FACHE exam-day guide
FACHE · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact form of identification your testing provider requires (typically a current driver's license or passport with matching name). Confirm the accepted ID types and name-match rules with the provider before test day.
Confirmation/appointment details
Have your scheduling confirmation, confirmation number, and test-center address or remote-testing login instructions saved offline as well as on your phone.
Know your test format and timing
Confirm the current number of questions, time allotted, and whether the exam is delivered at a test center or via live remote proctoring. Verify these specifics with the provider; do not rely on secondhand reports.
Review the current content outline
Re-read the official exam content outline and your weakest domains. Confirm the current outline and any recent updates with the provider.
Practice with timed questions
Complete at least one full-length timed practice set in the final days to calibrate pacing. Use only original or provider-authorized practice material.
Break and accommodation policy
Confirm whether scheduled or unscheduled breaks are allowed, how they affect the clock, and how to request accommodations. Mark as needs_review until verified with the provider.
Scoring and results reporting
Confirm how the exam is scored (scaled score vs. criterion-referenced pass point) and when/how results are released. Verify with the provider.
Test-center logistics or remote-tech check
If testing in person, confirm parking, arrival time, and locker/security rules. If remote, run the system and equipment check in advance and confirm your room meets proctoring requirements.
Calculator and scratch materials policy
Confirm whether an on-screen or provided calculator and scratch paper/whiteboard are allowed and what is prohibited. Verify with the provider.
Rest, hydration, and light meal plan
Protect sleep in the final nights and plan a light, familiar meal before the exam; avoid new caffeine levels on test day.
Backup plan for disruptions
Save the provider's contact number and know the reschedule/cancellation policy in case of illness, weather, or technical failure. Confirm the policy with the provider.
Personal comfort items within rules
Layer clothing, water if permitted, and any allowed medication. Confirm what the provider permits in the testing room.
Plan the day
Stop expanding into new material; consolidate high-yield notes and your weakest two or three domains. Take one full timed practice set, review every missed item for the reasoning error, and confirm all logistics (ID, confirmation, directions or tech check).
Do a light review of summary sheets and key frameworks only. Re-confirm start time, location or login, and ID requirements. Prepare clothes, ID, confirmation, snacks, and transportation. Aim for a full night's sleep; avoid cramming late.
Eat a normal light meal, hydrate moderately, and arrive or log in early per the provider's instructions. Do a final calm scan of one summary page, not new content. Leave buffer time for check-in and security.
Read each stem fully, watch for qualifiers like 'best' or 'most likely,' and answer in your own words before looking at options. Flag and move past stalled items, then return. Track pace against the clock, take allowed breaks as needed, and reserve time to review flagged questions.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID the provider requires; the name must match your registration. Confirm accepted ID types and name-match rules with the provider, and contact them in advance if your legal name differs.
Follow all security and prohibited-item rules: no unauthorized notes, devices, or outside materials in the testing room. Confirm what is allowed (calculator, scratch materials, water) with the provider.
Arrive or log in at the time the provider specifies; late arrival may forfeit your seat or appointment. Confirm the check-in and grace-period policy with the provider.
Breaks and their effect on the clock vary by provider. Confirm in advance whether breaks are scheduled or optional and whether the timer pauses.
Scoring and pass points are set by the certifying body; do not assume a raw percentage. Confirm the scoring method and results timeline with the provider.
If you experience a technical failure or illness, notify the provider immediately and follow their documented process; confirm the reschedule/refund policy beforehand.
Maintain academic integrity: do not discuss, reproduce, or share exam content. Follow the provider's candidate conduct agreement.
If you are unsure about any policy, ask the provider in writing before test day rather than relying on informal reports.