*A personal reflection on passing the FCE, CAE, and CPE – and how both self-study and courses shaped my journey.*
Japanese version available [here]
🔹My Journey Towards Passing the Cambridge Exams and What I Learnt Along the Way🔹
Introduction
Thank you for visiting this site.
Today, I’d like to reflect on a question that many Cambridge English exam candidates face at some point:
Should I prepare on my own, or take a preparation course?
Having taken the FCE, CAE, and CPE exams a total of eight times, I’ve had the chance to experience both approaches — and I hope my experience might offer some insight for those currently deciding which path to take.
To summarise my personal conclusion:
Self-study was valuable in many ways, but taking a preparation course made a significant difference.
In this post, I’ll explain why I came to that conclusion, based on my own learning journey.
Who might find this helpful
This post may be of interest if you:
🔹Are unsure whether a course or self-study is more suitable for you
🔹Have been preparing on your own, but haven’t yet seen the results you hoped for
🔹Are looking for ways to stay motivated over the long term
A brief introduction (for first-time visitors)
While living in the UK, I worked my way through the Cambridge English exams in stages — starting with FCE, then moving on to CAE, and finally CPE.
I plan to release more detailed posts about individual parts of the exams, including:
🔹CPE Speaking: The One Strategy That Helped Me Most (coming soom)
🔹CPE Speaking: I Passed with a C, While My Partner Got an A – A Real Story, Including Group Pass Rates (coming soom)
Although I sat the exams before the most recent updates to the test format, the core evaluation criteria remain broadly the same, so I believe my experiences are still relevant to current candidates.
First, a word on self-study
Let me start by saying this:
Those who succeed through self-study alone deserve a great deal of respect.
Preparing for an advanced language exam while managing work, study, or personal commitments is no easy task.
Many people succeed in doing just that, and their efforts are truly admirable.
I also believe that self-study can offer real value, depending on how it’s approached.
That said, what follows is simply an honest account of what worked for me, personally.
My exam journey: FCE, CAE, CPE – and what changed
Here is a summary of my experience across the three main Cambridge English qualifications:
🔹 FCE (B2 level): Passed on the first attempt – with a course
FCE was my first Cambridge exam.
As a complete beginner to this testing system, I naturally enrolled in a preparation course. I passed on my first attempt.
🔹 CAE (C1 level): Passed on the fourth attempt
This was a much more difficult experience. I tried three times on my own and was unsuccessful:
- Attempt 1: Self-study → Failed
- Attempt 2: Self-study → Failed
- Attempt 3: Self-study → Failed
- Attempt 4: Preparation course → Passed
After three unsuccessful attempts, I decided to change my approach. The course helped me pass.
🔹 CPE (C2 level): Passed on the third attempt — all attempts with a course
From the beginning, I felt that preparing for CPE entirely on my own would be quite difficult.
I took a preparation course for all three attempts.
- Attempt 1: Failed (Grade D)
- Attempt 2: Failed (Grade D)
- Attempt 3: Passed (Grade C)
(Grades refer to the previous grading system.)
It took time, but eventually, I passed.
What I gained most from taking a course
What stood out to me most from the course experience was not just the structured learning — though that certainly helped — but the chance to learn alongside others who were just as committed to improving their English.
While living in the UK, I often found that English was simply a practical tool for daily life.
But in the preparation courses, I met people who had a genuine passion for learning the language at a high level.
That shared motivation created an encouraging learning environment that helped me stay focused and engaged.
Learning with others: a lasting memory
The people I studied with came from many different backgrounds, but we were all working towards the same goal.
Despite our differences in personality, culture, and experience, we were united by a shared purpose: learning English.
The time I spent studying with these classmates remains a very positive memory. It was both academically helpful and personally meaningful.
That said, self-study also had real value
Although I eventually found success through courses, I don’t believe that my time spent studying alone was wasted.
In fact, it was the foundation that made the course more effective.
Self-study helped me identify areas I struggled with, build discipline, and take responsibility for my learning.
That groundwork made me more receptive to feedback and support later on.
In the end, my conclusion is this:
Self-study played an important role in my development.
But the preparation course gave me something more — structure, support, and, most of all, a learning experience that I genuinely enjoyed!
Of course, everyone’s learning style is different.
Some people thrive when studying independently and pass with no formal instruction. That’s entirely valid.
But if you’re currently:
🔹Finding it difficult to pass despite repeated attempts
🔹Struggling to stay motivated on your own
🔹Looking for a more supportive or interactive learning environment
…then joining a course — even for a short period — might be worth considering.
It could provide just the perspective or push you need to move forward.
A final thought
There’s no single right answer when it comes to the question of self-study versus preparation course.
But through trying both, I was able to better understand what I needed, and what kind of support helped me succeed.
If you’re currently working towards one of the Cambridge English qualifications — especially the higher levels — I hope this reflection offers some encouragement.
Thank you for reading all the way through, and I wish you all the best in your studies and your future success!
Japanese version available [here]
🔹 Coming soon:
- CPE Speaking: I Passed with a C, While My Partner Got an A – A Real Story, Including Group Pass Rates (coming soon)
- CPE Speaking: The One Strategy That Helped Me Most (coming soon)
