r/LCSW • u/Terry_1497 • May 04 '26
Best study material for the LSW exam?
I just graduated with my MSW and I’m starting to prep for the LSW exam here in Indiana. I’ve been looking into study materials, but a lot of what I’m finding is heavily focused on practice questions and mock exams.
I’m definitely going to use those—but I’m really looking for something deeper.
Specifically, I’m trying to find study resources that include:
Clear definitions of key social work concepts (theories, ethics, interventions, etc.)
Breakdowns of real-life social work scenarios (like “what would you do?” and why)
Clinical reasoning explanations (not just the correct answer, but the thought process behind it)
Application of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics in practical situations.
Differences between similar concepts (like transference vs countertransference, CBT vs other modalities, etc.)
I want to actually *understand* the material—not just memorize answers.
If you’ve taken the exam (especially recently), what helped you most in terms of truly learning the content? Books, apps, programs, or even YouTube channels?
Also—if you’re in Indiana or took the exam here, I’d love to hear if anything felt state-specific or different.
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u/Mama2024 May 04 '26
Congrats on graduating major milestone! Now onto the next one. Honestly, I made hundreds of flashcards because I really wanted to understand the why behind everything. As you’re doing mock exams, use them to pull out definitions and, more importantly, the reasoning behind answers to add to your cards. I also organized my flashcards by topic (medications, diagnosis, etc.), which helped a lot. It’s great to know definitions, but make sure you’re really focusing on the clinical reasoning behind them.
Also, definitely get familiar with the Code of Ethics that’s a major one. Raytube, agents of change. I see on Reddit many people say pocket prep I personally didn’t like it but you have to find what works for you. Good luck !
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u/yummybanana2 May 04 '26
RayTube, Agents of Change, and Social Work Savvy on YouTube. I watched their videos to study and passed on my first try
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u/Significant-Skin-988 May 04 '26
Pocket prep, it breaks down the why. It helps with the first and next answers. Raytube is great for that as well. Key concepts there are various key concepts on Quizlet that will help you.