CAS Exam 7 exam-day guide
CAS Exam 7 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact ID the testing provider requires (typically a current passport or driver's license with matching name). The name on your registration must match the ID. Confirm the accepted ID types and name-match rules with the provider before test day.
Admission confirmation / scheduling receipt
Have your appointment confirmation number and the test center address or online-proctoring link available. Save a screenshot and a printed copy so you are not dependent on email access.
Approved calculator
Bring a model on the provider's approved list. CAS exams generally allow specific financial/scientific calculators only; verify the current approved list and battery status. Know its keystrokes cold before exam day.
Confirmation of allowed reference material
Some CAS sittings allow printed tables or a provided formula sheet; others provide everything on screen. Do not assume. Confirm with the provider what reference material, if any, you may bring and in what format.
Writing implements and scratch paper policy
Many test centers supply scratch materials and prohibit bringing your own. Confirm the provider's policy on pens/pencils, erasers, and scratch paper so you are not surprised at check-in.
Arrival time and check-in buffer
Arrive earlier than the appointment time the provider specifies; check-in with ID verification and a security scan takes time. For online proctoring, complete the system/equipment check and room scan well before the start window.
Logistics: travel, parking, or quiet room
For a test center, confirm parking and travel time. For online proctoring, reserve a quiet, private room, tell household members, and check internet stability and a backup connection.
Personal item and electronics policy
Phones, smart watches, notes, and bags are typically prohibited in the testing room and must be stored. Confirm the provider's rules on storage and on what may remain at your desk.
Break and timing plan
Know the total appointment length and whether breaks are built in or optional (and whether the clock runs during breaks). Confirm with the provider, then plan hydration and a bathroom visit accordingly.
Review of your weakest syllabus topics
Bring a short, handwritten (or pre-exam) list of the formulas and pitfalls you most often miss. Review it the day before, not in the final minutes at the test center where notes may be prohibited.
A calm, rehearsed exam strategy
Have a time-per-question budget and a rule for when to skip and return. Practice this on a timed mock so it is automatic on exam day.
Backup plan if technology or travel fails
Know the provider's reschedule/cancellation and technical-failure procedures, and keep the provider's contact number handy. Confirm these policies with the provider in advance.
Plan the day
Shift from learning new material to consolidation. Re-read your own summary sheets of formulas and common traps, redo a limited set of previously missed problems, and stop heavy new-topic study. Confirm your appointment details, ID, calculator, and (if applicable) travel or room setup. Protect sleep.
Do a light review only: formula sheet, a short timed set to keep pacing sharp, and a walk-through of your exam strategy (time budget, skip-and-return rule). Prepare and lay out ID, confirmation, calculator, and clothing. Avoid cramming new topics and avoid late-night study. Confirm the start time and arrival/check-in instructions with the provider.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, and arrive with buffer time. Re-read only your one-page formula/pitfall sheet if allowed. At the test center, complete check-in and store prohibited items; for online proctoring, finish the equipment and room check early. Do a brief mental warm-up rather than a last-minute panic review.
Skim the format and instructions first. Work at your planned pace, answering confident questions first and flagging hard ones to return to. Show key steps and assumptions on calculation items, watch units, and re-read the question stem before finalizing. Use any break as intended, then return and use remaining time to check flagged items and arithmetic.
Rules to check
Bring only the ID, approved calculator, and materials the provider explicitly permits; confirm the exact list with the provider, since prohibited-item rules vary by sitting and location.
Your registration name must match your photo ID exactly; confirm name-change and ID-acceptance rules with the provider if there is any discrepancy.
Electronic devices such as phones and smart watches are generally not allowed in the testing area; confirm storage rules and turn devices off before check-in.
Follow the provider's break policy exactly; whether the clock runs during breaks and whether you may leave the testing area differs by administration, so confirm with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates about exam content during or after the sitting; sharing or soliciting specific questions violates exam confidentiality rules.
Read the current exam-day and candidate agreement from the provider for scoring, misconduct, and cancellation terms rather than relying on secondhand information.
If a technical failure or emergency occurs, stop and follow the proctor's or provider's instructions and document the incident; confirm the reporting and remedy process with the provider.