The journey to social work licensure can seem long and overwhelming. The best thing to do when you're faced with an impossible-seeming mega-task? Break it down into parts. You don't have to worry about the entire licensing process, just focus on the next task ahead, one by one.
Here are four steps to help you prepare for the ASWB exam and get your social work license.
The first step in becoming a licensed social worker is applying with your state licensing board. Different exam levels require different amounts of experience. Requirements vary from state to state. Your state licensing board has answers to any questions you may have about those details. They're just a few clicks away.
Once you've been approved by the state board, register for the exam with the ASWB at aswb.org. Check the ASWB website for current registration fees, which vary by exam level.
You're still not done with the purely logistical, paperwork portion of exam prep. Once you've received your Authorization to Test, you're clear to book an exam date via Pearson VUE.
And now, finally, with your appointment made, the real work begins.
The next step in the road to getting licensed is getting your bearings. What's on the exam? How long is it? How many questions?
Some answers: The exam is 122 questions long, delivered in two 61-question sections. Twelve of those questions don't count toward your final score, but you're not told which ones they are. You'll have to stay focused and do your best on all 122.
The exam is made up entirely of multiple-choice questions with three or four answers each, many in vignette form. Questions are not related to one another—each stands alone. Trick questions are not part of the ASWB approach. Nor are "none of the above" or "all of the above" answer choices. Many questions ask for the MOST likely, NEXT move, or BEST choice in a given situation.
You have four hours to complete the exam, with two hours allotted to each 61-question section. That's just under two minutes per question. There's an optional 10-minute break between sections. Once you've finished the first section, you can't go back to it.
The social work exam is designed to assess the knowledge and judgment expected of social workers at the level of licensure you're seeking. You do not need to memorize the entire DSM. You don't need to know every detail of every developmental theory ever conceived. You do need to know the essentials—social work knowledge and judgment appropriate to your exam level.
While you can set aside deep exploration into obscure wings of social work know-how, that still leaves a lot to know. There are a lot of social work essentials. Your MSW textbooks may be helpful, depending on your exam level. The NASW Code of Ethics is a core part of exam preparation.
One of the best ways to prepare for the exam is to take realistic practice tests. With full-length, 122-question practice exams, you get a feel for the pace and demands of the four-hour exam. You discover your strengths and weaknesses, identify topics that need more review, and get accustomed to working through challenging questions under timed conditions.
As you review your answers, it's not enough to know why the correct answer works. It's just as important to understand why an incorrect choice felt right. SWTP's Exam Coach helps you recognize common answer traps and understand what each question is testing. Instead of simply checking the right answer and moving on, you learn to recognize the reasoning errors that can cost you points on exam day.
Do you need breaks? A snack? Knowing ahead of time gives you a meaningful advantage on exam day.
Got practice? Getting passing practice test scores? You're ready for the next and final step.
The last step is the quickest one: Go in, take the exam, pass the exam.
Half a day, and the exam is behind you.
Once you've passed and completed any remaining state licensing requirements, you're on your way to becoming a licensed social worker. Celebrate!
Congratulations in advance. Good luck!
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