AIM exam-day guide
AIM · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact ID the test provider requires; the name must match your registration. Confirm the accepted ID type and any signature requirement with the provider before test day.
Appointment confirmation and test-provider login details
Have your confirmation number, candidate ID, and any portal credentials ready. For a remote-proctored sitting, confirm the login link and system check in advance.
Admission or authorization-to-test document
Some programs require an eligibility or authorization document at check-in. Check your registration instructions and confirm with the provider whether you must present one.
Knowledge of the test format and scoring
Know the number of questions, time limit, and whether scoring is criterion-referenced or scaled. Do not rely on rumor; verify from official program materials.
Review of the published rules on permitted items
Confirm what is allowed at your seat (calculator, scratch paper, notes, water). Policies vary by provider and delivery mode, so verify rather than assume.
Plan for breaks and timing
Know whether breaks are scheduled or optional, whether the clock stops, and how to request a break. Confirm the break policy with the provider.
Arrival or check-in plan
Arrive with buffer time for security and identity checks at a test center, or complete the equipment and environment check early for remote proctoring. Confirm the required arrival or check-in window.
Rest, food, and hydration plan
Protect sleep in the final nights and eat a normal meal before the test. Avoid trying new supplements or heavy caffeine on test day.
Transportation and backup plan
Confirm the route, parking, and a backup way to reach the test center. For remote testing, confirm a stable internet connection and a backup plan.
A calm, pre-planned test-taking strategy
Decide in advance how you will pace yourself, flag uncertain items, and handle a question that stalls you. Write the plan down and review it the night before.
Emergency contact and provider support number
Save the test provider's support contact in case of a technical or scheduling problem. Confirm the correct number from your registration materials.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Do targeted review of your weakest domains and re-read the official format and rules. Complete any system or equipment check required for remote proctoring, and confirm your appointment time, location or login link, and ID requirements.
Take one light practice set under timed conditions only if it will not spike your anxiety; otherwise review summaries and error logs. Confirm transportation or your home testing environment and notify anyone at home about your quiet hours.
Pack your ID, confirmation details, and any permitted items. Lay out clothes and set two alarms. Do a final short review of key concepts and your pacing plan, then stop studying early enough to wind down. Get a full night's sleep.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, and avoid cramming new material. Leave with buffer time for a test-center appointment, or start the remote check-in early. Re-read your pacing plan once, then put notes away.
Read each question fully, answer the easier items first if the format allows flagging, and return to hard items. Watch the clock against your pacing plan, use breaks as permitted, and do not leave any item blank if there is no penalty for guessing (confirm the guessing policy with the provider).
Reserve time to review flagged items and confirm every question is answered. Check that you have submitted or exited the test as instructed before leaving.
Rules to check
Bring only the ID and permitted items; confirm the exact permitted-items list with the provider before test day.
Your registration name must match your ID exactly. Resolve any mismatch with the provider before the test.
Follow all proctor instructions. At a test center or under remote proctoring, unauthorized materials, devices, or communication can void your result.
Confirm the break policy with the provider: whether breaks are scheduled or optional, whether the clock stops, and what you may access during a break.
Understand the scoring before you sit: confirm whether the exam is pass/fail or scaled, whether unanswered items are penalized, and whether there is a guessing penalty.
If a technical problem occurs during a remote sitting, stop and contact the provider's support line immediately rather than troubleshooting alone; confirm the incident-reporting process in advance.
Do not discuss, record, or share exam content. Most programs prohibit disclosing questions, and doing so can invalidate your score.
If you are unwell or cannot test, contact the provider before your appointment to learn the reschedule or refund policy; do not assume the terms.