The edTPA has recently emerged within the past few years as an innovative Teacher Performance Assessment and is currently adopted to some extent in 34 states. Researchers conducted four focus groups with 16 teacher candidates during and immediately after completion of the edTPA at North Carolina State University. When asked to articulate about their experience with the edTPA, numerous participants believed edTPA to be nearly overwhelming and confusing. Participants also felt the edTPA did not adequately capture their totality of their student teaching experience. These stresses and general confusion were not alleviated with assistance from the cooperating teacher. They believed the edTPA enhanced deep, focused reflection on their teaching practice. Teacher candidates also believed the edTPA, while not adequately capturing the totality of the student teaching experience, did serve as a quality assessment of their teaching practice.