OLSAT Level E exam-day guide
OLSAT Level E · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission/registration confirmation
Bring any confirmation slip, ticket, or letter the school or testing office issued. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or whether your name on a roster is sufficient.
Photo identification
Some sites require photo ID for the student or for the parent/guardian at check-in. Confirm with the provider what form of ID, if any, is accepted for a candidate at this level.
Two or more No. 2 pencils, pre-sharpened
The OLSAT answer document is normally completed with a pencil. Bring spares so a broken point never costs you time. Confirm with the provider whether any other writing instrument is permitted.
A soft, clean eraser
You will be filling in bubbles. A good eraser lets you correct a mis-marked row quickly and cleanly.
A small manual pencil sharpener
Choose a quiet, enclosed sharpener. Confirm with the provider that personal sharpeners are allowed in the testing room.
Simple analog watch (no smart features)
Useful only in rooms without a visible clock. Confirm with the provider whether a watch is permitted, since some testing rooms prohibit all personal devices.
Water bottle and a light snack
Many sites schedule a short break; some do not. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed at the desk or only outside the room.
Sweater or light layer
Room temperatures vary and you will be seated for long stretches. Dress in layers you can remove.
Directions, arrival time, and parking plan
Know the exact building entrance and how long check-in takes. Arriving flustered costs more than any last-minute review gains.
Glasses or any usual corrective aids
Bring whatever you normally use for reading at a distance or up close, plus a case.
Leave phones and smartwatches behind or stowed
Devices must be off and put away, typically outside the testing room. Confirm with the provider where they should be stored.
Nothing written-in or annotated to bring in
Bring no notes, flashcards, or worked examples into the room. Allowed materials are limited to what the provider lists.
Plan the day
Confirm logistics in writing: exact address, check-in time, what you may bring, break policy, and whether any ID or paperwork is required. Ask the provider directly rather than guessing.
Do one short, untimed acquaintance pass of each question type on the test (verbal reasoning, verbal classification, analogies, arithmetic reasoning, number puzzles/series, figural analogies, figure classification, figural series, paper folding, and pattern matrices at this level). The goal is familiarity with the format, not volume.
Practice the mechanics once: filling bubbles neatly, keeping your place on the answer row, and marking a skipped item so you can return. Sloppy bubbling is a common and entirely avoidable score loss.
Stop heavy drilling. Extra practice at this point adds fatigue faster than skill.
Light review only: remind yourself of the strategy for each item type (eliminate choices, look for the rule that ties the figures together, check the last step in a multi-step arithmetic item).
Pack everything from the checklist in one place by the door, including spares. Lay out clothes.
Eat normally, avoid a late night, and set two alarms. Aim for your usual amount of sleep rather than an unusually early bedtime.
Eat a normal breakfast and hydrate modestly. Too much liquid before a long seated block is a distraction.
Leave earlier than the map suggests. Arrive with time to use the restroom and settle before check-in closes.
Do not quiz yourself or compare answers with other candidates. Keep the morning calm and quiet.
Follow the proctor's directions exactly and listen carefully to instructions for each subtest, because the item types change from section to section and the rules differ slightly.
Pace by section. If an item does not yield within roughly a minute, mark your best answer, flag the item if the format allows it, and move on; return only if time remains.
Answer every item. Nothing is subtracted for a wrong answer, so an educated guess always beats a blank (confirm the scoring rule with the provider).
At the end of each section, check that your last mark sits on the correct answer row. Off-by-one bubbling can quietly ruin a strong section.
Use breaks to stand, stretch, drink water, and reset. Do not discuss the test with other candidates.
Rules to check
Follow the proctor's instructions at all times; where the printed directions and a general rule conflict, the proctor's direction for that section governs.
Bring only permitted materials into the testing room. Confirm with the provider in advance whether pencils, sharpeners, watches, snacks, or scratch paper are allowed.
Electronic devices, including phones and smartwatches, must be off and stored as directed. Do not keep a device on your person during the test.
All work must be your own: no talking, no looking at another candidate's answer document, and no sharing of question content before, during, or after the session.
Breaks are taken only at the times the proctor announces. Confirm with the provider how many breaks are scheduled and whether you may leave the room.
Scoring is based on the number of items answered correctly, and reported scores are typically standard age scores, percentile ranks, and stanines rather than a simple percentage. Confirm the exact scoring and reporting method with the provider.
Answer on the official answer document only, using the marking method specified. Marks made anywhere else are not scored.
If you are unsure about identification, eligibility, accommodations, or timing on test day, ask the provider before the session begins rather than assuming.