CAQ-EM exam-day guide
CAQ-EM · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact form of identification named in your admission notice. Name, photo, and signature must match your registration record; an expired or mismatched ID is the most common reason candidates are turned away. If your ID is expired, renewed but not yet received, or in a different name (marriage, transliteration), confirm with the provider before test day what alternatives are accepted.
Admission or scheduling confirmation
Print or save the confirmation email showing your appointment time, test center address, and confirmation number. Some centers check it at the door; even where it is not required, it settles disputes about your slot and gives you the phone number to call if you are delayed.
Know your test center route and arrival buffer
Do a route rehearsal or check transit and parking options in advance. Aim to arrive well before your appointment; the specific arrival cutoff and late-admission policy vary by center, so confirm with the provider how late you may arrive and still be seated.
Exam-day logistics confirmed with the provider
Confirm the current rules for personal items, storage, permitted calculators or reference material, and whether any breaks are scheduled. These details change between delivery formats and locations; do not rely on another candidate's account of last year's exam.
Identification-compliant calculator and supplies
If a calculator is permitted, bring a model that matches the allowed list and check the batteries or charge the night before. Bring spare pencils or pens only if the provider permits them; many centers supply materials and ban outside items.
Watch or silent timer (only if permitted)
Some centers forbid wrist devices of any kind and provide a visible clock instead. Confirm before relying on your own watch to pace sections.
Light layers and a quiet stomach
Room temperature is often out of your control, so dress in layers you can remove. Eat a normal meal rather than experimenting with something new; test-day nerves plus unfamiliar food is a bad combination.
Water and a snack for the break
Bring these only if the provider allows outside items in the waiting area and confirms where they may be stored. Hydrate normally in the days before rather than overloading on the morning of the exam.
Leave valuables at home
Phones, smartwatches, and bags usually must be stored away from the testing room, and storage may be limited. Carrying less removes both a security risk and a distraction.
A one-page personal review sheet
Write out the handful of formulas, definitions, or decision rules you keep forgetting. Review it in the final waiting minutes, then put it away before entering the testing room, since outside notes are generally prohibited during the exam.
Plan for the unexpected
Save the provider's contact number and know the reschedule and emergency policies. If something goes wrong on the day, calling before your appointment time is usually better than arriving late without notice; confirm the exact policy with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop adding new material. Reread your own notes and error log, focusing on the topics you have repeatedly missed. Take at most one timed practice set to rehearse pacing, then review only what you got wrong. Confirm your appointment time, the center address, and the ID and item rules with the provider. Sleep on a normal schedule rather than cramming late; memory consolidation matters more than one more hour of review.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, permitted calculator and supplies, layers, and snack. Lay out clothes. Rehearse the route and decide your departure time with a buffer for traffic and check-in. Do a light review of your summary sheet only. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and late screens. Set two alarms and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a normal breakfast and limit caffeine to your usual amount; more than usual increases jitters and bathroom trips. Arrive early and use the waiting time for your summary sheet, not for conversation with anxious candidates. Follow check-in instructions exactly, store prohibited items as directed, and take a few slow breaths before the section begins.
Read the instructions and note the section timing before starting. Answer the straightforward questions first and flag anything that needs a second pass, so a hard item never eats time meant for easier points. Watch the clock at natural checkpoints rather than every minute. If a question stalls you, eliminate what you can, choose, mark it, and move on. Use scheduled breaks to stand, drink water, and reset; do not spend breaks rehashing questions you have already answered. Leave enough time at the end of each section to confirm no flagged items remain blank, since unanswered questions score no points.
Write down the topics that felt weak while the memory is fresh, so any retake plan starts from evidence rather than anxiety. Confirm with the provider when and how results are released and how long a passing score remains valid.
Rules to check
Bring the identification type and name format specified by the provider. If anything about your ID is unusual, resolve it before test day; do not assume a center will make an exception.
Personal items such as phones, smartwatches, notes, and bags are generally prohibited in the testing room. Store them as directed and do not access them during the exam; confirm the exact policy with the provider.
Follow all directions from proctors and center staff. If you believe a rule has been misapplied to you, comply first and raise it afterward through the provider's official channel rather than arguing at the door.
Breaks, if any, are scheduled by the provider. Confirm in advance whether unscheduled breaks are allowed, whether the clock keeps running, and what you may access during them.
Scoring rules, including how unanswered questions and any penalty policies are treated, are set by the provider. Confirm the current policy rather than relying on secondhand descriptions.
Report any technical or environmental problem immediately so it is documented at the time. A complaint raised only after the exam is much harder to substantiate.
Do not discuss, reproduce, or share exam content with anyone. Attempting to record questions or use unauthorized aids can void your result and affect future eligibility.
Confirm with the provider how results are reported, how long they remain valid, and what the retake policy is, so you know your options before you need them.