The road to becoming a Certified Child Life Specialist often comes with many crossroads. When you decide to pursue your CCLS credential, you quickly learn about the challenging steps required to finally reach this point.
Before you begin studying for this exam, take a moment to recognize how far you have already come. The countless hours spent studying throughout your undergraduate or graduate program, completing practicums, gaining volunteer experience, and finishing your internship have all led you to this final step toward becoming a Certified Child Life Specialist. You should be incredibly proud of yourself for making it this far.
Like many others, I found it difficult to know where to begin when I started studying. I struggled to find reliable, organized study materials and ended up spending an abundance of money trying to get my hands on anything that promised to "help me pass." Instead of making me feel prepared, the overwhelming amount of information left me feeling more stressed, confused, and ultimately unprepared.
When I sat for my exam for the first time, I realized I had become a jack of all trades and a master of none. I had studied so much information from so many different sources that I lost sight of what I actually needed to know. The exam I had imagined based on my studying did not reflect the exam sitting in front of me.
Ultimately, I fell just short of passing by five points.
For the next six months, I carried feelings of embarrassment and defeat. While I often played it calm and collected, internally I kept returning to the same thought:
If I failed the first time, what's to say I won't fail again?
This became my motivation in creating Scaffold.
I created Scaffold because studying for this exam should build confidence — not defeat it.
I wanted to create the resource I wish I had when I began my own study journey: one organized platform that takes away the need to search through Facebook pages, random group chats, outdated materials, and countless resources trying to determine what is actually worth studying.
Scaffold brings together focused study material designed to make exam preparation feel more manageable, organized, and intentional. Rather than overwhelming you with information, Scaffold helps you focus your time and energy on the concepts that matter. With multiple study drills and an extensive collection of practice questions designed to reflect the style and structure of the exam, Scaffold provides different ways to learn, review, and strengthen your understanding.
When I walked into my exam again, I felt different. I was more prepared, less overwhelmed, and more confident in what I knew. Instead of trying to know everything, I was able to focus on what truly mattered.
And this time,
I passed.
My hope is that Scaffold can give you that same sense of direction and confidence as you prepare for your exam. My hope is that Scaffold will allow you to escape the overwhelming feeling of defeat the first time, or become the exact platform to support you as you prepare to take the exam again. You have already done so much work to get here. You are capable of taking this final step and becoming a Certified Child Life Specialist.
You built the foundation.
Now let Scaffold help you reach the next level.
With love,
Cloey
Your fellow Certified Child Life Specialist