ABA BASIC exam-day guide
ABA BASIC · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Unexpired government-issued photo ID
Bring a current driver's license or passport. The name on the ID must match the name on your registration exactly; if it does not (e.g., after a name change), resolve it with the board before test day. Confirm the board's exact ID requirement in the candidate handbook.
Appointment confirmation for the testing center
Keep the scheduling confirmation you received when you booked your seat, and re-check the date, time, and center address the day before. Whether a printed copy is required varies by site, so confirm with the test provider.
Confirmed test center location, route, and parking plan
Do a dry run or map the route in advance, note parking costs and garage closing times, and identify a backup route. Testing centers are often in office parks or commercial buildings that are hard to spot early in the morning.
Arrival plan with buffer time
Plan to arrive well before your appointment, typically about 30 minutes early, to allow for check-in and ID verification. Exact check-in and late-arrival cutoffs are set by the test provider, so confirm them in advance; arriving late can mean forfeiting your seat and fee.
Plan for phones, smartwatches, and other electronics
Leave them at home or plan to store them. Electronic devices are not permitted at the testing station. Confirm the center's locker or storage policy when you schedule.
Snack, water, and any needed medication staged for break access
Items must generally stay in a locker and be accessed only during breaks. Confirm the center's rules on food, drink, and medication access before test day.
Reviewed the board's candidate handbook and exam-day rules
Read the current handbook section on admission, conduct, breaks, and irregular behavior so nothing on test day is a surprise. Use the version posted for your exam year, not an older copy.
Verified the exam format and timing you are preparing for
Confirm the current number of questions and total testing time on the board's website rather than relying on what peers tell you, since formats can change between administrations.
Settled a sleep and caffeine schedule for the prior week
Shift your sleep earlier for several nights before the exam and test your caffeine timing in advance; do not introduce new supplements or heavy caffeine on exam morning.
Backup plan for illness or emergency
Know the board's procedure and contact for emergencies or illness on test day. Rescheduling and refund rules are specific to the board, so confirm them rather than assuming.
Light, high-yield review materials only (no new topics)
Bring nothing to the testing room itself, but plan the final days around consolidating material you already know rather than starting unfamiliar content.
Personal comfort items that comply with the center's rules
Layers, since test rooms run hot or cold, and any permitted item. Anything beyond ID and confirmation may be restricted, so confirm which items may enter the testing room.
Plan the day
Reconfirm your appointment date, time, and center address; check that your ID is unexpired and that your name matches the registration; map the route and parking; re-read the candidate handbook's exam-day section. Shift to consolidation review: revisit your own summary notes and missed-question log, and stop taking on new material.
Begin moving your sleep schedule earlier so that your wake time on exam day is not a shock. Set two alarms and a backup alarm for exam morning, and tell someone your plan.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, directions, snack and water for the locker, and layers. Lay everything by the door. Do a short, light review only, then stop. Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at a reasonable hour rather than cramming late.
Decide your break strategy in advance: whether you will take the scheduled break, what you will eat, and roughly how many questions per hour you need to average. Rehearse your plan for a question that stalls you: flag, guess, move on.
Eat a normal breakfast that you know sits well, hydrate, and arrive early. Verify the appointment time once more before leaving. Leave electronics behind or plan for locker storage, and have your ID in hand at check-in.
Follow the proctor's instructions for ID verification, signature, and secure storage of personal items. Report any irregularity in the testing environment to the proctor immediately rather than after the exam.
Read the on-screen instructions and confirm the number of questions and the time remaining before question one. Do a short calibration of your pace rather than racing out of the gate.
Track your pace at fixed checkpoints. Any question that takes much longer than your average gets a best guess and a flag; return to flagged items only after you reach the end, if time allows. Use the provided scratch materials rather than trying to hold calculations in your head.
Take the breaks that are offered, even briefly: stand, stretch, drink water, and reset. Know that the clock generally keeps running during unscheduled breaks, so keep them short. Confirm the exact break policy with the test provider before exam day.
Leave enough time to answer every question, since unanswered items score as incorrect. If the interface warns you that time is short, make sure every item has a response before it expires.
Note any irregularity you experienced and report it to the board promptly if it affected your testing conditions. Results are released on the board's schedule, so confirm the expected timeline and where results will be posted rather than asking the test center staff.
Rules to check
Identification is mandatory. Present a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID whose name matches your registration. If the name does not match, resolve it with the board before test day; the test center cannot waive this.
Electronic devices are not permitted at the testing station. Phones, smartwatches, and other devices must be left behind or secured per the center's policy. Confirm storage rules with the provider in advance.
Follow all proctor instructions and the board's conduct rules. Any suspected irregular behavior, including unauthorized materials or communication, can lead to score invalidation, so ask the proctor if you are unsure whether something is permitted.
Breaks are taken under the provider's rules. The exam clock generally continues to run during unscheduled breaks, so plan your break use deliberately and confirm the exact policy with the test provider.
There is no published percentage that guarantees a pass. The passing standard is set by the board's standard-setting process for each exam form, so prepare to answer correctly across the whole blueprint rather than targeting a score cutoff. Confirm the scoring and reporting approach with the board.
Scratch materials, if provided, must be used as directed and left behind or returned at the end of the session. Do not bring your own notes, paper, or writing instruments into the testing room unless explicitly permitted.
Arrive on time. Late arrival may result in being denied admission and forfeiting your fee; the exact cutoff is set by the provider, so confirm it and build in a buffer.
Results are reported by the board, not by the test center. Note the board's stated reporting timeline and check your own account rather than relying on staff at the site for score information.