June 27, 2025 • 26 mins
Nobody gets more questions here at CRCC than our Certification Department. Certification Supervisor Jen Marcu works with her team to answer questions, clarify steps in the process, and connect with thousands of certificants and future CRCs across the US.
Jen is our guest this week, and we will explore some of the questions she hears most from students and test-takers. We made a list of the top 10 most frequently asked questions about the CRC Exam and tackled them one by one to hopefully help any of you out there preparing for test day.
Helpful Links Discussed in Today's Episode:
CRC Exam Overview and Knowledge Domains
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Taylor Bauer (00:00):
S Welcome to Inside Rehabilitation
Counseling.
I'm CRCC Director ofCommunications and Marketing,
Taylor Bauer, and I'm very gladyou're joining us again for
another exploration into the artand science of rehabilitation
counseling.
One of my favorite parts ofproducing and hosting this
podcast is hearing fromlisteners about what stories
(00:22):
resonate with them.
A lot of those listeners whoreach out are students in
master's level programspreparing to become CRCs.
Naturally, when we discuss theshow, they'll usually sneak in a
few questions about the CRCexam as well.
Nobody gets more questions hereat CRCC than our Certification
Department and CertificationSupervisor Jennifer Marcu works
(00:42):
with her team to answerquestions, clarify steps in the
process, and connect withthousands of certificants and
future CRCs across the U.S.
every week.
Jen is our guest this week aswe explore some of these
questions she hears most fromstudents and test takers.
We made a list of the top 10most frequently asked questions
about the CRC exam and tackledthem one by one to hopefully
(01:04):
help you help any of you outthere preparing for test day.
You more than anybody at CRCCknows the types of questions
that students and folks who aregetting ready to take the CRC
exam are asking.
I know that you and your teamare always on the phone or
answering emails of people whohave questions about, you know,
how to get prepared for theexam, how to ensure that they're
(01:25):
going to succeed on the examand really just kind of
eliminate as much uncertainty aspossible.
And that's why I'm so excitedto have you on this episode with
us.
And we're going to basically gothrough the 10 most common
questions you get about the CRCexam.
And hopefully, this will helppeople who are getting ready to
have a better understanding ofthe process, what's expected of
(01:45):
them, maybe even get some goodfeedback on what works for other
people and what has helped themsucceed.
And if we don't hit questionsthat people have, they can
always make sure to reach outwith the information in the show
notes via email or phone andlet us know how we can best get
them ready to do their part topass and be So let's get started
(02:06):
in a pretty natural place,right?
Who qualifies or is eligible totake the CRC exam is something
you all get asked a lot.
by people from all differentprofessions.
So what does it take toactually be qualified to take
the CRC exam?
Jennifer Marcu (02:21):
Yeah, that's a very common question we get.
There are three differentcategories in which someone can
apply.
So category one is someone witha rehabilitation degree or
clinical rehabilitation degreeor seeking one as a student from
a KCREP university.
So we do have a list on thewebsite for KCREP that they can
verify that through.
There's category two, which is,again, a rehabilitation or
(02:44):
clinical rehabilitationcounseling degree than a
non-K-crop.
So again, verify through thewebsite that way.
And then there's categorythree, which is a related field.
So we do only accept sevenspecific degrees there.
So I would encourage anyoneinterested in category three to
review those first because weare very specific on the ones we
do accept.
And we do, and we can get tothis later, but we do what's
(03:07):
called a pre-review of theirinformation experience as well
as academic to determinequalifications for that.
Taylor Bauer (03:14):
amazing and you know the category one two three
i know some people have askedlike oh is it like first place,
second place, third place.
It's not a ranked categorysystem.
It's just three different kindof stepping stones to come in
and apply for the exam.
And that kind of gets to thenext question that we hear a
lot.
Where are people actuallyapplying for the CRC exam?
(03:35):
How does someone sign up totake the CRC exam?
Jennifer Marcu (03:38):
Yeah, so depending on where their school
is from, so with category one,two, or three, they would then
need to apply under that on ourwebsite through our CRC Connect.
Once you create an account, youcan then click click on this
apply for CRC exam, and thenanswer the first two questions,
which will place them in thecorrect category.
So like Taylor said, it's notfirst, second, or third.
(03:59):
It's just making sure thatwe're in the correct categories
for processing purposes.
So the first question is ifyou're receiving or have
received your rehabilitation orclinical rehab counseling
degree.
Question two is about pay crop.
And the system would then placethat person into the correct
category so that staff, whenreviewing First
Taylor Bauer (04:22):
question you said that they'll encounter, you
know, if they're currently in aprogram or not, if they've
already graduated, kind of getsto this next question.
I know we have a lot ofstudents who won't be completely
done with their master'sprogram, who hear from other
folks that, you know, theyweren't fully through their
master's program yet and theystill took the CRC exam.
How does that work?
When are you able to take theexam if you're still currently
(04:43):
in your program as a student?
Jennifer Marcu (04:45):
Yeah, so we require students to be 75%
through their coursework beforeapplying.
so that we can just make surethat you have a lot of the
information that will be on theexam and you're well prepared
for it.
So it is a requirement to be75% through.
So you can always ask youradvisor when they recommend it.
Since the exam is offered threetimes a year, we kind of look
at that and determine based offyour criteria and everything
(05:08):
where you are to see if youwould meet the requirements for
that specific exam.
So it is held in March, July,and October.
Taylor Bauer (05:16):
And those dates every year you can find on our
website with is helpful.
So if you're gearing up to takethe exam during a certain time,
you'll know exactly what windowthose are offered.
This next question, you know,we obviously can't tell people,
you know, here are the answersto the CRC exam, nor do we even
have them.
You know, you and me, there isa reason that that's firewalled
(05:37):
off, right?
But in terms of the content onthe exam, we know that many
students who are taking the CRCexam come from rehabilitation
counseling or clinical rehabcounseling programs.
You don't necessarily have tobecause of categories But
obviously, if this is preparingfolks to be certified
rehabilitation counselors, Iwould imagine the content of the
exam covers all of thedifferent things that they'll
(05:58):
need to be doing.
So what content or what are theactual questions on the CRC
exam and where are they comingfrom?
Jennifer Marcu (06:05):
They're coming from our JTA that can be found
on our website, as well as thedomains that we review for
everything.
So we do encourage anyonelooking to study or prepare for
the exam to review both thoseand any other study material
that is found on our website.
website, which is recommendedtowards helping you with your
study materials and everything,specifically the domains.
(06:25):
It's really helpful tounderstand them and really kind
of go into it.
It's a lot, but understandingthem is very beneficial.
I have talked to many peopleabout that.
And so just it's something youshould be learning in your
coursework.
But just reviewing from ourwebsite is always making sure
you can check things off.
And it's very the questionswill come from there.
(06:46):
So it's really helpful.
Taylor Bauer (06:47):
And you're right.
You know, we do know theknowledge domains, which there
are 12 of them, have numbers ofsubdomains, and there is a lot
of content that is on the CRCexam, which is why I know we
typically recommend folks take12 weeks or three months to
study and really prepare for theexam.
But on that topic of studying,what resources does CRCC offer?
(07:10):
We know that there are a lot ofdifferent opportunities for
people to use things like studyguides, study groups online and
things like that.
In terms of what CRCC RCC hasto offer students.
What resources are available tohelp them get prepared for the
exam?
Jennifer Marcu (07:24):
Yes, that's a great question.
And a common question we get iswe do offer this
self-assessment.
That is one of the optionsthrough our eUniversity, as well
as our flashcards.
And there are two options forthe flashcards.
So just so you understand,there is an audio version and
then the regular flashcards.
So if you get the audioversion, just understand it's
just speaking to you.
(07:45):
They are separate products, soyou would have to purchase them
separately If that's of interestto you, if you prefer that over
the other, that's totally fine.
We have both for that reason.
And then the self-assessment isjust the one option, but it's
very beneficial.
I believe it's 450 questions.
You can take both of them aslong as needed until you pass
the exam.
They're available to you.
(08:06):
So it's a really greatresource.
Other ideas that we have are onour website under CRC, the
study materials.
There is a free planner to helpyou kind of break down your
study materials and making sureyou hit all the important
domains and understand thingsjust to give you, like Taylor
said, the 12 weeks to kind ofmake sure you are prepared.
(08:26):
But there are different bookson there that we recommend and
everything.
But if you ever need anything,I would recommend going to the
website and reviewing the studymaterials listed there
specifically to help you in thestudies.
Taylor Bauer (08:40):
We have a lot of folks who have used our study
materials and have beensuccessful and have given us
really good feedback.
And as you're studying withthose resources, you're always
available to let us know howthey're working for you.
And hopefully you reach out tous when you use the flashcards
of the self-assessment and youpass.
We love to hear those stories.
We're going to kind of throwthis question in the middle of
(09:01):
the show.
It's almost like a complimentsandwich where you put the
negative thing in the middle,right?
But this is a question we get alot from students who have
taken the exam.
We do know that some folksDon't pass the exam on their
first try.
So, you know, rather than dwellon the fact that you've failed,
a lot of folks will come to usand say, OK, like, what happens
now?
(09:21):
Like, I still want to be a CRC.
What happens now?
So what would someone do ifthey happen to fail the CRC exam
on their on an attempt?
Jennifer Marcu (09:30):
Yeah, so you are allowed two attempts per
application.
So that means specifically,let's say you took the exam in
March, you would have a retakeavailable to you for the July
exam.
So it is for the next availableexam and by, you know, so on
and so forth, where I sat forJuly, I have a retake for
October and for October orretake for March.
(09:51):
It is specifically towards thatso that please understand that
the retake is only available forthe next sub-sequential exam.
If you're signing up for anexam and you're studying and
you're getting prepared and youjust don't feel like you're
ready, you can defer it to,again, the next available exam.
So to give yourself that timeto study because we do want you
(10:11):
to pass.
We want you to go in withconfidence and making sure that
you are ready.
So we do have the deferral andall that information is on our
website site and our guides.
And if you have our questions,you know, staff is here to help
you.
But we do have everythinglisted there.
So let's say if I didn't passfor the March exam, my retake
would be for July exam.
(10:32):
If I unfortunately weren't ableto pass for the July exam, I
would have to resubmit a newapplication.
So, you know, I alwaysencourage people to kind of
review things and make suresince it's a new application,
take your time, make sure you'restudying, make sure where were
you deficient in, you know, getthat bearings down so that
you're ready for the next time.
And you're going to call me andtell me all about your passing
(10:53):
score.
I love those phone calls.
Taylor Bauer (10:56):
Yeah, it's so great to hear from people who, I
mean, we love hearing whenanybody passes, right?
But we do have folks who, youknow, we all take tests
differently.
I am historically not a greattest taker.
That was never a strength ofmine.
We know that there's a lot ofthings like exam anxiety and
just kind of the menacing, Idon't know, feeling of being in
(11:18):
that kind of like timedenvironment where the stakes
feel very high and you knowsometimes failing the exam can
be you know can feel kind oflike a huge setback but we do
have a lot of people who comeback in kind of re-prepare they
know what to expect a little bitmore i think that is like a
weirdly positive part of failingthe exam obviously you don't
(11:40):
want to fail but there issomething to be said about
getting a feeling for that wholeexperience and And we have seen
people, you know, go back, likeyou said, regroup a little bit
and then pass the exam.
And if that does happen to beyou, I think that perseverance
is really key.
And then also, yeah, be sure tolet us know that you've gone
ahead and passed and, you know,we'll see in your record and
(12:03):
things like that.
But we love hearing from youand especially feedback on what
might have been helpful to you.
And as Jen mentioned,information on the process of
what happens if you fail and howdo you get ready to take the
exam in the next window, that'sall in the search certification
guide you can find in the shownotes along with a lot of links
to things we'll be talking abouttoday.
But let's go back to thepositive.
(12:23):
So what happens when someonepasses the exam?
Let's say you walk out of thatroom, you've taken the exam.
What sort of happens next?
Jennifer Marcu (12:32):
Yeah, that's a great question.
So when you do pass the exam,something I should mention is
that Pearson will give you apreliminary score, and then
we'll get the scores back about24 to 48 hours later, ideally.
And then we can say, yes,officially pass, unfortunately
failed kind of thing.
But once you do pass, dependingif you're a student or
graduate, so for the students,they will need to send their
(12:53):
official transcript once theyhave completed their coursework
and their degree was conferred.
So I would encourage anystudent to speak with their
university to find the timelinefor that.
You know, we understand that itdoes take some time to get the
degree conferred.
We're not gonna, you know, I'drather you send it once than
send it multiple times.
So I do encourage you to goback to your professors or
(13:15):
university just to make sure itis all set and done.
It would need to be an officialtranscript sent to us as well
to complete your application.
And then we can start, we cancomplete that application and
send you the congratulationsletter that we all love
receiving.
For the graduates, you havealready sent in your transcript
So once you do get the pass andwe have it in our system, you'll
(13:36):
get the congratulations, yourCRC email, and then you can move
into your renewal and go fromthere and then call and let us
know about the great news ofpassing the exam.
Taylor Bauer (13:45):
Absolutely.
And we'll get to a little bitof kind of what happens in terms
of maintaining thatcertification as kind of our
last question.
Believe it or not, we only havethree left.
The one thing that we hear alot from people in terms of the
actual test day is they want toknow what their options are for
taking the exam.
We have a couple of differentways that people can take the
(14:06):
CRC exam.
So where are people able totake the exam?
Jennifer Marcu (14:11):
Great question.
So you are able to take it attwo different places through
Pearson VUE.
So we do have them administerour exam.
So you can take it at a centeror you can take it what's called
OnVUE.
So at a center, you would justgo to a specific Pearson VUE
center.
They are located across thenation, I believe worldwide.
So there's options galore.
(14:32):
I do encourage you to scheduleearly as there are limited
spaces per place.
So you do have to scheduleearly with them through their
website or by creating anaccount or calling them directly
and they can assist you thatway.
The other option would be forOnView.
So that's online proctoring.
If somebody does prefer to doit as online proctoring from
(14:55):
home because of one reason oranother, that's perfectly fine.
I just encourage anyone doingit to just do their research on
OnView.
Make sure that they do have aclear and stable internet
connection, that their computeris ready.
Just making sure those littlelast minute things are good
because As we all know,Internet's not always the most
stable.
It's not always the mostsecure.
(15:15):
And, you know, you could thinkthat you have the greatest
Internet in the world and thenthe last minute doesn't work.
So I just highly encourageeverybody to just do their
research on OnView.
If you prefer for me, if I wastaking an exam, I would prefer
at a center.
It just takes that one lessminute.
headache and fear away from mewhere I'm at a center.
(15:36):
Things are very secure.
It's all set up for me.
I don't have to worry a littlebit.
But there are the people thatdo take it OnView and do really
well.
I mean, let's be honest, somepeople are better at home and
that's great for them.
So I just wish you luck andhope that your internet is
stable and everything like that.
So just please do your researchon OnView.
Taylor Bauer (15:57):
Yeah, and we have plenty of people who take it at
home and don't have issues.
But like you said, technologycan be kind of unpredictable.
There is that, you know, theexam's already enough of a
concern and focus in the firstplace.
Sometimes those additionaltechnological considerations for
taking the exam at home can addadditional stress that I'm sure
you're not wanting to take on.
(16:19):
So as Jen mentioned, absolutelyreview what those requirements
are and make sure that you'llhave confidence that you're not
going to run into anyroadblocks.
Because with online proctoringit's not like a um oh we'll just
let you back in if yourinternet connects for a second
or if you know um there was adisconnect with your webcam or
anything like that like theyhave some pretty strict policies
(16:40):
to um to ensure that the examis being conducted properly and
up to standard so there's not alot of wiggle room on those kind
of uh technology blips andissues that we all know happen
all the time so um definitelyencourage you like jen mentioned
to go ahead and look into thatif that's an option you want to
pursue.
One thing, obviously, whetheryou're taking the exam from home
(17:04):
or at a testing center thatsome folks are going to want to
better understand is the processof requesting and receiving
test accommodations.
There is a process that'soutlined in the CRC
certification guide, but can youwalk us through a little bit
about what one would do if theywanted to request accommodations
for taking the CRC exam?
Jennifer Marcu (17:24):
Absolutely.
So we have set up our systemthat is available for requesting
accommodations.
So, once you go to submit theapplication, it will ask, do you
need accommodations?
If you do, I request, you know,click yes and then it will ask
you specifically whataccommodations you need.
There is an option for other.
If it don't, it's not listedthere, you can select other and
(17:45):
write it in there.
Then, the system will generatethe form for you with the
selected accommodations.
You would then download it andhave it completed by you and
your doctor or licensedphysician or sorry, licensed
professional and then you wouldsubmit it back to us.
I understand we all understandthat sometimes you don't want to
upload it back.
It doesn't work.
(18:05):
You're always welcome to emailit over.
The system is designed so thatyou can upload it back once it's
completed.
So it's attached with yourapplication.
But if it's one thing oranother happens, please email
into us and we'll take it thatway as well.
And then we'll review it basedoff the information provided and
approve the accommodations orreach out with any questions or
concerns about theaccommodations, making sure that
(18:26):
what's available at Pearsonthat we can accommodate
appropriately With OnView, thereare certain accommodations that
aren't available.
So again, please do yourresearch and making sure if
you're going to do OnView, youhave the availability
accommodations for that, youknow, like little things like
that.
So just making sure to do yourresearch.
It does take a little bit extratime of reviewing the
(18:48):
accommodations.
So if you are requesting them,we do ask that you submit your
application a little earlier.
You know, we have ourdeadlines, but, you know, we're
only so many people here that wedo need a little extra time to
get through things.
And so I want to make surewe're very thorough with our
accommodation requests that ifyou can submit roughly a month
before, it is very helpful forus just to make sure we're not
(19:12):
rushing anything or, you know,if we have to reach out with
questions and so forth.
Taylor Bauer (19:16):
Yeah, I feel like there's two things that I can
confirm as someone who sits veryclosely to you and your team.
First one being, there's notsome process of you all getting
these requests and going, oh,we'll take our time with that
and get to it when we get to it.
It is a timely process ofreview and there's standards we
need to follow and things likethat.
So just know like CRCC staff isworking on getting that all
(19:40):
reviewed as quickly and mostimportantly, efficiently and
effectively as possible.
And two, You and the others inthe certification department are
always so willing to helpclarify things, help with any
questions.
So while the CRC certificationguide is a really easy way to
see like what's expected of youin the application, like you
(20:00):
said, I'll walk you through, youknow, what happens when and
where to upload files and thingslike that.
We don't want frustration evergoing, you know, silent, right?
We want to be able to help you.
And I promise you the entirecertification team is very
helpful and excited to help you.
So even if the process maybeseems a little bit frustrating
(20:24):
at times, this is just how thisruns.
And we are very lucky here atCRCC to have people who are
eager and willing to help youthrough that process as best as
possible.
So absolutely reach out whenthose expectations or things
start to seem a little unclear.
We're more than happy to makesure that that's not the case.
And so the final question thatwe get a lot isn't really about
(20:48):
the CRC exam so much, but kindof what happens after.
So we know what happens whenyou pass, right?
And you kind of alluded to thisearlier, Jen, that, you know,
once you get your certificateand you, you know, share on
LinkedIn that you're nowofficially a CRC and all those
exciting things and start thisnew chapter of your career, you
are now a CRC and that meansyou'll be maintaining your
(21:10):
certification.
So just kind of briefly forfolks who are about to take the
CRC exam and want to know kindof what comes next.
Again, this information is inthe guide.
But Jen, can you talk usthrough a little bit about like
how you maintain yourcertification?
certification after becoming aCRC?
Jennifer Marcu (21:26):
Yeah, that's a great question because it's
always exciting trying to thinkof the future, right?
So we're always looking ahead.
So once you do pass the exam,you call me and tell me, hey,
Jen, I passed.
It's great.
And we celebrate for a minute.
I'll then remind you to startyour continuing education.
So we do require you to have100 hours, 10 of those hours in
ethics.
So in the next five years thatyou have, you would have to
(21:49):
complete all those hours.
There are many different waysto complete this that are listed
in our guide specifically, butyou also have the opportunity to
complete them througheUniversity where once you
complete the coursework, it isautomatically uploaded for you.
It takes out that little extrahassle.
You've completed it.
It's gone.
It's wonderful.
And you're getting the creditstowards you.
(22:10):
If you're looking for morevariety or you want to kind of
see what's out there, you canalways go to the CE provider
list in our account where it hasmany providers with
pre-approved courses in there.
You do have to do your researchand make sure that you're
finding one for yourself.
They are not automaticallyuploaded for you, but they are
pre-approved courses.
(22:30):
I always encourage check withthe provider of a specific
course to determine if it'spre-approved as we can't check
every single course, but theprovider will be able to
determine that very quickly.
If you're really ambitious ingoing back to school and getting
coursework that way, there isways of doing that called
post-approval.
I won't go into the fulldetails of that, but it's an
(22:52):
option for you if it's not apre-approved course.
So there are many ways, butjust once you get that you pass,
you're certified, you're justcelebrating.
Remember that five years can bea long time, but it could be
also a short time.
So just always remember tostart your continuing education.
It sounds like a lot, a hundredhours sounds like a lot, but if
(23:13):
you do it timely, it reallydoesn't, it doesn't become a
burden for you.
I've talked to many CRCs that,you know, complete about 20 or
so a year and some finish earlyand they're like, now what?
I said, you get to relax.
Congratulations.
Like you did it.
So we encourage everyone to tojust hit the ground running as
quickly as they're willing.
Taylor Bauer (23:33):
Absolutely, yeah.
Breaking it up into like 20 CEsa year can sometimes mentally
help people not feel like, oh, Ihave to get all this done.
And yeah, it's kind of aparadox, right?
Five years sounds like a lot oftime.
And then all of a sudden, we'lltalk to people and it's like, I
feel like I just renewed.
Where did the time go?
We're recording this in themiddle of June and I can't
(23:54):
believe that half of 2025 isbasically over.
It happens.
Life is busy.
We're all busy with family andjobs and things like that.
So yeah, staying on top of thatcan be really helpful.
And as Jen mentioned, shamelessplug for the continuing
education we offer, buteUniversity is a really nice way
to have those thingsautomatically upload.
Those are courses you can takeon your own time and before this
(24:16):
becomes an entire sales pitch.
I'll just leave it at that.
And there's more information onthe website and in the show
notes on that as well.
But those are kind of thethings we hear most from folks
who are getting ready to takethe CRC exam.
If other questions from thisepisode come to mind and you
want to reach out to us, you canalways email us at
contactusatcrccertification.com.
(24:37):
And Jen, I can't thank youenough for kind of walking
through some of this.
Folks can often hear thisinformation at our office hours
that we host that, you know, ifyou've applied for the exam or
you're in the process ofapplying you'll get invited to
and lots of helpful informationon the website so I'm sure folks
will be you know in contactwith you if they have additional
questions as well as hopefullylike you said reaching out when
(24:59):
they pass for a little you knowcongratulatory conversation over
the phone or something likethat and yeah I'm just really
grateful for your time today andthank you for all that you and
your team in the certificationdepartment do and it goes
without saying we couldn't doany of this without you guys so
thanks so much
Jennifer Marcu (25:16):
Thank you so much for having me.
Taylor Bauer (25:21):
Thank you to CRCC's own Jennifer Marcoux for
joining me on this week'sepisode.
You can find links to all ofour student resources for the
CRC exam in the show notes.
If you have any takeaways orinsights on topics covered in
today's episode, email us atcontactusatcrccertification.com.
Be sure to like, subscribe, andfive-star rate this show on
(25:43):
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, orwherever you're listening to us
today.
You can find us on Facebook,LinkedIn, and now Instagram.
And our website iscrccertification.com.
Until next time, I'm CRCCDirector of Communications and
Marketing, Taylor Bauer.
Thank you for listening toInside Rehabilitation
(26:04):
Counseling.
S Welcome to Inside Rehabilitation
Counseling.
I'm CRCC Director ofCommunications and Marketing,
Taylor Bauer, and I'm very gladyou're joining us again for
another exploration into the artand science of rehabilitation
counseling.
One of my favorite parts ofproducing and hosting this
podcast is hearing fromlisteners about what stories
(00:22):
resonate with them.
A lot of those listeners whoreach out are students in
master's level programspreparing to become CRCs.
Naturally, when we discuss theshow, they'll usually sneak in a
few questions about the CRCexam as well.
Nobody gets more questions hereat CRCC than our Certification
Department and CertificationSupervisor Jennifer Marcu works
(00:42):
with her team to answerquestions, clarify steps in the
process, and connect withthousands of certificants and
future CRCs across the U.S.
every week.
Jen is our guest this week aswe explore some of these
questions she hears most fromstudents and test takers.
We made a list of the top 10most frequently asked questions
about the CRC exam and tackledthem one by one to hopefully
(01:04):
help you help any of you outthere preparing for test day.
You more than anybody at CRCCknows the types of questions
that students and folks who aregetting ready to take the CRC
exam are asking.
I know that you and your teamare always on the phone or
answering emails of people whohave questions about, you know,
how to get prepared for theexam, how to ensure that they're
(01:25):
going to succeed on the examand really just kind of
eliminate as much uncertainty aspossible.
And that's why I'm so excitedto have you on this episode with
us.
And we're going to basically gothrough the 10 most common
questions you get about the CRCexam.
And hopefully, this will helppeople who are getting ready to
have a better understanding ofthe process, what's expected of
(01:45):
them, maybe even get some goodfeedback on what works for other
people and what has helped themsucceed.
And if we don't hit questionsthat people have, they can
always make sure to reach outwith the information in the show
notes via email or phone andlet us know how we can best get
them ready to do their part topass and be So let's get started
(02:06):
in a pretty natural place,right?
Who qualifies or is eligible totake the CRC exam is something
you all get asked a lot.
by people from all differentprofessions.
So what does it take toactually be qualified to take
the CRC exam?
Jennifer Marcu (02:21):
Yeah, that's a very common question we get.
There are three differentcategories in which someone can
apply.
So category one is someone witha rehabilitation degree or
clinical rehabilitation degreeor seeking one as a student from
a KCREP university.
So we do have a list on thewebsite for KCREP that they can
verify that through.
There's category two, which is,again, a rehabilitation or
(02:44):
clinical rehabilitationcounseling degree than a
non-K-crop.
So again, verify through thewebsite that way.
And then there's categorythree, which is a related field.
So we do only accept sevenspecific degrees there.
So I would encourage anyoneinterested in category three to
review those first because weare very specific on the ones we
do accept.
And we do, and we can get tothis later, but we do what's
(03:07):
called a pre-review of theirinformation experience as well
as academic to determinequalifications for that.
Taylor Bauer (03:14):
amazing and you know the category one two three
i know some people have askedlike oh is it like first place,
second place, third place.
It's not a ranked categorysystem.
It's just three different kindof stepping stones to come in
and apply for the exam.
And that kind of gets to thenext question that we hear a
lot.
Where are people actuallyapplying for the CRC exam?
(03:35):
How does someone sign up totake the CRC exam?
Jennifer Marcu (03:38):
Yeah, so depending on where their school
is from, so with category one,two, or three, they would then
need to apply under that on ourwebsite through our CRC Connect.
Once you create an account, youcan then click click on this
apply for CRC exam, and thenanswer the first two questions,
which will place them in thecorrect category.
So like Taylor said, it's notfirst, second, or third.
(03:59):
It's just making sure thatwe're in the correct categories
for processing purposes.
So the first question is ifyou're receiving or have
received your rehabilitation orclinical rehab counseling
degree.
Question two is about pay crop.
And the system would then placethat person into the correct
category so that staff, whenreviewing First
Taylor Bauer (04:22):
question you said that they'll encounter, you
know, if they're currently in aprogram or not, if they've
already graduated, kind of getsto this next question.
I know we have a lot ofstudents who won't be completely
done with their master'sprogram, who hear from other
folks that, you know, theyweren't fully through their
master's program yet and theystill took the CRC exam.
How does that work?
When are you able to take theexam if you're still currently
(04:43):
in your program as a student?
Jennifer Marcu (04:45):
Yeah, so we require students to be 75%
through their coursework beforeapplying.
so that we can just make surethat you have a lot of the
information that will be on theexam and you're well prepared
for it.
So it is a requirement to be75% through.
So you can always ask youradvisor when they recommend it.
Since the exam is offered threetimes a year, we kind of look
at that and determine based offyour criteria and everything
(05:08):
where you are to see if youwould meet the requirements for
that specific exam.
So it is held in March, July,and October.
Taylor Bauer (05:16):
And those dates every year you can find on our
website with is helpful.
So if you're gearing up to takethe exam during a certain time,
you'll know exactly what windowthose are offered.
This next question, you know,we obviously can't tell people,
you know, here are the answersto the CRC exam, nor do we even
have them.
You know, you and me, there isa reason that that's firewalled
(05:37):
off, right?
But in terms of the content onthe exam, we know that many
students who are taking the CRCexam come from rehabilitation
counseling or clinical rehabcounseling programs.
You don't necessarily have tobecause of categories But
obviously, if this is preparingfolks to be certified
rehabilitation counselors, Iwould imagine the content of the
exam covers all of thedifferent things that they'll
(05:58):
need to be doing.
So what content or what are theactual questions on the CRC
exam and where are they comingfrom?
Jennifer Marcu (06:05):
They're coming from our JTA that can be found
on our website, as well as thedomains that we review for
everything.
So we do encourage anyonelooking to study or prepare for
the exam to review both thoseand any other study material
that is found on our website.
website, which is recommendedtowards helping you with your
study materials and everything,specifically the domains.
(06:25):
It's really helpful tounderstand them and really kind
of go into it.
It's a lot, but understandingthem is very beneficial.
I have talked to many peopleabout that.
And so just it's something youshould be learning in your
coursework.
But just reviewing from ourwebsite is always making sure
you can check things off.
And it's very the questionswill come from there.
(06:46):
So it's really helpful.
Taylor Bauer (06:47):
And you're right.
You know, we do know theknowledge domains, which there
are 12 of them, have numbers ofsubdomains, and there is a lot
of content that is on the CRCexam, which is why I know we
typically recommend folks take12 weeks or three months to
study and really prepare for theexam.
But on that topic of studying,what resources does CRCC offer?
(07:10):
We know that there are a lot ofdifferent opportunities for
people to use things like studyguides, study groups online and
things like that.
In terms of what CRCC RCC hasto offer students.
What resources are available tohelp them get prepared for the
exam?
Jennifer Marcu (07:24):
Yes, that's a great question.
And a common question we get iswe do offer this
self-assessment.
That is one of the optionsthrough our eUniversity, as well
as our flashcards.
And there are two options forthe flashcards.
So just so you understand,there is an audio version and
then the regular flashcards.
So if you get the audioversion, just understand it's
just speaking to you.
(07:45):
They are separate products, soyou would have to purchase them
separately If that's of interestto you, if you prefer that over
the other, that's totally fine.
We have both for that reason.
And then the self-assessment isjust the one option, but it's
very beneficial.
I believe it's 450 questions.
You can take both of them aslong as needed until you pass
the exam.
They're available to you.
(08:06):
So it's a really greatresource.
Other ideas that we have are onour website under CRC, the
study materials.
There is a free planner to helpyou kind of break down your
study materials and making sureyou hit all the important
domains and understand thingsjust to give you, like Taylor
said, the 12 weeks to kind ofmake sure you are prepared.
(08:26):
But there are different bookson there that we recommend and
everything.
But if you ever need anything,I would recommend going to the
website and reviewing the studymaterials listed there
specifically to help you in thestudies.
Taylor Bauer (08:40):
We have a lot of folks who have used our study
materials and have beensuccessful and have given us
really good feedback.
And as you're studying withthose resources, you're always
available to let us know howthey're working for you.
And hopefully you reach out tous when you use the flashcards
of the self-assessment and youpass.
We love to hear those stories.
We're going to kind of throwthis question in the middle of
(09:01):
the show.
It's almost like a complimentsandwich where you put the
negative thing in the middle,right?
But this is a question we get alot from students who have
taken the exam.
We do know that some folksDon't pass the exam on their
first try.
So, you know, rather than dwellon the fact that you've failed,
a lot of folks will come to usand say, OK, like, what happens
now?
(09:21):
Like, I still want to be a CRC.
What happens now?
So what would someone do ifthey happen to fail the CRC exam
on their on an attempt?
Jennifer Marcu (09:30):
Yeah, so you are allowed two attempts per
application.
So that means specifically,let's say you took the exam in
March, you would have a retakeavailable to you for the July
exam.
So it is for the next availableexam and by, you know, so on
and so forth, where I sat forJuly, I have a retake for
October and for October orretake for March.
(09:51):
It is specifically towards thatso that please understand that
the retake is only available forthe next sub-sequential exam.
If you're signing up for anexam and you're studying and
you're getting prepared and youjust don't feel like you're
ready, you can defer it to,again, the next available exam.
So to give yourself that timeto study because we do want you
(10:11):
to pass.
We want you to go in withconfidence and making sure that
you are ready.
So we do have the deferral andall that information is on our
website site and our guides.
And if you have our questions,you know, staff is here to help
you.
But we do have everythinglisted there.
So let's say if I didn't passfor the March exam, my retake
would be for July exam.
(10:32):
If I unfortunately weren't ableto pass for the July exam, I
would have to resubmit a newapplication.
So, you know, I alwaysencourage people to kind of
review things and make suresince it's a new application,
take your time, make sure you'restudying, make sure where were
you deficient in, you know, getthat bearings down so that
you're ready for the next time.
And you're going to call me andtell me all about your passing
(10:53):
score.
I love those phone calls.
Taylor Bauer (10:56):
Yeah, it's so great to hear from people who, I
mean, we love hearing whenanybody passes, right?
But we do have folks who, youknow, we all take tests
differently.
I am historically not a greattest taker.
That was never a strength ofmine.
We know that there's a lot ofthings like exam anxiety and
just kind of the menacing, Idon't know, feeling of being in
(11:18):
that kind of like timedenvironment where the stakes
feel very high and you knowsometimes failing the exam can
be you know can feel kind oflike a huge setback but we do
have a lot of people who comeback in kind of re-prepare they
know what to expect a little bitmore i think that is like a
weirdly positive part of failingthe exam obviously you don't
(11:40):
want to fail but there issomething to be said about
getting a feeling for that wholeexperience and And we have seen
people, you know, go back, likeyou said, regroup a little bit
and then pass the exam.
And if that does happen to beyou, I think that perseverance
is really key.
And then also, yeah, be sure tolet us know that you've gone
ahead and passed and, you know,we'll see in your record and
(12:03):
things like that.
But we love hearing from youand especially feedback on what
might have been helpful to you.
And as Jen mentioned,information on the process of
what happens if you fail and howdo you get ready to take the
exam in the next window, that'sall in the search certification
guide you can find in the shownotes along with a lot of links
to things we'll be talking abouttoday.
But let's go back to thepositive.
(12:23):
So what happens when someonepasses the exam?
Let's say you walk out of thatroom, you've taken the exam.
What sort of happens next?
Jennifer Marcu (12:32):
Yeah, that's a great question.
So when you do pass the exam,something I should mention is
that Pearson will give you apreliminary score, and then
we'll get the scores back about24 to 48 hours later, ideally.
And then we can say, yes,officially pass, unfortunately
failed kind of thing.
But once you do pass, dependingif you're a student or
graduate, so for the students,they will need to send their
(12:53):
official transcript once theyhave completed their coursework
and their degree was conferred.
So I would encourage anystudent to speak with their
university to find the timelinefor that.
You know, we understand that itdoes take some time to get the
degree conferred.
We're not gonna, you know, I'drather you send it once than
send it multiple times.
So I do encourage you to goback to your professors or
(13:15):
university just to make sure itis all set and done.
It would need to be an officialtranscript sent to us as well
to complete your application.
And then we can start, we cancomplete that application and
send you the congratulationsletter that we all love
receiving.
For the graduates, you havealready sent in your transcript
So once you do get the pass andwe have it in our system, you'll
(13:36):
get the congratulations, yourCRC email, and then you can move
into your renewal and go fromthere and then call and let us
know about the great news ofpassing the exam.
Taylor Bauer (13:45):
Absolutely.
And we'll get to a little bitof kind of what happens in terms
of maintaining thatcertification as kind of our
last question.
Believe it or not, we only havethree left.
The one thing that we hear alot from people in terms of the
actual test day is they want toknow what their options are for
taking the exam.
We have a couple of differentways that people can take the
(14:06):
CRC exam.
So where are people able totake the exam?
Jennifer Marcu (14:11):
Great question.
So you are able to take it attwo different places through
Pearson VUE.
So we do have them administerour exam.
So you can take it at a centeror you can take it what's called
OnVUE.
So at a center, you would justgo to a specific Pearson VUE
center.
They are located across thenation, I believe worldwide.
So there's options galore.
(14:32):
I do encourage you to scheduleearly as there are limited
spaces per place.
So you do have to scheduleearly with them through their
website or by creating anaccount or calling them directly
and they can assist you thatway.
The other option would be forOnView.
So that's online proctoring.
If somebody does prefer to doit as online proctoring from
(14:55):
home because of one reason oranother, that's perfectly fine.
I just encourage anyone doingit to just do their research on
OnView.
Make sure that they do have aclear and stable internet
connection, that their computeris ready.
Just making sure those littlelast minute things are good
because As we all know,Internet's not always the most
stable.
It's not always the mostsecure.
(15:15):
And, you know, you could thinkthat you have the greatest
Internet in the world and thenthe last minute doesn't work.
So I just highly encourageeverybody to just do their
research on OnView.
If you prefer for me, if I wastaking an exam, I would prefer
at a center.
It just takes that one lessminute.
headache and fear away from mewhere I'm at a center.
(15:36):
Things are very secure.
It's all set up for me.
I don't have to worry a littlebit.
But there are the people thatdo take it OnView and do really
well.
I mean, let's be honest, somepeople are better at home and
that's great for them.
So I just wish you luck andhope that your internet is
stable and everything like that.
So just please do your researchon OnView.
Taylor Bauer (15:57):
Yeah, and we have plenty of people who take it at
home and don't have issues.
But like you said, technologycan be kind of unpredictable.
There is that, you know, theexam's already enough of a
concern and focus in the firstplace.
Sometimes those additionaltechnological considerations for
taking the exam at home can addadditional stress that I'm sure
you're not wanting to take on.
(16:19):
So as Jen mentioned, absolutelyreview what those requirements
are and make sure that you'llhave confidence that you're not
going to run into anyroadblocks.
Because with online proctoringit's not like a um oh we'll just
let you back in if yourinternet connects for a second
or if you know um there was adisconnect with your webcam or
anything like that like theyhave some pretty strict policies
(16:40):
to um to ensure that the examis being conducted properly and
up to standard so there's not alot of wiggle room on those kind
of uh technology blips andissues that we all know happen
all the time so um definitelyencourage you like jen mentioned
to go ahead and look into thatif that's an option you want to
pursue.
One thing, obviously, whetheryou're taking the exam from home
(17:04):
or at a testing center thatsome folks are going to want to
better understand is the processof requesting and receiving
test accommodations.
There is a process that'soutlined in the CRC
certification guide, but can youwalk us through a little bit
about what one would do if theywanted to request accommodations
for taking the CRC exam?
Jennifer Marcu (17:24):
Absolutely.
So we have set up our systemthat is available for requesting
accommodations.
So, once you go to submit theapplication, it will ask, do you
need accommodations?
If you do, I request, you know,click yes and then it will ask
you specifically whataccommodations you need.
There is an option for other.
If it don't, it's not listedthere, you can select other and
(17:45):
write it in there.
Then, the system will generatethe form for you with the
selected accommodations.
You would then download it andhave it completed by you and
your doctor or licensedphysician or sorry, licensed
professional and then you wouldsubmit it back to us.
I understand we all understandthat sometimes you don't want to
upload it back.
It doesn't work.
(18:05):
You're always welcome to emailit over.
The system is designed so thatyou can upload it back once it's
completed.
So it's attached with yourapplication.
But if it's one thing oranother happens, please email
into us and we'll take it thatway as well.
And then we'll review it basedoff the information provided and
approve the accommodations orreach out with any questions or
concerns about theaccommodations, making sure that
(18:26):
what's available at Pearsonthat we can accommodate
appropriately With OnView, thereare certain accommodations that
aren't available.
So again, please do yourresearch and making sure if
you're going to do OnView, youhave the availability
accommodations for that, youknow, like little things like
that.
So just making sure to do yourresearch.
It does take a little bit extratime of reviewing the
(18:48):
accommodations.
So if you are requesting them,we do ask that you submit your
application a little earlier.
You know, we have ourdeadlines, but, you know, we're
only so many people here that wedo need a little extra time to
get through things.
And so I want to make surewe're very thorough with our
accommodation requests that ifyou can submit roughly a month
before, it is very helpful forus just to make sure we're not
(19:12):
rushing anything or, you know,if we have to reach out with
questions and so forth.
Taylor Bauer (19:16):
Yeah, I feel like there's two things that I can
confirm as someone who sits veryclosely to you and your team.
First one being, there's notsome process of you all getting
these requests and going, oh,we'll take our time with that
and get to it when we get to it.
It is a timely process ofreview and there's standards we
need to follow and things likethat.
So just know like CRCC staff isworking on getting that all
(19:40):
reviewed as quickly and mostimportantly, efficiently and
effectively as possible.
And two, You and the others inthe certification department are
always so willing to helpclarify things, help with any
questions.
So while the CRC certificationguide is a really easy way to
see like what's expected of youin the application, like you
(20:00):
said, I'll walk you through, youknow, what happens when and
where to upload files and thingslike that.
We don't want frustration evergoing, you know, silent, right?
We want to be able to help you.
And I promise you the entirecertification team is very
helpful and excited to help you.
So even if the process maybeseems a little bit frustrating
(20:24):
at times, this is just how thisruns.
And we are very lucky here atCRCC to have people who are
eager and willing to help youthrough that process as best as
possible.
So absolutely reach out whenthose expectations or things
start to seem a little unclear.
We're more than happy to makesure that that's not the case.
And so the final question thatwe get a lot isn't really about
(20:48):
the CRC exam so much, but kindof what happens after.
So we know what happens whenyou pass, right?
And you kind of alluded to thisearlier, Jen, that, you know,
once you get your certificateand you, you know, share on
LinkedIn that you're nowofficially a CRC and all those
exciting things and start thisnew chapter of your career, you
are now a CRC and that meansyou'll be maintaining your
(21:10):
certification.
So just kind of briefly forfolks who are about to take the
CRC exam and want to know kindof what comes next.
Again, this information is inthe guide.
But Jen, can you talk usthrough a little bit about like
how you maintain yourcertification?
certification after becoming aCRC?
Jennifer Marcu (21:26):
Yeah, that's a great question because it's
always exciting trying to thinkof the future, right?
So we're always looking ahead.
So once you do pass the exam,you call me and tell me, hey,
Jen, I passed.
It's great.
And we celebrate for a minute.
I'll then remind you to startyour continuing education.
So we do require you to have100 hours, 10 of those hours in
ethics.
So in the next five years thatyou have, you would have to
(21:49):
complete all those hours.
There are many different waysto complete this that are listed
in our guide specifically, butyou also have the opportunity to
complete them througheUniversity where once you
complete the coursework, it isautomatically uploaded for you.
It takes out that little extrahassle.
You've completed it.
It's gone.
It's wonderful.
And you're getting the creditstowards you.
(22:10):
If you're looking for morevariety or you want to kind of
see what's out there, you canalways go to the CE provider
list in our account where it hasmany providers with
pre-approved courses in there.
You do have to do your researchand make sure that you're
finding one for yourself.
They are not automaticallyuploaded for you, but they are
pre-approved courses.
(22:30):
I always encourage check withthe provider of a specific
course to determine if it'spre-approved as we can't check
every single course, but theprovider will be able to
determine that very quickly.
If you're really ambitious ingoing back to school and getting
coursework that way, there isways of doing that called
post-approval.
I won't go into the fulldetails of that, but it's an
(22:52):
option for you if it's not apre-approved course.
So there are many ways, butjust once you get that you pass,
you're certified, you're justcelebrating.
Remember that five years can bea long time, but it could be
also a short time.
So just always remember tostart your continuing education.
It sounds like a lot, a hundredhours sounds like a lot, but if
(23:13):
you do it timely, it reallydoesn't, it doesn't become a
burden for you.
I've talked to many CRCs that,you know, complete about 20 or
so a year and some finish earlyand they're like, now what?
I said, you get to relax.
Congratulations.
Like you did it.
So we encourage everyone to tojust hit the ground running as
quickly as they're willing.
Taylor Bauer (23:33):
Absolutely, yeah.
Breaking it up into like 20 CEsa year can sometimes mentally
help people not feel like, oh, Ihave to get all this done.
And yeah, it's kind of aparadox, right?
Five years sounds like a lot oftime.
And then all of a sudden, we'lltalk to people and it's like, I
feel like I just renewed.
Where did the time go?
We're recording this in themiddle of June and I can't
(23:54):
believe that half of 2025 isbasically over.
It happens.
Life is busy.
We're all busy with family andjobs and things like that.
So yeah, staying on top of thatcan be really helpful.
And as Jen mentioned, shamelessplug for the continuing
education we offer, buteUniversity is a really nice way
to have those thingsautomatically upload.
Those are courses you can takeon your own time and before this
(24:16):
becomes an entire sales pitch.
I'll just leave it at that.
And there's more information onthe website and in the show
notes on that as well.
But those are kind of thethings we hear most from folks
who are getting ready to takethe CRC exam.
If other questions from thisepisode come to mind and you
want to reach out to us, you canalways email us at
contactusatcrccertification.com.
(24:37):
And Jen, I can't thank youenough for kind of walking
through some of this.
Folks can often hear thisinformation at our office hours
that we host that, you know, ifyou've applied for the exam or
you're in the process ofapplying you'll get invited to
and lots of helpful informationon the website so I'm sure folks
will be you know in contactwith you if they have additional
questions as well as hopefullylike you said reaching out when
(24:59):
they pass for a little you knowcongratulatory conversation over
the phone or something likethat and yeah I'm just really
grateful for your time today andthank you for all that you and
your team in the certificationdepartment do and it goes
without saying we couldn't doany of this without you guys so
thanks so much
Jennifer Marcu (25:16):
Thank you so much for having me.
Taylor Bauer (25:21):
Thank you to CRCC's own Jennifer Marcoux for
joining me on this week'sepisode.
You can find links to all ofour student resources for the
CRC exam in the show notes.
If you have any takeaways orinsights on topics covered in
today's episode, email us atcontactusatcrccertification.com.
Be sure to like, subscribe, andfive-star rate this show on
(25:43):
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, orwherever you're listening to us
today.
You can find us on Facebook,LinkedIn, and now Instagram.
And our website iscrccertification.com.
Until next time, I'm CRCCDirector of Communications and
Marketing, Taylor Bauer.
Thank you for listening toInside Rehabilitation
(26:04):
Counseling.
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Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com