L.S.W./L.C.S.W. Exam Preparation
$140 per session | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. ET | Virtual
Prepare to ace your LSW/LCSW exam with our comprehensive license prep workshop! We'll cover essential practice theory, therapeutic strategies, DSM, and diversity-sensitive practice, all while equipping you with effective learning techniques and ASWB-designed practice questions. Plus, you'll learn to manage test anxiety and engage in answer determination discussions to boost your confidence.
Session Dates
Course Overview
A recent survey of past participants of the prep course revealed a 92.5% exam pass rate after taking this course.
- Free-standing one-day course that addresses both the master’s (L.S.W.) and clinical (L.C.S.W.) social work license exams.
- Includes actual A.S.W.B. practice test questions.
- Includes opportunity for answer determination discussion.
- Learn effective tips and strategies that can be applied to exam questions that will also help to relieve test anxiety and build confidence.
- An electronic study guide is provided.
Course FAQ
Designed for anyone seeking to prepare for the L.S.W. (master's level) or L.C.S.W. (clinical level) ASWB exam.
This full-day program will utilize a combination of lecture and group discussion to assist participants in developing successful test-taking strategies and will review practice theories, therapeutic strategies, social work values/ethics, D.S.M., and diversity sensitive practice. Students will be introduced to effective answer determination tips that can be applied to practice questions. This program includes extensive exposure to actual ASWB practice questions and opportunity to practice application of test-taking strategies from acquired knowledge.
If a session date is marked as full, send an email to swprodev@brynmawr.edu to request your name be added to the session waitlist. Email must include name, email, phone, and session date(s).
- Payment is not required to add your name to the waitlist.
- Waitlist individuals will be contacted if, and/or when, an opening develops in the session of their choice.
- Waitlist individuals are not guaranteed a seat in the waitlist session.
- Waitlist individuals are encouraged to register for an alternate open date to ensure a seat.
- If an opening develops in a waitlist session, payment made for an alternate date can be 100 percent transferred.
Once materials have been sent to a registrant, no refund is available.
If a registrant needs to change their session date they should email swprodev@brynmawr.edu with as much advance notice as is possible to inquire into options. Please provide a minimum of 7 days notice to request a change of session.
If a seat is available in registrant's alternate session, 100% of tuition paid will be applied.
Course Instructors
Ruth Feinblum Conviser, M.S.S., L.C.S.W., founded Growth Solutions Counseling in 2008 and specializes in helping couples, healthy divorce, and people struggling with anxiety. She is a graduate of the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research (GSSWSR) at Bryn Mawr College and completed the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Certificate at GSSWSR. She focuses her training on many areas of the CBT model. Prior to founding Growth Solutions Counseling she worked in residential treatment, as a family-based therapist and as an outpatient therapist with children and families.
Carmen Moedano, Ph.D., L.C.S.W. is the Associate Director of Clinical Services at a University Counseling Center. She has extensive experience working with diverse populations in a variety of clinical settings that include community behavioral health, hospital inpatient and outpatient care, private practice, and over a decade working in university counseling centers. She has taught as an adjunct instructor for courses that include Clinical Social Work I & II at the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work & Social Research. Carmen received her Ph.D. in Social Work from Bryn Mawr’s GSSWSR, her master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, and her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Community Health from Brown University. She received additional training through the National Group Psychotherapy Institute at the Washington School of Psychiatry.
Note:
Payment for License Exam Prep course trainings is expected at time of registration. No discounts available for multiple registrations in the prep course.
The ASWB test questions we use are the same as those that a license applicant can purchase from ASWB. ASWB does not permit our distribution of the test questions used in this workshop.
To participate, you will need a stable Internet connection and Zoom. Please visit the Zoom System Requirements site for the technical requirements that you will need. You will receive an email with an invitation to register for the Zoom meeting approximately two weeks prior to your registered session. Once you register on Zoom, you will immediately receive the link to join the meeting on the day/time of the course. You can also visit the Zoom Help Center to learn usage before your scheduled course.
Applying for Your Initial Social Work License
The above LSW/LCSW Exam Prep workshop will not address the LSW/LCSW exam application process. Below you will find essential information related to exam eligibility and how to apply.
To be eligible to take the Master’s licensing exam, the applicant must be in their final semester of a master’s or doctoral degree program, or hold a master’s or doctoral degree in social work.
Below are resources to aid you in demystifying the license process:
- ASWB Examination Handbook
- Handout on Understanding the Steps to Apply to Take the Master’s License Exam in Pennsylvania
It is important that you follow the registration steps outlined by each of the following organizations in the application process:
- PA State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors
- PA Licensing System (PALS)
- Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
- Pearson Vue Testing Center
Missing a step, or making a mistake during registration, may result in additional fees and can delay your examination or prevent you from taking it entirely.
Note that the social work license exam is a national one and will be accepted in all states, regardless of the state in which it is formalized.
Other Application/Study Resources
- ASWB Examination Guidebook (pdf)
- PA DHS – Clearances and Background Checks
- Child Abuse CE requirement – University of Pittsburgh Online Training
Application/Exam Costs as of 2025
(fees are payable during the licensure process)
Application Fee for LSW - $45
Licensing Exam Fee for LSW - $230
Application Fee for LCSW - $90
Licensing Exam Fee for LCSW - $260
- FBI Identity History Summary Check
- For individuals who have lived or worked outside of Pennsylvania during the past 10 years, in lieu of obtaining individual state background checks, you may choose to obtain BOTH an FBI Identity History Summary Check and a state Criminal History Records Check (CHRC) from the state in which you currently reside
- Social Work License Requirements by State
- Additional exam preparation materials via BMC libraries