Why Most People Fail the GARP SCR – And How You Won’t (2025 Edition)

Kateryna Myrko
Jun 16
4 min read

Interest in the Sustainability & Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate has exploded: more than 16,000 candidates have sat for the exam since its 2020 launch, and corporations from BlackRock to the UN list it in job posts. Yet the SCR is far from an “easy” ESG badge. Pass-rate volatility tells the story: after a respectable 55 % in October 2023, the figure crashed to 47 % in April 2024 before rebounding to 66 % in October 2024. Why Most People Fail the GARP SCR , GARP SCR 2025

In other words, roughly one in three candidates still walks away empty-handed.

Why? The exam’s format changed in late 2024 and again in 2025, the syllabus is updated every April, and success hinges on application, not memorisation. Below we unpack the traps that derail candidates—and provide a concrete, research-based game plan so that you’re on the right side of the statistics next year.

1. Know the Beast You’re Fighting Why Most People Fail the GARP SCR , GARP SCR 2025

2025 SCR Exam Snapshot	Detail
Questions & Case Studies	90 multiple-choice items plus 2 case studies (all equally weighted)
Time	4 hours, no scheduled break
Windows	April 19–May 3 and October 18–Nov 1, 2025
Recommended Study Hours	100 – 150 h (GARP guidance)
Scoring	Pass/Fail; no negative marking

Weighting matters. Chapter 6 (“Climate Risk Measurement & Management”) alone can carry up to 18 % of all marks, while the three “case-study chapters” (8–10) may look light on paper yet drive most application-style questions.

Take-away: you cannot treat every chapter equally, and you must practise full-length papers to manage stamina.

2. The Top Eight Reasons Candidates Fail

2.1 Under-estimating Breadth & Depth

Many see “climate” and expect soft policy questions. The SCR dives into scenario analysis, risk modelling, net-zero transitions, biodiversity metrics, IFRS S2, and more.

2.2 Ignoring the Learning Objectives

GARP publishes a Learning Objectives (LO) PDF every April. Candidates who simply read the e-book “cover to cover” miss the verbs that signal exam intent (compare, evaluate, apply).

2.3 Memorising Instead of Applying

The two case studies force you to translate frameworks (e.g., TCFD, SBTi, PCAF) into decisions. Pure memorisers freeze.

2.4 Skipping Practice Exams

Reddit threads are filled with “ran out of time” confessions. Four hours sounds ample until you tackle 90 items plus narrative exhibits. Without timed mocks, pacing collapses.

2.5 Neglecting Low-weight but High-complexity Chapters

Candidates who shrug off Chapters 8–10—Net Zero, Nature Risk, Carbon Reporting—discover they anchor multi-part case questions worth double-digit points.

2.6 Poor Resource Mix

Over-reliance on free blogs or decade-old climate reports leaves gaps. Some forum posts complain the real exam “felt mis-aligned with the book” because the candidate skipped required readings.

2.7 Bad Time Management on Test Day

No scheduled break means lost minutes for bio, water, or re-reading tricky stems. Many candidates hit the 90th item with <10 minutes left, guessing through a long exhibit.

2.8 Burn-out or Overconfidence

A subset accelerates through 300-page chapters in two weekends, only to hit cognitive overload. Others assume a finance or ESG background is enough and never cross 80 study hours.

3. How You Will Pass: A Scientifically Grounded Blueprint

3.1 Anchor Everything to the LOs

Print the April 2025 LO PDF and treat each bullet as a task: can you calculate, compare, or evaluate exactly what the verb demands? Tick off only when you can teach it aloud.

3.2 Adopt a “40–40–20” Study Allocation

GARP weights justify this split across 120 hours:

40 % (48 h) – High-weight Chapter 6.
40 % (48 h) – Mid-weight Chapters 1–5 & 7.
20 % (24 h) – Case-study Chapters 8–10, plus official mock.

3.3 “Two-Pass” Reading Strategy

Pass 1 – Conceptual Map (30 %)
- Skim each chapter in order, diagramming frameworks and equations.
Pass 2 – Application Drills (70 %)
- For every LO, write a flash question (“Explain how IFRS S2 changes climate disclosures in banking.”).

3.4 Full-Length Mock at T-4 Weeks

Sit GARP’s practice exam (plus at least one third-party mock). Replicate test conditions: four hours, single sitting, earplugs, a hard-stop clock. Analyse misses by LO category, not by chapter alone.

3.5 Case-Study Masterclass

Build a custom “decision tree” template:

Identify risk type → choose framework (TCFD, TNFD, etc.) → evaluate mitigation.Repeat on five annual reports (e.g., BP, Microsoft) to cement choreography.

3.6 Exam-Day Tactics

90-minute rule: finish first pass of all MCQs in 2 h 30 m, leaving 90 m for case studies and review.
Triaging: mark any stem exceeding 90 seconds; return later.
Micro-breaks: stand/stretch every hour at desk to avoid mental fog.

3.7 Stay Current—but Filter Noise

The syllabus updates yearly; don’t chase every climate headline. Prioritise sources frequently name-checked by GARP (NGFS, IPCC AR6, IEA net-zero roadmap). A 15-minute weekly skim suffices.

4. Six-Week Accelerator Plan (for October 2025 Window)

Week	Hours	Focus
1	20	Chapters 1–2 + LO mapping
2	18	Chapters 3–4 + start flashcards
3	18	Chapter 5 + begin Ch 6 (risk measurement)
4	20	Finish Ch 6, quick pass Ch 7 (scenarios)
5	22	Chapters 8–10 + first full mock
6	22	Review weak LOs, second mock, light revision

Adjust to 10 or 12 weeks by cutting weekly load in half; the sequencing remains valid.

5. Recommended Resources (2025 Edition)

Purpose	Source
Core text	SCR e-Book (included with registration)
Learning Objectives & Study Guide	April 2025 PDF
Official Mock Exam	Available in GARP Learning platform
Case-study drills	SCR chapters 8–10 + IFRS S2/TNFD excerpts
Peer community	r/FRM subreddit (SCR threads) for motivation—but filter anecdotal advice.

Failing the SCR usually stems from strategy, not intellect. Candidates who align study hours with weightings, drill application, and simulate the four-hour marathon consistently outperform peers—the pass-rate rebound to 66 % in October 2024 proves the exam is conquerable with the right discipline.

Commit to a structured plan, leverage the official LOs, and treat practice exams as non-negotiable. Follow the blueprint above and your name should be on GARP’s April 2025 pass list—not the retake roster. Good luck!

If you're looking for more practice questions and study resources to boost your chances of passing the GARP Sustainability and Climate Change 2025 exam, check out our comprehensive study materials below!