastly more in line with professional coaching best practices today. A new Content Outline with the new CCE Core Competencies in SIX revised domains is available here: BCCE Content Outline.
The new exam is a 120-question, 3-hour, multiple-choice exam. The only study guidance they provide an "Assessment" you can take for $25. It's a bit hard to find on their website, so here is a direct link: https://academy.cce-global.org/courses/bcce. At completion, you will learn if you passed or failed and the results by domain. You will not, however, get the correct answers for your study benefit.
In their Resources section , they offer a Selected Reference List, the most current being 2018. In my opinion, the most important book on that list is Becoming a Professional Life Coach: Lessons from the Institute of Life Coach Training (2nd ed.). by Patrick Williams and Diane Menendez. A third edition was published in 2023: Becoming a Professional Life Coach (3rd Edition): The Art and Science of a Whole-Person Approach. Actually, it's quite a good book, and at 432 pages, it's not light reading. With the new competencies, however, you will be reasonably well prepared just based on your Level 1 training. The exam prep will certainly help give you a sense of the structure and other tips in taking the exam though.
Upcoming Sessions
May 12, 2026
November 10, 2026
All sessions run from 1:00 - 4:30 pm Central Time
More Exciting Programs to Come!
We are committed to providing high-value, game-changing professional development opportunties that will make real differences in the lives and businesses of our cherished coaching community. We have several new or improved Continuing Education programs on the drawing board and in the pipeline. Here are some examples:
- The new Certified Group Coaching Program is now available for registration. Get more information here. This comprehensive and hands-on program will equip coaches to expand their service offerings in a business model that produces more net income.
- Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC) is being retooled and updated to include important new content, incuding the use of AI in career development and job search. We expect to launch in the second half of 2026.
- Stand up to Conflict with Coaching Skills adds broadly relevant coaching capabilities for coaches to work with difficult relationships and incompatible needs or values. Stay tuned for dates to be published!
We believe in collaborative partnerships and the creative benefits of working with other passionate professionals. Good things just happen. Stay tuned for more to come.