September/October 2019, Volume 7 Issue 11

Preparing for and Passing the HUD Housing Certification Exam

Emails, courses, online sample tests, and study guides all consumed the offices and schedules of Denver Housing Authority’s (DHA) three housing counselors, Kay, Teronda, and Charlotte, from the summer of 2018 through April 2019.

This scenario probably sounds familiar to those at many HUD-approved housing counseling agencies across the nation. As a HUD-approved housing counseling agency since 2008, DHA has provided quality housing counseling and education to many households over the years.

The counselors wondered what their course of action would be to prepare for and pass the exam the first time around. After much discussion, they opted to not put the exam off any longer and scheduled their exams within two weeks of each other. They enrolled in and completed an exam prep class, Ready, Set, Prep: Tackling the HUD Counselor Exam Step By Step (NW H0200) through NeighborWorks America.

Over a six- to eight-week period leading up to the exam date, the counselors emailed random questions to each other, prepared mock quizzes, and shared the study strategies that they used. They also scheduled some time at work to focus on memorizing and mastering the content that would be on the exam.

As of April 24, 2019, all three of DHA’s housing counselors were certified – and they all passed the exam on the first try! The counselors were relieved to have accomplished this task together and valued their collaborative efforts to successfully complete this requirement.