NASM PES exam-day guide
NASM PES · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Use a current driver's license, state ID, or passport. The name on the ID must match your registration record exactly. If your name differs (for example, a recent legal name change or a nickname on your account), contact the provider to correct it before test day rather than at check-in.
Appointment confirmation and candidate/registration number
Have the confirmation email or your account dashboard accessible on a second device (phone) so you can read out the confirmation number if the proctor asks. Do not open email on the testing computer while the exam is live.
Login credentials for your account and the exam platform
Verify your username and password the day before, and confirm your password reset method works. Lockouts at check-in eat into your appointment window.
Computer that meets the platform's technical requirements
Webcam, microphone, and speakers/headset that the proctoring software can detect. Run the provider's system compatibility check in advance; confirm the current browser and operating system requirements with the provider.
Stable internet connection plus a backup
Wired ethernet is more reliable than Wi-Fi. Have a phone hotspot or a second location in mind in case your connection drops. Confirm with the provider how an interruption is handled before you begin.
Quiet, private, well-lit room with a cleared desk
No other people, pets, or foot traffic. Remove papers, books, sticky notes, extra monitors, and anything within arm's reach. Proctors usually ask for a 360-degree room and desk scan, so set the space up as if you will be asked.
Phone and smartwatch set aside
Phones are typically used for check-in but must be silenced and placed out of reach once the exam starts. Smartwatches are almost always prohibited; confirm the provider's exact policy.
Power adapter and a fully charged device
Plug in for the whole session if possible. A battery failure mid-exam is treated as a technical interruption, not a free retake.
Water in a clear, unlabeled container
Some proctors allow this and some do not. Confirm the provider's rules on beverages and food, and do not fight it at check-in.
A plan for scratch paper or on-screen notes
Many remote-proctored exams prohibit physical scratch paper and rely on an on-screen note tool or a permitted whiteboard. Confirm what is allowed for this exam before test day; do not assume paper is fine.
Accommodation approval, if you requested one
Extended time or other accommodations are typically granted only if approved in advance. Have the approval documentation available and confirm how the accommodation is activated in the platform.
A pacing plan written on one card you will put away
The specialization exams are commonly described as 40 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, which works out to roughly 90 seconds per question. Confirm the current item count and time limit on the provider's exam page and rehearse that pace on practice questions.
Plan the day
Re-read the official candidate handbook or exam page for the current item count, time limit, passing standard, retake policy, and prohibited-items list. Reconcile anything that differs from what you assumed.
Run the proctoring platform's equipment test on the exact computer, webcam, and network you will use. Fix problems now, not on test morning.
Switch from learning to retrieving: do short sets of practice questions across the exam domains (movement science and functional biomechanics, assessment and screening, program design within the OPT model, and special populations), and review only rationales for items you missed.
Confirm the appointment time in your own time zone, including any daylight-saving offset, and put it in your calendar with a 30-minute earlier start reminder.
Do a final full dry run at roughly the same time of day as your appointment: log in to the platform, check camera and microphone, and confirm the room layout you will use.
Review compact summaries only: the OPT stabilization/strength/power progressions, acute variables, core and balance and plyometric and SAQ progressions, and your personal list of frequently missed concepts. No new material.
Prepare the physical setup: ID on the desk, phone charger nearby, desk cleared, room tidied, power adapter connected. Then stop studying and protect your sleep.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate, and keep caffeine at your usual level rather than more than usual. Avoid heavy meals and a lot of coffee close to the start time.
Begin check-in early, typically 15 to 30 minutes before your appointment; confirm the exact check-in window with the provider. Late arrivals may be treated as a no-show.
Close every other application, silence notifications, put the phone out of reach after check-in, and complete the ID verification and room scan calmly and cooperatively.
Read each item twice, underline the key qualifier (which phase, which variable, which population), and predict your answer before looking at the options. Eliminate clearly wrong choices first.
Hold to roughly 90 seconds per question. If an item stalls you, mark it, choose your best answer, and move on; return only if the platform allows review and you have banked time.
In the final minutes, make sure every item is answered, since unanswered items are scored wrong, and submit deliberately rather than letting the timer run out while you second-guess.
Record whether pass/fail is shown immediately or sent by email, and save your score report. If you did not pass, confirm the retake waiting period, fee, and whether a study plan is required before rebooking.
Rules to check
Bring a government-issued photo ID. The name must match your registration. If it does not, resolve it with the provider before the appointment; a mismatch can end the session at check-in.
Treat the exam as closed-book and closed-room. No notes, printed materials, second screen, phone, smartwatch, earbuds, or another person in the room. Proctors generally scan the room and may pause or void the session for unauthorized items, and whether a pause is allowed at all is a provider policy: confirm it beforehand.
Assume no scheduled breaks for a roughly one-hour exam. Leaving the camera frame can be flagged or end the session. If you need an accommodation or an unscheduled break, confirm the procedure with the provider before starting rather than mid-exam.
Keep your eyes on the screen and do not read questions aloud or mouth answers; some proctoring software flags this as suspicious behavior. Talk only if the proctor initiates contact.
The passing standard, item count, and time limit are set by the provider and can change. Pull the current figures from the official exam page or handbook, and confirm how and when results are reported, rather than relying on secondhand numbers.
If the session fails technically, stop and contact the provider's support channel immediately using a second device, and get a case or ticket number. Whether an interrupted exam is resumed, rescheduled, or scored is a provider decision, so confirm the current technical-failure policy in advance.
Before you sit, confirm the retake policy: the waiting period, the fee, and any required remediation. Knowing your options reduces the pressure that leads to rushed answers.
If you need extended time or another accommodation, request it through the provider's process well before the appointment and keep the approval handy; it usually cannot be granted on the day of the exam.