ACP-120 exam-day guide
ACP-120 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact ID name that matches your registration. For online proctoring, have it out and ready before the session starts; confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted for your region.
Confirmation / appointment email
Have your registration confirmation, appointment time, and any session link or test-center address accessible on a second device or printed.
Quiet, private, well-lit room (online delivery)
Use a closed room with a clear desk and a door you can close behind you. Remove notes, second screens, phones, and smart devices from arm's reach unless the proctor instructs otherwise.
Working webcam, microphone, and stable internet
Test them the day before. A wired or high-signal connection is safer than public Wi-Fi. Confirm with the provider the minimum bandwidth and whether a backup connection is permitted.
Charged laptop and power adapter
Run on mains power. Confirm with the provider the supported browser and whether browser extensions or remote-desktop software must be disabled.
System / equipment check completed in advance
Most proctoring vendors require a pre-flight check. Complete it at least 24 hours ahead so you have time to fix camera, firewall, or permission issues. Confirm the exact requirement with the provider.
Water in a clear container and any permitted comfort item
Keep it simple and transparent. Confirm with the provider what is allowed at the desk; unapproved items may be removed by the proctor.
Scratch paper and pen only if explicitly allowed
Do not assume they are permitted. Confirm with the provider in advance; many proctored sessions prohibit loose paper entirely.
No notes, no second monitor, no phone on the desk
ACP-level exams test recall and applied reasoning, not lookup. Anything resembling a reference aid should be out of the room.
A plan for interruptions
Tell household members your start and end time, silence notifications, and know who to contact if the session drops. Confirm the provider's reconnect procedure before you begin.
Pace markers in mind
Note roughly how many questions there are and divide the clock accordingly, leaving a few minutes at the end to review flagged items. Confirm the exact question count and time limit from your appointment details.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own notes on the weak domains, redo missed practice questions, and write a one-page 'things I keep getting wrong' sheet to review only on the morning of the exam. Read the certification exam guide's domain weightings once more so you know where to spend in-test time.
Confirm logistics: appointment time in your local timezone, delivery mode (remote proctored vs. test center), required ID, and the check-in window. Resolve any ambiguity with the provider now, not on the day.
Run the full system or equipment check, update the browser, and clear anything that might flag during a proctoring session. Fixing this with 24 hours to spare is comfortable; fixing it 15 minutes before is not.
Do one short, low-stakes review pass (30-45 minutes) over your error sheet and key Jira administration concepts: permission schemes and their ordering, issue security, workflow transitions and validators, schemes-to-project association, and user/group management. Then stop.
Prepare the room and the desk setup, lay out ID and confirmation details, charge devices, and set two alarms. Get a normal night's sleep; sleep is worth more than one extra hour of cramming.
Eat properly, hydrate modestly, and avoid heavy caffeine if you are already anxious. Do a 10-minute skim of your error sheet only - no new topics, no practice tests.
Join the check-in early (the provider will state how early; confirm it), close every other application, silence your phone and put it out of reach, and have your ID ready before the proctor appears.
Read each question fully and watch for qualifiers like 'best', 'first', 'least likely', and 'most efficient'. Atlassian-style questions often have more than one defensible answer; pick the one the question actually asks for.
Answer in passes: take the straightforward items first, flag anything requiring deep reasoning, and return to flagged items with your remaining time. Never leave an item blank if there is no penalty for guessing - confirm the scoring policy with the provider.
If the session drops or the proctor interrupts, stay calm, do not open other windows, and follow the provider's reconnect instructions exactly.
Note which domains felt weakest while it is fresh, and check the provider's stated timeline for results and any retake policy. Do not assume an instant score unless you were told to expect one.
Rules to check
Follow the provider's identification policy exactly: the name on your ID must match the name on the registration. If your legal name differs from your registration, resolve it with the provider before exam day - do not wait until check-in.
Assume a strict no-aids environment. Reference materials, notes, second screens, phones, smart watches, and unauthorized software are typically prohibited or removed; confirm the full permitted-items list with the provider rather than inferring it.
Stay on camera and in frame for the whole session, and keep the room otherwise empty unless the proctor explicitly approves a permitted third party or assistance arrangement.
Do not discuss, reproduce, or share exam content in any form afterwards. Exam confidentiality terms bind you, and violating them can invalidate your result independently of your score.
Breaks and unscheduled stops are governed by provider policy, and the clock typically keeps running. Confirm in advance whether breaks are allowed and whether scheduled breaks pause the timer.
Scoring is criterion-based against the exam's published domains, not against other candidates. Only the provider's stated pass standard and result timeline are authoritative - confirm both, since they can change between exam versions.
If something goes wrong technically or procedurally, raise it with the proctor or provider immediately and get it logged during the session. Post-hoc appeals are much weaker without a contemporaneous record.