CMA Part 1 exam-day guide
CMA Part 1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Primary photo ID (government-issued, unexpired, with signature)
Verify today that the ID is not expired and that the name printed on it matches your IMA registration name exactly, including middle name or initial. Bring the original document - photocopies and digital images are not accepted.
Second form of identification
Some test centers require a second ID. Confirm with the provider whether a second document is required at your specific location and what forms qualify.
Appointment confirmation / scheduling number
Bring the confirmation email or number. You will need it if there is any discrepancy at check-in. You may show it on your phone in the lobby, but the phone stays in a locker during the exam.
Your IMA customer number and Part 1 authorization/eligibility details
Keep these written on paper in your bag so you are not dependent on your phone. Confirm with the provider exactly which reference number the test center will ask for.
Approved calculator
Bring only a model on the current IMA-approved list, and confirm that list with the provider before test day. Check or replace the battery in advance. If your model is not permitted, you will have to use the on-screen calculator instead.
Test center address and a travel plan
Look up the exact address, parking or transit options, and building/floor/suite number. Do a dry run if the location is unfamiliar. Plan to arrive well before your appointment time.
Snack, water, and any medication for after the exam
Food, drinks, and personal items cannot enter the testing room. Pack them for before check-in and for afterwards, since a four-hour session is draining.
Layers and eyeglasses if you use them
Room temperature varies by center. A light sweater you can remove is safer than relying on the room being comfortable. Bring glasses rather than relying on contact lenses for a long screen session.
A one-page formula and concept sheet for the parking lot
Use it for a final 10-15 minute skim before you walk in, then leave it in the car or locker. Notes of any kind are prohibited in the testing room.
Leave behind: phone, smartwatch, notes, textbooks, own scratch paper
These must be stored in a locker or left outside the room. Scratch paper and writing instruments are supplied by the center and collected at the end - do not bring your own.
A sleep and breakfast plan for the night before
Set two alarms and decide in advance what you will eat. Do not plan to study new material that morning.
Plan the day
Take one full-length timed practice set under exam conditions (same calculator, no phone, no pauses) to rehearse pacing. Then stop taking new mock exams. Spend remaining time on your two or three weakest topic areas and on writing out essay answers longhand or typed, since the essay section is where prepared candidates gain or lose the most.
Confirm the appointment date, time, and location in writing. Re-check ID expiration and name match. Verify your calculator model is on the approved list. Confirm whether a second ID is required. Resolve any discrepancy now, not on exam morning - confirm rescheduling and identity rules with the provider.
Light review only: your formula sheet, the structure of a strong essay response (state the calculation, show the work, interpret the result, answer every requirement explicitly), and a skim of your own error log. Pack your bag, lay out your ID and confirmation, charge nothing you cannot bring in, and set alarms. Aim for a normal night's sleep rather than an early one.
Eat a real meal with protein and moderate caffeine - do not experiment with a new energy drink. Arrive at the center early enough to park, find the suite, and check in without rushing. Use the restroom before check-in. Keep pre-exam review to a short skim of formulas; cramming new topics this close adds anxiety without adding points.
Present your ID and confirmation, store all personal items in the assigned locker, and accept the supplied scratch paper and pencil. Read the candidate agreement carefully. If your ID or name is questioned, stay calm and ask to speak with the test center administrator - do not leave the premises before the issue is resolved.
Read the on-screen instructions and note how the timer displays. Write your start time and target pace on the scratch paper. Budget roughly 1.5 to 1.8 minutes per multiple-choice question so that you finish the section with time to revisit flagged items. Answer every question - there is no penalty for a guess, so never leave a blank.
Do three passes: answer what you know, flag anything requiring more than about two minutes, then return to flagged items. If a calculation balloons, plug the answer choices back into the question or estimate - the arithmetic is usually simpler than it first looks. Watch the clock at the halfway mark and adjust.
The multiple-choice section is submitted before the essay section opens, and you generally cannot return to it. Take a breath, use the restroom if permitted, and accept that you cannot change earlier answers. Confirm the break and section-transition rules with the provider, since the clock may keep running.
Read all requirements first, then answer each one explicitly in the order asked and label your responses (a, b, c) so the grader can find them. Show formulas and intermediate numbers - partial credit exists, and an unexplained answer earns less than a shown one. Use the on-screen tools to organize before typing, keep sentences short, and reserve the last few minutes to confirm every requirement has a response.
Confirm no essay requirement is blank, no multiple-choice question was left unanswered, and that you have submitted rather than merely saved. Return all scratch paper and the pencil as instructed before leaving.
Rules to check
The name on your ID must match your IMA registration exactly. If you have recently changed your name or your ID is close to expiring, resolve it with IMA before test day - a mismatch can result in being turned away and forfeiting your fee.
Only approved calculators are permitted. Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, notes, textbooks, and any device with communication or storage capability must be stored in a locker and may not enter the testing room.
Scratch paper and writing instruments are supplied by the test center and must be returned. Do not bring your own, and do not remove any materials from the room.
Arrive with a comfortable buffer before your appointment. Candidates who arrive after the permitted cutoff may be denied entry and lose the appointment - confirm the exact arrival and late-arrival policy with the provider.
You may take breaks, but the exam clock generally continues to run. Confirm the break policy and whether unscheduled breaks are permitted at your center with the provider.
The multiple-choice section must be completed and submitted before the essay section begins, and you cannot return to the multiple-choice section afterwards. Plan your pacing accordingly.
Results are reported on a scaled score range, and the passing score is 360. Score release timing and the exact reporting method should be confirmed with IMA rather than assumed.
You agree not to disclose, reproduce, or discuss specific exam content with anyone. Sharing recalled questions violates the candidate agreement and can invalidate your score.