I just got to my Prometric Testing Center…now what should I expect?

So you’ve prepared for weeks for your first exam… you’ve got your flashcards all memorized… you’ve gone through all of the multiple choice questions several times… you’re ready! So what happens when you get into the Prometric testing center? What should you expect?

You can read all of the permissible items allowed in a testing center, but I can summarize it in one word: government-issued-photo-ID. The only item you will need to keep with you at all times is your government-issued-photo-ID (driver’s license or passport) because when you check in, it will be scanned and verified each time to enter and exit the testing room. Anything else you will need to take the exam (scratch paper and pencil) are all provided by the testing center. You will receive the scratch paper and pencil from a test coordinator immediately before walking into the testing room.

‘But what does walking into a testing center feel like? What do I do there?’

I have only ever tested at two locations in NJ – Fairlawn (my favorite) and Clark – but the policies and procedures are the same at any location around the country. You arrive in the waiting room and check-in with a receptionist. He/she will provide you with a locker key for you to lock up any items you may have brought with you (your NTS, purse, cell phone, car keys, etc.). The only thing you keep with you at all times is that locker key and your ID. Then you wait to be called into the screening room. In the screening room you will be asked to show your government ID to the facilitator, he/she will take your photo, and then have you sign in. Before leaving the screening room and walk into the testing room to begin your exam you will need to empty out all of your pockets to make sure you’re not hiding anything. Once you’re done with that, you’re escorted into the room and you may begin your exam.

Recommendations for testing day:

• Wear clothing that you’re comfortable in
• If it’s cold outside, try to wear something that will keep you warm keeping in mind the rooms are heated
• Try to wear shirts with solid colors – avoid shirts with writing on them to avoid any possibility of being “called out” for writing in violation of their policies
• If you don’t know where the testing center is, give yourself PLENTY of time to find it and decompress from the anxiety you’ll have. Always best to arrive extra early if you’re unfamiliar with the traffic patterns and location.

 

Good luck!

Jerry

Comments

[rackz]

nice

[Aurora Orsini]

This blog is helpful for those who have been preparing for their first Prometric exam. I heard that there are only a handful of people who are able to pass it, and you will need all the flashcards and the tips that you can get.