Why I rescheduled my AWS exam today

Source: Dev.to

Background

Yesterday was supposed to be the final day before I took my AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. I didn’t feel ready, so I decided to take a final practice exam with 65 questions.

Practice Test Results

I scored only 38 % on the Tutorials Dojo practice test. The low score made it clear that I still needed to solidify many core concepts.

Decision to Reschedule

I faced a choice: go ahead with the exam, do my best, and see what happens, or postpone it to give myself more time to learn. I realized that under pressure I mixed up answers I thought I knew. A 38 % score was painful, but it highlighted exactly where I needed to focus.

I’m not a victim of the exam date; I’m the manager of my learning path. I didn’t want to walk into the test just to “try” – I wanted to pass. Failing would have crushed the confidence I’d built over weeks of preparation.

Support and Perspective

I admitted my setback to a senior engineer on LinkedIn. He responded by sharing that he also postpones exams when needed. When you’re learning in isolation, setbacks can feel like the end of the world, but sharing your journey—both the good and the bad—reminds you that everyone struggles sometimes, and it’s okay to admit that.

What’s Next

To everyone on this path: it’s okay to take your time. We’re building a career, not winning a race.