NABCEP SHSI exam-day guide
NABCEP SHSI · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID whose name matches your registration exactly. Confirm with the provider which ID forms it accepts and whether a secondary ID is required; if you are unsure your documents qualify, contact the provider before test day rather than at check-in.
Confirmation of your appointment and test location
Save or print your scheduling confirmation and re-read it the night before. Verify the exact address, arrival time, and whether the test is delivered at a physical test center or by live remote proctoring, since these have very different check-in procedures. Confirm with the provider if anything on the confirmation looks inconsistent.
Know your exam's format and time limit
Review the current candidate handbook for the number of scored items, the time allowed, and whether any items are unscored pretest items. Confirm with the provider if the handbook version you have is older than the current one, because item counts and time limits can change between editions.
Arrive early per provider guidance
Plan to be at the site before your scheduled start so you can complete check-in, ID verification, and any security screening without eating into your testing time. The specific early-arrival window is set by the provider, so confirm the exact number of minutes rather than guessing.
Leave prohibited personal items behind or plan storage
Phones, smartwatches, notes, and study materials are almost always prohibited in the testing room. Find out in advance whether the site offers lockers or whether you must leave items in your vehicle, and confirm the provider's policy on personal item storage.
Review the published calculator and reference-material policy
Determine whether an on-screen calculator is provided, whether a basic calculator is permitted, and whether any formula sheet is supplied. Practice with whatever will actually be available so you are not doing arithmetic a new way under time pressure. Confirm with the provider if the policy is not explicit in the handbook.
Plan travel and a buffer for delays
Map the route, check for construction or transit disruptions, and build in extra time for parking and building security. A late arrival can result in forfeiture of your seat and fee depending on provider policy, so confirm the late-arrival rule in advance.
Prepare for a long, focused session
Sleep, hydration, and a normal meal matter more than last-minute cramming. If you take medication or need an accommodation such as extra time or a separate room, arrange it with the provider well before test day, since accommodation requests usually require advance approval and documentation.
Confirm scoring and result-reporting mechanics
Know how the exam is scored, what score report you will receive, and when results are released. Confirm with the provider whether you receive a pass/fail result only or a scaled score with section feedback, and how and when results are delivered.
Know the retake and appeals policy before you sit
Understand any waiting period before a retake, the fee structure, and the process for challenging an exam irregularity. Confirm these details with the provider, because they are set by policy and can change.
Bring only what the provider explicitly permits
If the provider permits scratch paper, a pencil, or tissues, those will be supplied or specified at check-in. Do not assume any item is allowed; ask the provider or read the candidate handbook for the definitive permitted-items list.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material and shift to consolidation. Re-read your own summary sheets on the high-weight domains, work a small set of practice items under timed conditions, and review every miss to understand the reasoning rather than memorizing the answer. Confirm your appointment details, ID, and travel plan now so logistics do not compete with study time. If you have an accommodation request still pending, contact the provider immediately.
Do a light review only: skim formulas, key definitions, and safety-related concepts, then stop. Lay out your ID, confirmation, and any permitted items the night before. Check the weather and transit status, set two alarms, and go to bed at a normal hour. Avoid a heavy cram session, which tends to increase anxiety and reduce recall more than it helps.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, and arrive per the provider's early-arrival guidance. Leave prohibited items secured before you enter the building. At check-in, follow the proctor's instructions exactly, ask where the restrooms are, and note the time so you can pace yourself. If remote proctoring, complete the system check and room scan early and keep your workspace clear.
Read the instructions and any tutorial screens carefully before the timer starts, then do a quick pass to gauge difficulty. Answer the straightforward items first, flag anything that requires calculation or careful re-reading, and return to flagged items with remaining time. For calculation items, write the knowns, check units, and sanity-check whether the answer is physically reasonable. Watch the clock at roughly the one-third and two-thirds marks. If a technical problem or interruption occurs, stop and notify the proctor immediately rather than continuing, and confirm the incident is documented.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID the provider requires, with a name matching your registration. If your legal name differs from your registration for any reason, resolve it with the provider before test day; do not assume a proctor can override the rule at check-in.
Do not bring phones, smartwatches, notes, or study materials into the testing room. Storage options vary by site, so confirm with the provider where personal items must go and what happens if a prohibited item is found.
Follow all proctor instructions and any security screening. Attempting to remove exam content, communicate with others, or use unauthorized aids is treated as a serious irregularity, and the specific consequences are set by provider policy, so confirm them in the candidate handbook.
Take breaks only as the provider allows. Many computerized exams permit a scheduled break with specific rules about what you may access during it; confirm the break policy and whether the clock stops before you sit.
Understand how scoring works before you begin. Ask the provider whether results are pass/fail only or include a scaled score, whether any items are unscored, and how and when results are reported.
If you need an accommodation, request it well in advance with supporting documentation. Accommodation approval is a policy decision made by the provider, not the test site, so confirm the deadline and process early.
If a technical failure, distraction, or other irregularity occurs during the exam, report it to the proctor at the time and ask that it be documented. Follow up in writing per the provider's process rather than waiting until after results are released.
Confirm the retake policy, any waiting period, and the fee before test day so you know your options if the result is not what you hoped. These rules are set by the provider and can change, so verify them against the current handbook rather than relying on secondhand information.