AHLEI CHM exam-day guide
AHLEI CHM · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID in the name you registered under. If your registration name and ID differ, confirm with the provider how to resolve it before test day.
Confirmation and scheduling details
Have your appointment confirmation, test location or remote-proctoring link, and any candidate number handy. Print a copy if the provider allows it.
Know your test format and length
Confirm with the provider whether your sitting is paper or computer-based, the number of items, and the time limit so you can plan pacing.
Allowed reference materials
Most AHLEI-style exams are closed-book. Confirm with the provider whether any formula sheet, calculator, or reference is permitted; do not assume.
Calculator policy
If a calculator is allowed, confirm the approved type (basic vs. financial). Many hospitality-finance items are designed for a basic four-function calculator or no calculator at all.
Remote-proctoring setup (if applicable)
Confirm with the provider the required browser, webcam, microphone, and room scan rules, and run any system check at least 24 hours ahead.
Arrival time and location logistics
Plan to arrive early per the provider's stated check-in window. For remote testing, log in before the start time to complete identity verification.
Scratch paper and writing tool
Confirm with the provider what is supplied versus what you may bring; some centers provide materials and prohibit personal items.
Personal items plan
Know the storage rules for phones, watches, bags, and notes. Most providers require these to be stowed away from the testing area.
Rest, meals, and medication
Treat test day like a performance day: normal sleep, a real meal, and any needed medication. Confirm break and access rules with the provider.
Review key formulas and frameworks only
Light review of core ratios, revenue-management terms, and cost-control concepts the night before; avoid cramming new material.
Backup plan for tech or transit failure
Save the provider's contact number and know their late-arrival and reschedule policy. Confirm with the provider in advance.
Plan the day
Confirm appointment details, location or remote link, ID requirements, and allowed materials with the provider. Resolve any name or accommodation issues now, not on test day.
Do one full-length timed practice run under exam conditions to calibrate pacing. Review only the explanations for items you missed.
Build a one-page summary of high-yield concepts (key ratios, revenue-management vocabulary, cost-control and labor concepts) and study only that.
Lay out ID, confirmation, and any permitted items. Charge devices and test the remote-proctoring setup if applicable. Confirm travel time or log-in time.
Light review of your one-page summary in the early evening, then stop. Prioritize sleep over last-minute cramming.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate, and arrive or log in early per the provider's check-in window. Avoid heavy new-material review.
Do a quick first pass answering items you know, flag uncertain ones, and return to them. Watch the clock and leave time to review flagged items.
Read each item fully, watch for qualifiers like 'except' and 'best', and eliminate clearly wrong options before choosing. Answer every item unless the provider penalizes guessing, which you should confirm.
Note any content areas that felt weak while it is fresh; use that to plan any retake or continuing-education study.
Rules to check
Bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID matching your registration name; confirm the provider's exact ID policy in advance.
Follow all proctor instructions, including room scans, desk clearance, and prohibitions on phones, watches, and notes. Unauthorized materials can void your result.
Closed-book is the default assumption; confirm with the provider whether any reference material or calculator is permitted before relying on it.
Ask the proctor or provider about scheduled versus unscheduled breaks and whether the clock stops; do not assume breaks are allowed during a timed section.
Scoring policies vary by provider, including whether unanswered items count against you. Confirm the guessing and scoring rules with the provider rather than assuming.
Do not attempt to record, photograph, or share exam content; treat all items as confidential and report technical issues to the proctor immediately.
If you arrive late or have a technical failure, notify the provider right away and follow their stated policy; confirm that policy before test day.