CPRC

There is an essay-based written exam and an oral exam, and candidates may complete them in whichever order they prefer. The written exam is 14 case studies answered within assigned time limits; the oral exam is a presentation to a panel followed by questions. Both are scored by CPRC-holding evaluators.

The written exam takes six hours in total: 2.5 hours for the first half, a required one-hour lunch break, and 2.5 hours for the second half. Each question has an assigned answering time of 15 to 60 minutes, and that time equals the points possible - a 15-minute question is worth 15 points.

The written exam has 300 points possible and requires 210 points, or 70 percent. The oral exam has 50 points possible, scored item by item between one and five, and requires 35 points, also 70 percent. Passing both sections is necessary to earn the credential.

Two CPRCs grade each exam. If both pass the candidate, the credential is awarded. If the graders disagree, the exam goes to a third CPRC for grading. Candidates are identified by number rather than name, and the identities of graders are kept confidential.

If the result is not a passing grade, the candidate will be asked to retake the written exam. The retake policy described in the source concerns the written portion, so candidates should confirm current details on fees and scheduling for any retake directly with FPRA before planning.

Seven days before the scheduled presentation you receive three fictitious scenarios posing a public relations challenge. You choose one and present for approximately 20 minutes as if recommending to that organization's leadership, followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer session. A panel of three CPRC-certified FPRA professionals evaluates you on verbal communication skills, not on presentation materials.

After your application is accepted and fees are paid, you receive a digital CPRC Preparation Guide with exam information, tips and sample questions, and FPRA strongly recommends reviewing it before testing. Build practice around the Research-Planning-Implementation-Evaluation method first, since successful answers apply a strategic RPIE approach to each scenario.

The oral exam is scored on the specific RPIE steps, whether the candidate was persuasive and effective, and the judges' overall impression - so a polished deck cannot compensate for weak verbal counsel. On the written side, answers that describe activity without a strategic RPIE structure and without addressing the scenario's key elements miss what graders reward.

The cost of administering the CPRC exam is 350 dollars, invoiced after your application is submitted and accepted. FPRA offers a 75-dollar rebate after the oral and written portions are passed, and some chapters offer additional rebates; ask your chapter's Credentialing Chair about chapter rebates and scholarships.

The CPRC stays with a member for as long as they maintain their FPRA membership, so there is no separate renewal exam described. Newly certified counselors are invited into the Counselors' Network, and their first year of membership in that group is free; it meets virtually monthly plus an annual winter symposium.