VMBO GL/TL Economie exam-day guide
VMBO GL/TL Economie · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Bring your school ID or a valid ID document
You will usually need to identify yourself at the door. The exact ID requirement is set by your school and by CvTE as the examining body - confirm with your teacher or the exam coordinator which document is accepted, and bring it even if you are unsure.
Know the exact time and room of your economie exam
The GL/TL economie exam is scheduled in a fixed national time slot (the first period or second period of a day). Check your personal exam schedule (rooster) for the room, start time and the rule on how early you must be present. Confirm with your school how early you must report.
Bring a blue or black pen, plus a spare
Write your answers in blue or black ink. Bring at least two working pens so a failing pen does not cost you time. Check with your school whether pencil is allowed for any part of the paper.
Bring a pencil and an eraser
Useful for rough work and for any multiple-choice answer sheet if one is used. Confirm with the exam coordinator whether a pencil is permitted for the answer sheet.
Bring a simple, non-programmable calculator
Economie requires calculations (percentages, index numbers, interest, exchange rates). A basic calculator is normally allowed; graphing or programmable calculators are normally not. Confirm with your teacher which calculator model is permitted in your school's exam rules.
Bring a clean copy of your Binas or other approved information booklet
Check with your teacher whether your school permits an information booklet (such as Binas) for economie and which edition. Do not write notes in it - annotations can be treated as fraud. Confirm the rules with the provider.
Leave your phone and smartwatch at home or in your bag, switched off
Phones, smartwatches and other devices must not be on your person or on your table during the exam. Having a device within reach can be treated as fraud, even if you did not use it. Confirm with your school where bags and phones must be stored.
Prepare your own scrap paper only if your school allows it
Some schools hand out scrap paper; bringing your own may not be permitted. Ask your teacher in advance. Confirm with the provider.
Read the official exam instructions (examenreglement) of your school
The rules on arrival, late entry, leaving early, toilet visits and fraud are set by your school within the national framework. Read the version your school publishes and ask about anything unclear.
Practise with the official past papers and answer models
Work through recent GL/TL economie exams from the official CvTE archive. Time yourself, then mark your work with the official answer model (correctievoorschrift) so you learn how points are awarded, including points for the calculation method.
Prepare a one-page overview of formulas and key concepts
Include percentage change, index numbers, real vs nominal, elasticity, break-even, cost and revenue calculations, and the difference between a stock and a flow variable. Use it for revision, not during the exam unless your school allows notes - confirm with the provider.
Plan your transport and a backup
Arriving late can cost you exam time or entry. Check travel time, public transport disruptions and have a backup plan. Confirm with your school what happens if you arrive late.
Plan the day
Make a realistic overview of the exam: how many questions, how many points, and the question types (multiple choice, short open, calculation, graph/table reading, essay-style explanation). Take one full past paper under timed conditions without notes, then mark it with the official answer model. Write down the three topics that cost you the most points.
Target those three weak topics with focused practice: redo the questions you missed and write out the correct calculation steps by hand. Practise the standard command words (bereken, verklaar, noem, bereken met behulp van, geef aan) and what each demands: a calculation needs the formula, the substitution and the answer with units; an explanation needs a cause-and-effect chain, not a single word.
Make one more timed past paper, focusing on time management: roughly one minute per point as a starting rule, but confirm the actual length of your exam with your teacher. Check that your calculator works and has fresh batteries, and pack your bag: ID, pens, pencil, eraser, calculator, approved information booklet.
Light revision only: read your one-page formula and concepts overview and skim your own error notes. Do not start new material. Check the exact room, start time and arrival time on your schedule. Prepare clothes in layers, a drink and something small to eat for before or after the exam, and set two alarms. Get a full night's sleep.
Eat breakfast and arrive early - well before the stated arrival time, so delays do not cost you exam time. Hand in or switch off your phone before entering the exam room. Check that you have your ID, two pens, pencil, eraser and calculator. Go to the toilet before the exam starts, since toilet visits during the exam may be limited - confirm the rule with the invigilator.
Fill in your name and exam number exactly as instructed. Read the whole paper briefly to see the structure and point values, then start with the questions you can do confidently. Do not spend too long on one difficult question; mark it and come back.
For every calculation, write down the formula, the numbers you substitute and the outcome with the correct unit, because method points are often awarded even if the final number is wrong. For explanations, write a full chain of reasoning in complete sentences. Refer to the data in the question explicitly instead of writing 'it rises' without saying what rises and why. Watch the units: percentages versus percentage points, euros versus thousands of euros, and index numbers with a base year.
Check that every question has an answer and that you have not left blanks where partial credit was possible. Check that you answered the question actually asked (some questions have two parts). Verify units and whether a sign (plus/minus) is needed. Make sure your name and exam number are on every sheet you hand in.
Rules to check
Identification: you must be able to identify yourself at the exam. The exact accepted documents are set by your school and the examining body - confirm with your teacher or exam coordinator before exam day, and bring the document they name.
Devices: phones, smartwatches, earbuds and similar devices must be switched off and out of reach for the whole exam. Having a device within reach can be treated as fraud even if you did not use it. Confirm with your school where devices must be stored.
Permitted aids: a simple non-programmable calculator is normally allowed for economie; programmable or graphing calculators and notes are normally not. Check with your teacher which aids and which information booklet are permitted in your school's exam rules - confirm with the provider.
Timing and late entry: the start and end times are fixed nationally, and your school sets how early you must be present and whether late entry is allowed. Confirm the late-arrival rule with your school in advance; do not assume you will be admitted.
Leaving early and toilet visits: rules on leaving the room before the end of the exam and on toilet visits are set by your school within the national framework. Ask the invigilator before the exam starts so you know what to expect - confirm with the provider.
Scoring: points are awarded per question according to the official answer model, and for calculations the method can earn points even when the final answer is wrong. Write down your steps. Partial credit is only possible if you write something - never leave a question completely blank.
Fraud: copying, using unauthorized aids, communicating with others, or having notes or devices within reach can lead to invalidation of your exam. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, raise your hand and ask the invigilator before you use it.
After the exam: hand in all answer sheets and any scrap paper as instructed, and do not take the question paper out of the room unless the invigilator says it is allowed. Confirm the rule with your school.