Concours Geipi Polytech exam-day guide
Concours Geipi Polytech · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation / summon notice
Print or download the convocation you received after registering on the Geipi Polytech portal. It carries your candidate number, the centre address and the timetable. Verify the exact wording and any printing requirement with the provider (confirm with the provider).
Valid identity document
Bring the original photo ID required by the convocation (national identity card or passport for most candidates). A photocopy is normally not accepted; confirm the accepted documents for your situation with the provider.
Black ballpoint pens (two or three)
Written papers are answered on printed booklets or answer sheets; bring several dark-ink pens plus a spare. Do not rely on a single pen.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Useful for rough work and for any multiple-choice answer sheet that must be filled in pencil. Check the convocation for any restriction on materials.
Ruler and basic geometry set
A graduated ruler is routinely useful in the mathematics and physics parts; a compass and set square can help in geometry questions.
Non-programmable calculator
Many scientific sections assume a calculator. Programmable or graphing models and any connected device are usually banned; confirm the exact authorised model list with the provider before the day.
Wristwatch (non-connected)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock and phones are collected or forbidden. A simple analogue watch lets you manage the time yourself.
Water bottle and small snack
Sessions can be long and back-to-back. Bring a clear bottle with the label removed if the centre requires it, and a snack for the break between papers.
No phone, no connected watch, no earbuds
Leave them at home or hand them in as instructed. A device found on you during the test can lead to the paper being cancelled, even if it is switched off.
Check the route and travel time to the centre
Locate the exact building and room on the convocation, not just the campus. Plan to arrive well before the start time; late entry rules vary by centre (confirm with the provider).
Read the instructions printed on the booklet
Before writing, check the number of pages, the instructions for the multiple-choice grid and the time allowed for each part, because the format differs between the scientific and the other sections.
Sleep, meals and a calm pre-test routine
The test rewards speed and accuracy on scientific questions more than last-minute cramming. Protect sleep in the final nights and eat before a morning session.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own formula sheets for mathematics, physics and chemistry, and redo a small number of timed exercises in each subject to keep your pace. Check the convocation again for the centre address, start time and authorised calculator, and prepare the documents and materials in one bag.
Do one full timed rehearsal under exam conditions if you have not already done so, then correct it carefully. Identify the question types where you lose the most time and decide a simple strategy for each, for example skipping a long calculation and returning to it later.
Confirm transport and, if needed, accommodation. Lay out ID, convocation, pens, calculator, watch, water and snack by the door. Set two alarms. In the evening, do only light revision of formula sheets, then stop and sleep at a reasonable hour.
Eat a real breakfast, leave with margin for delays, and arrive early enough to find the room calmly. Keep your phone off and stored as instructed before entering. Go to the toilet before the session starts.
Fill in your identity details and candidate number exactly as on the convocation, check the page count, and read the instructions for each part. Note the finish time on your watch and sketch a rough time budget per section before answering.
Work in passes: answer the questions you can do quickly first, then return to the harder ones. On multiple-choice items, eliminate options and always mark an answer if there is no penalty for a wrong choice; check the rules on negative marking first. Show clear reasoning on written questions, because partial credit is often given for a correct method.
Stop new questions. Check that every answer is reported in the right place (grid filled, boxes ticked, units given), that your candidate number is on every sheet, and that no answer has been left blank by accident.
Hand in all sheets as instructed and keep your convocation and candidate number: they are needed to consult results and, if you are admissible, for the later procedures. Note the results and admission timetable published by the provider.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document named on your convocation. If your document is lost or your name differs, contact the provider before the test rather than on the day (confirm with the provider).
Arrive before the time stated on the convocation. Access after the start, and any allowed lateness, is set by the centre; do not assume you will be admitted late (confirm with the provider).
Phones, connected watches and any other communicating or recording device must be handed in or left outside as instructed. Possession during the test is treated as fraud in most French exam settings.
Only the calculator models and materials authorised for the session may be used. Programmable or graphing calculators and shared material between candidates are normally prohibited (confirm the authorised list with the provider).
Work only on the sheets provided and only during the allotted time. Writing after the end signal, or writing on anything other than the official sheets, can lead to the paper being cancelled.
Communicating with another candidate, looking at another candidate's work or exchanging material is fraud, whatever the intent. Raise your hand and address the invigilator if you need something.
Breaks and exits during a session follow the centre's rules; in many rooms you may not leave and re-enter while the test is running. Ask the invigilator before the session if you have a medical need.
Scoring and any penalty for wrong multiple-choice answers are set by the exam organisers and can change between sessions. Read the instructions on the booklet and check the official notice for the current rules (confirm with the provider).