SLIA Part I exam-day guide
SLIA Part I · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID in the name you registered under. If your registration name differs from your ID (for example a maiden name or a shortened first name), contact the provider before test day to correct it or confirm what supporting documentation is accepted. Exact ID requirements vary by provider and test site, so confirm with the provider.
Admission or confirmation document
Print or save the appointment confirmation, eligibility/authorization record, or admission letter you received. Some sites ask to see it at check-in even when the ID is sufficient. Whether a printed copy is required or a digital copy is accepted is provider-specific, so confirm with the provider.
Scheduling and payment records
Keep your appointment confirmation number, test-site address, arrival time, and any receipt for fees or rescheduling handy. Note the provider's policy on late arrival and on rescheduling or cancellation deadlines, since fees and forfeiture rules differ between providers.
Permitted aids and materials
Find out in advance whether any reference materials, formula sheets, glossaries, or calculators are supplied on screen, supplied on paper, or prohibited. Do not bring notes, study sheets, or your own reference material unless the provider explicitly permits them for this exam.
Personal items plan
Most testing rooms do not allow bags, phones, smartwatches, or outerwear at the workstation. Plan where these will go (a locker, a car, or left at home) and confirm the site's storage arrangements with the provider.
Break and timing expectations
Confirm the total appointment time, the number of scored questions, and whether breaks are offered, optional, or built into the clock. Break rules affect your pacing, so clarify them before test day rather than during it.
Scoring and results information
Confirm how the exam is scored (scaled score, pass point, or reported domains), when results are released, and how they are delivered. Do not rely on secondhand accounts of the pass mark or result timing; confirm with the provider.
Logistics: route, arrival buffer, and rest
Plan the route and arrive with a buffer for traffic, parking, and security screening. Aim for a normal night's sleep rather than last-minute cramming, and eat a normal meal beforehand so hunger or caffeine does not compete with concentration.
Accessibility or special arrangements
If you need extra time, a separate room, a medical accommodation, or a language-related arrangement, request it well before test day and get written confirmation. Deadlines for accommodation requests vary, so confirm with the provider.
Pre-test technical check for remote delivery
If you are testing remotely, confirm the platform, browser, camera, microphone, and connection requirements in advance, and complete any required system check. Room and desk rules for remote proctoring are strict and provider-specific; confirm them with the provider rather than assuming.
A short, calm pre-test routine
Decide in advance on a brief routine for the last few minutes before the exam, such as reviewing your own summary of key frameworks or a breathing exercise. Avoid learning new material in the final hour, which tends to raise anxiety more than scores.
Post-test plan
Know what happens after you finish: whether you receive a preliminary result on screen, when formal results arrive, and how to request a score review or retake if needed. Retake waiting periods and fees are provider-specific, so confirm with the provider.
Plan the day
Shift from learning to consolidating. Review your own condensed notes, error log, and the domains you have scored weakest on, and stop opening new material you have not already studied. Do one timed practice set under realistic conditions to rehearse pacing, then review only the questions you missed and why. Confirm your appointment time, site address or remote-testing link, ID requirements, and permitted items with the provider. Sleep on a normal schedule for all three nights; sleep is the highest-return preparation in this window.
Do a light pass over your summary sheet and the handful of facts you keep missing, and nothing more. Pack your ID, confirmation document, and any permitted items in one place. Check the route and travel time, or run the remote-testing system check if applicable. Set two alarms. Avoid alcohol, heavy meals late at night, and last-minute cramming sessions that push bedtime back. Decide what you will do in the first ten minutes of the exam, such as a quick scratch outline or a scan of the question count.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, and leave earlier than you think you need to. Re-read only your one-page summary, if anything. At the site, follow check-in and security instructions exactly, store personal items where directed, and take care of restroom needs before you are seated. Once at the workstation, read the instructions and any tutorial screens carefully, confirm the clock and question count, and write down a simple time budget before answering the first question.
Work in passes: answer the questions you can resolve quickly, flag the rest, and return to them. Read each question stem to the end before looking at the options, and watch for qualifiers such as 'most likely', 'first', or 'except'. For scenario questions, identify the role and setting described, then choose the option that fits that role rather than the one that is merely plausible. Eliminate clearly wrong options before guessing, and never leave a question blank if there is no penalty for guessing, but confirm that policy with the provider. If a question feels like a trap, mark it, move on, and come back with fresh attention. Use breaks only if they are permitted and you actually need them, and check the clock after each break. In the final minutes, confirm you have answered or flagged every question and that no answer was accidentally changed.
Rules to check
Bring original, valid identification in the name used for registration, and confirm the provider's exact ID and name-matching requirements before test day; do not assume a photocopy or expired document will be accepted.
Follow all proctor and site instructions, including rules on personal items, electronics, outerwear, food and drink, and leaving the testing room. If a rule is unclear, ask the proctor before you begin rather than after.
Do not bring or use unauthorized materials, notes, devices, or communication tools, and do not attempt to record, photograph, or share exam content. Attempting to do so can void your result and may lead to further consequences under the provider's rules.
Confirm the break policy in advance: whether breaks are offered, whether they count against your time, and what you may access during them. Do not leave the testing area during a scored section unless the provider's rules allow it.
Understand the scoring model before test day: whether the result is a scaled score against a pass point, how domains are weighted or reported, and whether unanswered questions are penalized. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on secondhand reports.
If you need to reschedule, cancel, or request an accommodation, follow the provider's published process and deadlines in writing, and keep the confirmation. Do not assume a verbal arrangement will be honored.
If something goes wrong during the exam, such as a technical failure, a disturbance, or a timing issue, notify the proctor immediately and ask how it will be documented. Raise it during the session, not only afterward, and keep any reference number you are given.
Treat the result as one data point. If you do not pass, review your score report by domain and confirm the provider's retake waiting period and fees before scheduling again.