You're cruising through the ASWB exam when you hit a question that stops you cold. You read it twice, eliminate the obviously wrong answers, and then...you're stuck. Two choices remain, and they both seem reasonable. Sound familiar?
Welcome to one of the most common (and sometimes frustrating) experiences on the social work licensing exam. The good news? Being down to two choices means you're already doing something right. You've successfully eliminated the clearly incorrect options, which puts you way ahead of random guessing. Now let's talk about how to make that final choice with confidence.
First, let's acknowledge what's really going on here. The ASWB exam writers are good at what they do. They create questions with multiple plausible answers because that's what mirrors real social work practice. In the field, you'll often face situations where several interventions could work—but one is clearly the best choice given the specific circumstances.
When you're down to two answers, it usually means:
That's exactly what the exam is designed to test. So pat yourself on the back—you're in the right headspace.
When you're stuck between two choices, try this systematic approach: F-I-R-S-T.
F - Focus on what they're asking Go back and reread the question stem carefully. What exactly are they asking for? The FIRST intervention? The BEST response? The most likely diagnosis? The key word might be hiding in plain sight. "Initial" means something different from "ongoing." "Immediate" is different from "long-term."
I - Identify the client's most pressing need Look at the vignette again. What's the client's primary concern right now? Is it safety? Building rapport? Gathering information? The correct answer almost always addresses the most urgent need first, not necessarily the most comprehensive intervention.
R - Remember your ethics When in doubt, let the NASW Code of Ethics be your guide. Does one answer align more clearly with social work values like client self-determination, cultural competence, or doing no harm? Ethics questions aren't just the obvious ones—ethical principles guide clinical decisions throughout the exam.
S - Start where the client is This is social work 101, but it's easy to forget under pressure. Which answer meets the client where they actually are, not where you think they should be? The correct choice usually honors the client's current situation, readiness for change, and expressed concerns.
T - Think about timing Consider where you are in the helping relationship. Is this the first session or the tenth? Are you in the engagement phase or moving toward termination? The timing often determines which intervention is most appropriate.
Certain types of answers are rarely correct on the ASWB exam:
Answers that are too extreme. Words like "always," "never," "immediately terminate," or "refuse to work with" are usually wrong. Social work is about nuance, not absolutes.
Answers that ignore client self-determination. If one choice respects the client's right to make their own decisions and the other doesn't, go with self-determination almost every time.
Answers that jump ahead in the process. Don't pick the intervention that skips important steps. You need to assess before you intervene, engage before you challenge, and build rapport before you confront.
Answers that violate boundaries. Personal relationships, dual relationships, or crossing professional boundaries are red flags. When in doubt, maintain professional boundaries.
Here's something that might surprise you: your gut reaction is often right. You've spent years learning about social work practice, and that knowledge doesn't disappear just because you're sitting in a testing center.
If you find yourself overthinking, ask: "What would I actually do with this client?" Your clinical training and common sense are valuable tools. The exam tests for sound professional judgment, not obscure theoretical knowledge.
When you're down to two choices, directly compare them:
Often, one answer clearly emerges as the better choice when you put them side by side.
The best way to get comfortable with this process is practice. Every time you take a practice exam and face this situation, try using the FIRST strategy. Notice your patterns—do you tend to overthink? Rush to judgment? Miss key details in the question stem?
SWTP practice exams are specifically designed to mirror these challenging decision points you'll face on the real exam. The more you practice working through tough choices, the more confident you'll become in your decision-making process.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you truly can't decide between two reasonable answers. Here's what to do:
Make your best educated guess. You've eliminated the obviously wrong answers and applied your clinical knowledge. Trust that process and pick one.
Don't second-guess yourself. Once you've made a choice using a systematic approach, stick with it. Changing answers based on anxiety rarely improves your score.
Move on quickly. Don't let one difficult question derail your momentum for the rest of the exam. You've got 170 questions to get through in four hours.
Being stuck between two good answers isn't a sign that you don't know the material—it's a sign that you're thinking like a social worker. The exam is testing your ability to make nuanced professional judgments, and that's exactly what you're doing.
Use the FIRST strategy, trust your training, and remember: you only need to get it right about 70% of the time to pass. You don't have to be perfect.
Ready to practice making tough choices? SWTP's realistic practice exams give you hundreds of opportunities to work through challenging questions just like these. Our detailed explanations help you understand not just what the right answer is, but why it's right—and why the other tempting choices fall short. Take our free practice test to start building your confidence today.
You've got the knowledge. Now you've got the strategy. Time to show that exam what you're made of.
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