Benefits and Barriers to the NCE

Three Benefits and Three Barriers of Taking the NCE

The greatest benefit of taking the National Counselor Examination (NCE) is that it demonstrates an employment-seeker’s commitment to the counseling profession (Benefits, 2022). It is an objective validation of an individual’s credentials. Although going to an accredited institution for graduate school is obviously also beneficial for prospective counselors, passing the exam further confirms the individual’s preparation and competence. Another related benefit is that it can increase the likelihood of being employed at many institutions such as schools. Some institutions require passing the NCE as a condition of employment or strongly encourage it.

A good score on the exam a credential that cannot harm the candidate, even if the exam is not required, and will likely help him or her. Finally, the process of preparing for the exam itself can be very useful, encouraging the candidate to review relevant information from pass coursework and also to fill in various gaps in knowledge. The exam also encourages the test-taker to become part of a professional association, the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), which administers the exam and offers other supporting materials for continuing education even after the candidate has passed.

Barriers include the required time to study for the exam itself, which can be time-consuming for a working adult. The exam is also expensive, not simply in terms of the fees to take the exam, but also purchasing study materials. Finally, taking a standardized exam can be very stressful. It can be difficult, after fulfilling all of the demands of a grueling academic program to also have to take an exam in a particular field, which may (or likely may not) reflect one’s full worth as a candidate, and may even detract from it, if one receives a poor score, if a prospective employer or institution asks to see the score on the exam.