AJA CJM exam-day guide
AJA CJM · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact form of identification the testing provider requires. Confirm with the provider which IDs are accepted and whether the name must match your registration exactly.
Appointment confirmation and test-taker credentials
Have your confirmation email, registration number, or login details ready. Confirm with the provider how you will access the exam (test center check-in vs. online proctoring).
Know your exam's format and time limit
Review the official candidate handbook for number of questions, time allowed, and question types. Confirm with the provider if any details are unclear.
Know the passing score and scoring method
Understand whether scoring is criterion-referenced and whether wrong answers are penalized. Confirm with the provider before guessing on any item.
Review logistics: location, parking, arrival time
For a test center, confirm the address, parking, and recommended arrival time. For online proctoring, confirm system requirements and room rules with the provider.
Acceptable calculator or scratch materials
Confirm with the provider whether a calculator, scratch paper, or pen is permitted and whether any are supplied at the test center.
Personal item and electronics rules
Confirm with the provider what must be left outside the testing room (phone, watch, notes). Assume personal items are not allowed at your desk unless the provider says otherwise.
Break policy
Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled, counted against your time, and what you may access during them.
Rest and logistics plan for test day
Plan sleep, meals, and travel so you arrive calm and early. This is general advice; no provider policy attached.
Backup plan for technical failure
If testing online, know the provider's support contact and procedure for technical interruptions. Confirm with the provider in advance.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Review your own summary notes and weak areas. Re-read the official candidate handbook for format, timing, and rules. Confirm your appointment details and ID requirements with the provider. Do a light practice set to calibrate pacing, then stop.
Confirm location or system setup, prepare your ID and confirmation, and lay out what you will bring. Avoid cramming late into the night. Get a full night's sleep. Re-check the provider's arrival-time guidance.
Eat a normal meal, arrive early per the provider's guidance, and bring only permitted items. Do a brief calm review of high-level frameworks, not new facts. Follow check-in instructions exactly.
Read each question fully and watch for qualifiers like 'best', 'first', or 'except'. Answer confident items first, flag uncertain ones, and return to them. Manage pacing against the clock. Use only permitted materials. If a technical issue occurs, stop and notify the proctor or support immediately.
Rules to check
Follow all check-in and identity-verification instructions from the testing provider; confirm accepted ID forms in advance.
Keep only permitted items at your workspace; confirm with the provider what is allowed and what must be stored.
Do not communicate with others or use unauthorized references during the exam; treat proctored and in-person rules as equally strict.
Follow the provider's break rules; confirm whether breaks are timed and what you may access during them.
Understand the scoring and guessing policy before you begin; confirm with the provider whether unanswered or wrong answers affect your score.
If a technical or environmental problem disrupts you, report it to the proctor or support immediately rather than continuing silently.
Review the provider's policy on rescheduling, cancellation, and score reporting; confirm any details you are unsure of directly with the provider.