ASP Fellowship I exam-day guide
ASP Fellowship I · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID in the name you registered under. Confirm with the provider which ID types it accepts and whether a secondary ID is required; do not assume a digital or photocopied ID will be accepted.
Admission or scheduling confirmation
Keep the confirmation email or scheduling notice accessible (printed or on your phone) so you can resolve any check-in discrepancy quickly. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Know your test center or remote-testing logistics
For a test center, confirm the address, parking or transit options, and arrival time. For remote proctoring, confirm the platform, system requirements, and room rules with the provider, and run any required system check in advance.
Review the provider's current candidate handbook or rules page
Policies on permitted items, calculators, scratch materials, breaks, and scoring change over time. Read the version in effect for your appointment date rather than relying on older advice.
Confirm permitted and prohibited items
Ask the provider specifically about phones, smartwatches, notes, food and drink, and outerwear. Plan to leave prohibited items at home or in a secure place, since many centers do not provide storage.
Calculator and reference policy
Confirm with the provider whether an on-screen calculator, a supplied calculator, or a personal calculator is permitted, and which reference values or formulas (if any) are provided. Do not bring a personal calculator unless it is explicitly allowed.
Comfort and timing aids
Bring layers you can remove if the room is warm, and plan hydration and a light meal around the appointment. Confirm whether water or snacks are allowed in the testing room or only during breaks.
Scratch materials
Confirm with the provider whether scratch paper, a marker board, or an on-screen notepad is supplied and whether you may bring your own. Do not assume any writing material will be available.
Break and timing plan
Decide in advance whether you will take optional breaks and how you will pace sections. Confirm with the provider how breaks affect the clock and whether unscheduled breaks are permitted.
Scoring and results expectations
Confirm how and when results are released, whether scoring is criterion-referenced or scaled, and how any pass standard is set. Do not rely on rumored cut scores.
Accommodations confirmation
If you requested accommodations, confirm approval and the specific arrangements with the provider well before the appointment, and bring any approval documentation the provider requires.
Backup plan for the day
Save the provider's contact number for scheduling or technical problems, arrange your transport with buffer time, and know the procedure if a remote session fails mid-test.
Plan the day
Re-read the provider's current candidate rules and your appointment details, and verify the start time, location or remote platform, and ID requirements. Resolve any open questions (calculator, scratch materials, breaks, accommodations) with the provider now, not on test day.
Switch from learning new material to consolidating. Review your own summary notes and error log, focusing on topics you have repeatedly missed rather than broad re-reading. Stop intensive new-topic study at least a day before the exam.
For remote testing, complete the required system and equipment check (camera, microphone, browser, internet stability) and identify a quiet, private room that meets the provider's rules. Test your setup at the same time of day as your appointment if possible.
Do one or two timed practice sets under exam-like conditions to rehearse pacing and section transitions. Review only the explanations for questions you missed; do not chase new resources.
Confirm logistics: route and travel time or remote setup, arrival buffer, and what you will bring. Lay out ID, confirmation, layers, and any permitted items the night before.
Protect sleep. Avoid late-night cramming, heavy caffeine after midday, and alcohol. A short review of high-yield summaries in the early evening is fine; stop well before bedtime.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate moderately. Recheck the appointment time and location or platform, then leave or log in with buffer time so a delay does not consume test time.
Do a brief, low-stress warm-up (a few summary points or a handful of easy questions) rather than a full practice test. Arrive calm rather than mentally fatigued.
Read the full question and all options before answering. For long or calculation-heavy items, write the key given values in scratch materials and estimate before computing exactly.
Pace by section: note the time remaining at checkpoints and move on from any item that stalls you, flagging it to revisit if the platform allows. Answer every item, since unanswered items are usually scored as incorrect.
Use breaks as planned and confirm with the provider how break time interacts with the clock. On returning, re-orient to the section before resuming.
Note anything unusual (technical issues, interruptions, ambiguous instructions) and report it to the provider promptly, following its stated procedure. Then confirm how and when results will be released.
Rules to check
Bring the original, unexpired government-issued photo ID in your registered name. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a second ID is needed; without acceptable ID you may be refused admission and lose your fee.
Follow all proctor instructions and the provider's candidate rules on permitted items. Phones, smartwatches, notes, and other prohibited items must be stored as directed; unauthorized items in the testing area can lead to invalidation.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, and do not copy, photograph, or share exam content. Exam materials are confidential, and disclosure may result in score cancellation and other consequences under the provider's rules.
Confirm with the provider in advance whether scheduled or unscheduled breaks are allowed, whether the clock keeps running during breaks, and what you may access during them. Do not assume break time is untimed.
Scoring and pass standards are set by the provider. Confirm how results are reported and how any pass standard is determined rather than relying on unofficial cut scores or peer reports.
If a technical problem or interruption occurs, notify the proctor or provider support immediately and follow its documented procedure. Report issues promptly, since later claims may be harder to substantiate.
If you need accommodations, request and confirm them with the provider well before the appointment and bring any required approval documentation. Accommodations generally cannot be arranged on test day.