FAST exam-day guide
FAST · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring a current, unexpired photo ID. The name must match your registration exactly; if your legal name differs, resolve it before test day. Confirm with the provider which specific ID forms are accepted.
Appointment confirmation / registration number
Save a screenshot or printout of your confirmation so you can check in even if building Wi-Fi or your email is unavailable.
Testing location, check-in time, and parking plan
Look up the exact address, entrance, and parking or transit options the day before. Confirm with the provider what arrival window is expected relative to your appointment time.
Calculator policy
Confirm with the provider whether an on-screen calculator is provided, whether a specific model is permitted, and whether any are supplied at the workstation. Do not assume you can bring your own.
Scratch paper and writing instrument
Most testing centers supply and collect these; confirm with the provider rather than bringing your own, since outside paper is commonly prohibited.
Prohibited-items plan
Plan where your phone, smartwatch, notes, and bag will go (locker, car, or home). Assume anything not explicitly allowed stays outside the testing room.
Break policy understood
Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled or unscheduled, and whether the exam clock pauses during them, so you can budget your time.
Comfort items for a long sitting
Layers you can remove or add, water and a snack for the break, and any permitted medication. Avoid heavy caffeine if you are prone to mid-exam restlessness.
Blueprint and formula/definition sheet reviewed
Re-read the published content outline and note the domain weightings so you spend the final review on the highest-yield areas rather than low-frequency trivia.
Accommodations confirmed
If you requested extra time or a separate room, verify approval in writing and know how to identify yourself as an accommodated candidate at check-in. Confirm details with the provider.
Error log from practice tests
Bring a one-page summary of your recurring mistakes to review in the final 24 hours - not a stack of new material.
Plan the day
Confirm appointment details, ID requirements, location, and break/calculator policies with the provider. Take one full-length timed practice test under exam-like conditions and rebuild your error log from the results.
Light review only: high-yield formulas, definitions, and the topics you repeatedly miss. Stop introducing new material. Shift your sleep schedule so you are alert at your scheduled test time.
Pack your ID, confirmation, layers, snack, and water. Lay out clothes. Do a short review of your one-page error log, then stop. No alcohol, no late-night cramming; aim for a normal night's sleep.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, and leave earlier than the map suggests. Skip last-minute studying in the car - it raises anxiety more than it adds points. Use the restroom before check-in.
Have your ID and confirmation ready, follow the proctor's instructions, store all personal items where directed, and confirm the time budget and break procedure before you begin.
Read the instructions and tutorial screens carefully. If scratch paper is allowed, immediately write down key formulas, constants, or a checklist you plan to reference.
Pace against the question count, not the clock alone - know roughly how many minutes per question you can afford. Answer every question; if unsure, flag it and move on rather than stalling.
Return to flagged items, make certain no question is blank, and verify that your answers are recorded before submitting. If a technical problem occurs at any point, raise your hand immediately rather than troubleshooting alone.
Note what felt hardest while it is fresh, and confirm with the provider how and when results are released and what the retake policy is.
Rules to check
Bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID with a name matching your registration; confirm accepted ID forms and any secondary ID requirement with the provider before test day.
Keep all unauthorized materials away from the workstation - phone, smartwatch, notes, study sheets, and personal writing supplies. Confirm the provider's prohibited-items list rather than guessing.
Follow all proctor instructions. Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam; raise your hand or use the on-screen chat if you need assistance.
Understand the scoring model before you start: confirm with the provider whether the exam is pass/fail against a set standard, whether unanswered items are scored as incorrect, and whether any penalty applies to guessing.
Confirm the break rules: whether breaks are scheduled or unscheduled, and whether the exam clock continues to run during them. Plan your pacing around the answer you receive.
Use only scratch materials issued at the testing center, and return them as instructed at the end. Do not remove anything from the testing room.
Report any computer, headset, or connectivity problem to the proctor immediately. Do not attempt to fix equipment yourself; request that the incident be documented.
Confirm with the provider in advance how and when results are delivered and what the retake and appeals policies are, so you are not relying on assumptions afterward.