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YOUR PREPARATION QUESTIONS ANSWERED
ICF Exam Preparation FAQs ACC, PCC & MCC
Find clear answers about CoachReady’s ACC, PCC and MCC exam preparation, free Readiness Snapshots, practice questions and how credential-specific preparation works. The FAQ also explains the difference between ACC-style questions and PCC/MCC situational judgement, including BEST and WORST response choices.
CoachReady is an independent ICF exam-preparation platform. It is designed to help candidates practise professional coaching judgement and understand why one response may be stronger than another. CoachReady does not use official ICF examination questions and does not guarantee an examination result.
PCC/MCC exam update: 10 November 2026
The new format and your current practice are different. Read the transition guidance below
See what changes >>
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Getting started
The ICF exams
Learning and practise
Access, plans and payments
Trust and support
Getting started
Find the right place to begin.
What is CoachReady?
CoachReady is an independent preparation and practice platform for candidates pursuing ICF ACC, PCC and MCC credentials. It helps you practise coaching knowledge and professional judgement, then review the reasoning behind your choices. It does not replace your coaching education, the credential application process or ICF’s official exam guidance.
What can I try for free?
Start with a Free Readiness Snapshot: 12 questions for your chosen credential. It provides an initial picture of your preparation; it is not a full-length mock or an official exam score. Explore the Resources section for other available practice and learning materials.
How many questions are in each CoachReady experience?
The following are CoachReady practice formats. The PCC/MCC Full Mocks currently support the existing 78-question exam format. Free Readiness Snapshot - ACC: 12 questions - PCC: 12 questions - MCC: 12 questions Guided Learning - ACC: 24 questions - PCC: 30 questions - MCC: 30 questions Full Mock - ACC: 60 questions - PCC: 78 questions - MCC: 78 questions
Should I choose Guided Learning or a Full Mock?
Choose Guided Learning if you want to understand why a response is stronger or weaker. Choose a Full Mock when you want timed practice and a review of your performance. If you are unsure, start with the free snapshot and use the result to decide what to work on next.
Why does CoachReady offer separate PCC and MCC preparation?
PCC and MCC candidates take the same official written exam. CoachReady’s separate preparation routes are tailored to candidates pursuing each credential; they do not represent two different official exams.
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The ICF exams
Understand the official format and the coming transition
What is the difference between the ACC and PCC/MCC exams?
The ACC exam tests coaching knowledge through questions with one correct answer. The current PCC/MCC exam uses coaching scenarios: you select the strongest and weakest action from four choices. ICF is introducing a revised PCC-MCC exam in November 2026 that combines scenario questions with knowledge questions.
How long is the official ACC exam?
The standard appointment is 90 minutes for 60 questions. It includes two minutes of instructions, two answering sections of 39 minutes each, and an optional ten-minute break. That gives 78 minutes of answering time. CoachReady’s 90-minute ACC Full Mock is a practice experience; its timer is not the official appointment breakdown.
What does the current PCC/MCC exam look like?
There are 78 coaching scenarios. For each, choose one BEST and one WORST response. Standard total time is 180 minutes: four minutes of instructions, two 83-minute answering sections and an optional ten-minute break.
What changes from 10 November 2026?
The revised PCC-MCC Exam has 80 questions: 44 situational judgement and 36 knowledge-based multiple-choice questions. Total time is 150 minutes, including an optional ten-minute break. It reflects the updated competencies and ethics. The current exam remains an option during the transition through 31 March 2027. From 1 April 2027, candidates testing or retesting take the revised exam. CoachReady’s current PCC/MCC Full Mocks use the 78-question format. Do not assume they already simulate the revised 80-question exam.
Which Core Competencies and Code of Ethics should I study?
For the current ACC exam and existing PCC/MCC exam, ICF specifies the 2019 Core Competencies and 2020 Code of Ethics. The revised PCC-MCC exam aligns with the updated 2025 documents. Choose your study sources according to the exam you will actually sit, especially during the transition period. Confirm them on the relevant official exam page before your appointment.
What do BEST/WORST and most/least effective mean?
Both describe judging the relative effectiveness of the available actions in a coaching situation. A response can sound plausible and still be less aligned with coaching competencies or ethics than another option. ICF’s revised-exam announcement uses “most and least effective”. That wording alone does not establish a different scoring algorithm for CoachReady or justify changing an answer key.
What score do I need, and is my practice score comparable?
The current official exams report a scaled result between 200 and 600, with 460 as the passing requirement. A CoachReady percentage or readiness indicator uses a different scale. Your practice result is evidence for learning, not an official scaled score, a direct conversion to that score, or a prediction that you will pass.
Is extra time available when English is not my primary language?
Some candidates qualify for language support or extra time. Eligibility depends on ICF’s language and residence conditions; it is not automatically granted to everyone who speaks English as an additional language. Check ICF’s current guidance and your confirmed appointment time before scheduling. Do not assume a general time extension applies to your chosen exam.
Can I retake the official exam?
Yes. ICF currently requires a wait of 14 days after the first attempt and 30 days for later retakes. Retake fees and annual limits apply.
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Learning and practice
Make each attempt useful
How should I prepare?
Study the official material for your chosen exam, learn its question format, practise the reasoning behind responses, and then use timed practice. Review patterns in the choices you find difficult and return to the relevant competencies and ethics. Guided Learning supports the learning stage; Full Mock supports timed practice. Neither replaces ICF’s official material.
How many weeks of preparation do I need?
There is no single timetable for everyone. Your starting point depends on your education, experience and familiarity with the question format. Use repeated practice and careful review to judge whether your knowledge and reasoning are becoming more consistent, rather than relying only on a fixed number of weeks.
How does PCC/MCC scenario practice work?
You consider a coaching situation and compare the response options against coaching standards. Choose both the strongest and weakest action, then review why those choices are more or less effective. In Guided Learning, take time to understand the reasoning. In a Full Mock, practise making those decisions under the session’s time limit.
When is a Full Mock credit used?
Opening the Full Mock page does not itself use a credit. A paid attempt starts when you explicitly choose Start Full Mock; the credit is then used and the timer starts. If you have an active attempt, use Resume Full Mock from your Dashboard rather than starting a new attempt.
Can I resume after a browser or connection interruption?
Return to your Dashboard and resume the same attempt while its session remains active. Reconnecting does not create a new full time allowance. A technical reconnection safeguard is not extra exam time. Once the permitted session period expires, the attempt cannot be resumed. Contact support if you believe a technical problem affected your paid access.
What is Ethics Rehearsal, and is it a mock exam?
Ethics Rehearsal is a separate, self-paced ethics learning experience. You work through questions and learn from their rationale; it is not a timed Full Mock. Check the Resources section and the current offer for availability, question count, source edition and access duration before purchasing. Free ethics practice and paid Ethics Rehearsal are separate experiences.
How should I use AI-supported explanations?
Use them as a learning aid. They may take a few moments to load, need a working internet connection and can sometimes contain errors. Verify important points against the applicable ICF competencies, ethics and official resources. AI-supported explanations are not official ICF answers.
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Know what your purchase includes.
Access, plans and payments
How much does CoachReady cost?
Check the current plan offer for your credential before purchasing. It should show the price, any applicable taxes, included practice and access duration. Prices and offers can change, so this FAQ does not repeat a dated price table.
Are preparation bundles available?
A Complete Preparation Bundle combines Guided Learning and Full Mock where that offer is available. Confirm the exact credits, access period and price in the current offer before buying. Your Dashboard shows the access granted to your account.
How long can I access my practice?
The access period depends on the plan or free access granted to your account. Check the offer before purchase and the expiry information in your Dashboard afterwards. Plan access and the time limit of an individual timed mock are different. An active plan does not make an expired mock attempt resumable.
Can I use CoachReady on mobile and in the app?
CoachReady’s preparation experience supports desktop, mobile browsers and the app experience. Use your CoachReady account to access the practice available in your Dashboard. You need an internet connection to load questions, save responses and use online explanations. The app does not mean the official ICF exam is taken inside CoachReady.
Can candidates outside India use CoachReady?
Yes, where platform access and the relevant payment service are available. Prices are shown in Indian rupees; your bank or payment provider may add currency conversion or international transaction charges.
Where can I find refund information?
Read the Refund Policy before purchase. It explains eligibility, how to request a refund and how payment-provider processing works for website and app purchases.
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Clear boundaries. A way to get help.
Trust and support
Does CoachReady use official ICF exam questions?
No. CoachReady uses independently developed practice questions. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by ICF, and it does not provide access to confidential examination material.
Does CoachReady guarantee that I will pass?
No. CoachReady supports preparation and deliberate practice; your official result depends on your performance. Any qualifying additional-practice benefit described in the Refund Policy is separate from a promise to pass and is not an official score prediction.
How do I contact support?
Email mnp@prasadmn.com using your registered email address. Describe the issue and include the plan or payment reference where relevant. Do not send passwords, OTPs or full card details.
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Start with your credential.
Check your readiness. Start with a free 12-question snapshot.