by John Held, APR, Director of Mission Delivery and Support
Communications at the American Cancer Society 

If you read various communications blogs, you’ll see a lot of debate about the value of the APR. Some will argue that it’s not on the same level as the CPA is in the accounting field, or a JD in the legal arena. Then others will argue the need for the APR as a means of distinguishing qualified public relations practitioners from others in the field.   

My belief is that it is possible to successfully practice public relations without an APR, but that the APR increases your likelihood of consistent success. As public relations professionals, we are expected to deliver impactful communications to specific audiences while managing shrinking budgets and maintaining high ethical standards at all times. The APR process puts you in a position to think more strategically about how you develop, implement and evaluate public relations plans – something all employers are placing a higher value on in today’s economic climate. 

I hope that this article may benefit my fellow public relations practitioners who are considering getting their APR. This is not so much a “how-to” of the APR (which can be found here: PRSA Learning Accreditation) but more an explanation of my experience through the process to help you decide if pursuing the APR is right for you.  

I began the APR process in November 2008 by submitting my application to PRSA. The application helped me determine if I was qualified for the process, as well as my readiness level to begin. It also helps PRSA ensure applicants are committed to the public relations field and will help enhance the profession. 

After learning my application was accepted, I began working on my Readiness Review questionnaire in December. I took my time with this piece and submitted it to the chapter accreditation chair in February. Not to scare anyone away from the process, but my questionnaire was approximately 17 pages long when I was finished answering it. This may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that much of what I submitted was work I had already done in the public relations field. If you have five or more years in the field, it will not be a difficult piece to complete; however, it will be time-consuming to collect all your data. A piece of advice for not just this part of the APR process, but for all communications work: have at least one other person proofread your work before submitting it. Over the course of 17 pages, you’re bound to have spelling, grammar and formatting errors that a second set of eyes will catch.  

After my questionnaire was submitted and approved, I began preparing for the Readiness Review panel in April. The great thing about the APR process is that it is progressive and each step builds upon what you’ve already completed; for this reason I was able to use much of the work I had done for the questionnaire to help build my presentation for the review panel. I’ll admit I was nervous driving over to Rowan University on the morning of my presentation. I’d be facing a bunch of people I didn’t know who already had their APRs and would be judging me and determining if I was worthy of joining their ranks. I had visions of a dark room with a single light bulb shining on my face as I tried to remember who created the theory of two-way communication. 

Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. While I was most nervous about the Readiness Review out of all of the steps in the accreditation process, it ended up being the best and most enjoyable one. The panelists were friendly and there to support me on to the next step. They had reviewed my materials beforehand and asked several good questions about my work. There were no tricks and thankfully, no theoretical questions over which I could stammer. The members of the panel also gave me advice on how best to prepare for the exam and were available to help me even after the Readiness Review was complete. 

I passed the Readiness Review panel in April and scheduled my exam for July. I learn information best when working independently at my own pace, so I purchased several texts PRSA recommends and read them cover to cover. Twice. I also connected with another PR practitioner who had recently earned her APR and relentlessly asked her questions about where I should focus my studies. For those who learn better in a classroom or group environment, there are online and in-person exam preparation courses available through PRSA that I’ve heard are very good. I’ve also seen that PRSA holds weekend boot camps to help you prepare for the exam. 

Whatever your chosen study method, I would recommend giving yourself plenty of time between the Readiness Review and the exam. PRSA gives you 12 months from the time you are accepted as a candidate until you need to take the exam, so take full advantage of this time to give yourself a break after each major activity and time to prepare for the next one. 

I sat for the exam on July 13, 2009, and it was one of the most difficult exams I had ever taken. If I hadn’t had the application, the questionnaire, the Readiness Review, and the support of a recently-minted APR leading up to the exam, I feel that I would have failed miserably. The APR process ensured I had a solid understanding of all aspects of public relations, but the questions really challenged my knowledge in all areas including theory, crisis management, media relations and research. You’re given three hours to complete the exam, and I took about two and a half. I remember nervously clicking the “submit” button and the computer taking what felt like an eternity to calculate my score. The screen went blank and finally the computer, and my heart, started working again as the next screen came up: Congratulations!