Published September 5, 2026

Your First Week on CaseSavvy: A Day-by-Day Plan (With a Checklist)

By David Zimmerman · 6 min read · Study strategy

A new account has 5 full cases, 18 domain drills, a free full-length timed test, and an empty dashboard. The temptation is to burn through all of it on day one. This is the week that turns the free tier into a diagnosis and a plan: one case to get data, drills to act on it, a second case to check, and a decision at the end. The checklist saves your progress in this browser.

Your first week

Ticks are saved in this browser only.

Why this order

Case first, then drills

A full case is the fastest way to populate all nine tracked domains on the dashboard, because its 13 questions are spread across them the way the exam spreads them[1]. One case is enough to see a first red or yellow in a heavy domain, and that is the domain your drills go to. Read every rationale on that first case; the rationale post explains what to look for.

Three days on one domain

The dashboard tier is a rolling window of your last twenty answers in a domain. One drill rarely moves it; three usually do. Staying on one domain for days two through four is what makes the change visible, and visible change is what keeps people studying.

A second case to check

Drilling proves you can do the reasoning in isolation. The day-five case proves you can do it when the domain switches every question and the client changes across sections.

The day-seven decision

If two or more heavy domains are still red or yellow, week two is more drills. If not, schedule the free full-length test (10 cases, real clock, save and resume) for a morning next week. Taking it too early measures the weakness you already know about.

What not to do in week one

Do not take the timed test on day one, do not take all five free cases in a row, and do not start with Domain 5 because it looked easy. The point of the week is data, then action on the heaviest weakness.

After the free tier

By the end of the week you will know whether the format helps you. If it does, Premium adds the other 92 cases and 223 drills so the loop keeps running past the free library; the pricing page has the plans. If it does not, you have still had a domain diagnosis and a week of targeted practice for free.

Start the week

Day 1 is an account and one case. 5 free cases, 18 free drills, no card.

Create your free account

Sources

  1. NBCC — National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (exam overview, candidate handbook, and content outline)

Frequently asked questions

What should I do first on CaseSavvy?

Take one full case and read every rationale. Its 13 questions populate all nine tracked domains on the dashboard, which tells you which domain to drill on day two.

When should I take the free full-length practice test?

After the heavy domains (4, 2B, 3A, 6) are yellow or green. Taken on day one it mostly measures weaknesses you have not fixed yet.

Ready to practice?

Start drilling NCMHCE-style questions for free — no credit card required.

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