ABR (NAR) exam-day guide
ABR · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the government-issued photo ID required by your testing provider. The name and spelling must match your registration exactly; if you have had a name change, confirm with the provider in advance which documents they will accept. Do not assume a digital ID or expired document will be accepted - confirm with the provider.
Confirmation email or scheduling receipt
Have your appointment confirmation, confirmation number, and the test center address or remote-proctoring link available. For a remote appointment, run the provider's system check on the same computer and network you will use on test day, several days ahead of time.
Know your exam's structure and timing
Confirm the current number of questions, section breakdown, and total appointment time from the official ABR or provider materials. Build your pacing plan around the actual item count rather than a remembered or rumored format.
Review the permitted-materials policy
Most standardized exams restrict what you may bring to the testing room. Confirm with the provider whether scratch paper, a calculator, references, or a personal keyboard are allowed, and whether any are provided on screen.
Remote-proctoring room requirements (if testing remotely)
If your appointment is remote, confirm the provider's rules on room privacy, desk clearance, permitted items, camera and microphone requirements, and whether breaks are allowed. These rules vary by provider - confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Breaks and food/water plan
Confirm with the provider whether scheduled or unscheduled breaks are permitted, whether the clock stops during a break, and whether you may leave the testing area. Plan hydration and a light snack around those rules.
Logistics: arrival time, travel, and parking
Confirm the required arrival time (many centers ask you to arrive well before your appointment for check-in) and locate parking or transit options. For remote testing, arrange a quiet space and a backup internet option.
Sleep and medication routine
Protect sleep in the final week and keep any regular medication schedule stable. If you need accommodations, confirm approval and arrangements with the provider well before test day - accommodation requests are typically handled in advance, not on the day.
Score-report and retake policy
Know when and how results are released, whether scoring is criterion- or norm-referenced, and what the retake and waiting-period rules are. Confirm with the provider, since these details change.
Backup plan for technology failure
For remote testing, know the provider's procedure if your connection drops or the platform fails, and how to reach support during the appointment. Save the support contact before you begin.
Personal comfort items cleared in advance
Items such as tissues, earplugs, or a sweater may or may not be permitted. Ask the provider ahead of time so you are not surprised at check-in.
Plan the day
Stop introducing new material. Review condensed summaries, error logs, and high-yield lists you already own. Take at most one full-length practice set under timed conditions, then spend more time reviewing the misses than taking the test. Confirm your appointment time, location or remote link, and ID requirements. Check the provider's current rules on permitted items, breaks, and arrival time. Protect sleep and avoid late-night cramming.
Do a light pass over your weakest two or three topics and your formula or concept sheet, then stop. Prepare your ID, confirmation, and any permitted items in one place. For remote testing, run the system and equipment check, charge devices, and test your backup connection. Set two alarms. Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy caffeine after early afternoon, and go to bed at your usual time rather than much earlier.
Eat a normal breakfast and hydrate moderately rather than excessively. Recheck the appointment time, address, or link, and leave earlier than you think necessary. Arrive at the center with time to spare for check-in, or for remote testing log in early to complete identity verification and room scan. Do not cram new material; a brief look at your summary sheet is enough. Keep your ID in hand.
Read the instructions and any tutorial screens carefully before the clock starts. Do a quick pacing calculation: total time divided by item count gives your average budget per question. Answer in order but do not stall - flag uncertain items and move on, returning if time allows. Read each stem for qualifiers such as 'most likely', 'except', or 'best'. For image- or case-based items, identify the key finding first, then the question being asked. If a break is permitted, use it to stand and reset, and note whether the clock continues. If technology fails during remote testing, follow the provider's support procedure immediately.
Rules to check
Bring the identification the provider requires, and make sure the name matches your registration. If your ID is uncertain or your name has changed, confirm with the provider before test day.
Follow all testing-integrity rules: no unauthorized materials, no communication with others during the exam, no photographing or reproducing exam content, and no sharing of exam questions afterward. Violations can lead to score cancellation.
Confirm with the provider in advance what is permitted in the testing room or at your remote desk, including scratch paper, calculators, phones, watches, and personal items. When in doubt, leave it out or ask first.
Learn the break policy before test day: whether breaks are scheduled or on request, whether the clock runs during them, and what you may do during them. Do not leave the testing area without following the provider's procedure.
Understand how scoring works for your exam - whether it is criterion-referenced, how sections are weighted, and whether there is a minimum passing standard per section. Confirm the current standard with the provider rather than relying on secondhand reports.
Know the retake policy, including any waiting period or limit on attempts, and the timeline for score release. Confirm with the provider, since these policies are subject to change.
If you need testing accommodations, request and confirm them well before your appointment; accommodation arrangements are generally not made on test day.
If something goes wrong - a technology failure, a disruption, or an illness - notify testing staff or provider support immediately and document what happened, since resolution procedures usually depend on timely reporting.