Exam Procedures

Your exam invitation, or Notice to Schedule (NTS), email from Meazure Learning will have links for you to check your computer system. If you take your exam online, it is important to verify that your computer meets the minimum requirements and that you have reliable access to the Internet. An internet connection disruption will suspend the exam session. 

IMPORTANT: If taking the exam online, you must use a computer on which you have full admin access.

​If you have computer system questions after following the instructions provided by Meazure Learning's schedule confirmation email, please contact Meazure Learning at +1 919-572-6880 or candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com.

Note: Meazure Learning, Scantron, and ProctorU are all one-and-the-same organization.

For all CCST level exams, Units Conversion Tables will be provided to candidates in either paper format (paper/pencil exams) or accessible within the electronic test interface for reference during the exam. Click here to review the Units Conversion Tables.

It is important to be certain when selecting the method and time you want to take the exam. You may incur fees if you change the time and method of testing. Exams must be scheduled in advance as follows: 

If you are within your exam window or eligibility period, you may reschedule your exam appointment before the online and test center reschedule cut-off times via the online exam scheduling system. If you are outside your exam window and want to request an extension, please contact certifications@isa.org.

There is no rescheduling fee. However, it must be changed no less than 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment date and time.

There is no rescheduling fee. However, it must be changed at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled appointment. Additionally, you must reschedule the new appointment no less than two calendar days in advance of the new appointment at a Meazure Learning test center.

You will incur a rescheduling fee of 50 USD. Rescheduling fees are payable to Meazure Learning via a secure e-commerce site (credit card). The reschedule cut-off time is no later than two calendar days prior to the exam appointment. Additionally, if you are scheduling a new online exam appointment, it must be done no less than 24 hours prior to the new appointment date and time.

You can cancel an exam through Meazure Learning's online exam scheduling system.

You may retest as many times as needed, if you do not pass or if you miss your scheduled exam, within your exam window or eligibility period. However, there is a fee each time that is payable to ISA. If you need to retest or have missed your exam, you must submit a request to certifications@isa.org.

If a candidate fails their exam, they may retest as many times as needed within their 12-month certification exam window or six-month certificate eligibility period. There is a fee each time retesting is needed. If a candidate does not pass the exam within the program exam deadline, the applicant must reapply for that certification or register again for the certificate course to sit for the exam.

If you fail to appear for a scheduled exam or arrive more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, you will be considered a no-show and forfeit your exam. However, you may retake a missed exam by paying a rescheduling fee to ISA if you are within your exam window or eligibility period. To request a rescheduled exam, email certifications@isa.org with your request. See exam procedures section #4, Rescheduling an Exam, for reschedule fee costs.

All ISA certification exams are closed-book and have multiple choice questions.  We apply a modified Angoff Method to determine the pass point for each exam (learn more about the modified Angoff Method below). Our certification exams last between 3 and 4 hours and our certificate exams last two hours.

ISA does not provide a passing score; you are only notified whether you passed or failed. If you fail an exam, you will receive a score report that lists the domains and indicates the percentage of questions answered correctly within each domain. Note that the percentages are not used to calculate a candidate’s passing score.

You will see your exam results on the screen at the completion of the exam. You will also receive your exam results immediately via email from (candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com). If you do not receive an email containing your results within 24 hours, please contact Meazure Learning by phone at +1 919-572-6880 or email candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com for assistance. 

If you pass your exam, you will receive an email containing a digital badge from isa_badges@isa.org within one business day of completing the exam. To access, manage, and/or share your secure digital badge, use your email address and password to enter your BadgeCert portfolio. If it is the first time accessing your portfolio or if you have forgotten your password, click “Request new password?” on their login page to create your password. More information about using your digital badge can be found here.

Be advised that we update our databases and systems with the previous month’s exam data in the first part of the following month.  ISA will update your credential status on the “My Credentials” tab from your ISA account and in ISA's Credential Directory within the first ten (10) business days of the following month you took your exam.

The modified Angoff Method uses expert judgements to determine the difficulty level of the exam. The easier the exam, the higher the pass point. Likewise, the more difficult the exam, the lower the pass point. The following is a basic outline of the modified Angoff Method (some details have been omitted):

Exam advice

A typical examination question in Mathematics will have several parts to it. Some parts (most usually at the beginning of the question) test your knowledge, by asking you to reproduce "bookwork", i.e. material presented in the lectures. Really, these parts test how well you've revised. Occasionally, especially in certain more advanced courses, there are entire questions that are bookwork. In some courses, some pieces of bookwork come up in the exam almost every year. In other courses, hardly any bookwork is set explicitly.

Tip: Figure out which pieces of bookwork come up most frequently, and make sure you can answer those questions easily and quickly.

You would be surprised how many poor attempts at routine bookwork questions we see every year. These are the parts of the questions that we expect students to be able to do.

Other parts of examination questions involve a "problem". In a "Methods" course, this will typically involve you applying a known technique from the course, and again this is something we expect you to be able to do. In a Pure Mathematics course, you might be asked to prove a result, or to apply a result in a particular setting.

Tip: Sometimes (but certainly not always!), the first part of the question is intended as a big hint as to how you should approach the second part.

Many exam questions, especially those that are otherwise very routine, have a last part (a "rider") which is more challenging than the rest of the question. This is quite deliberate, and the intention is to test whether you've really understood the material.

Tip: Do try all the riders (they're not always so hard after all!) but don't waste too much time on them in an exam if there are other things you can tackle instead.

Students sometimes seem to be annoyed that they have to do something clever to get 100% on a question. Don't forget, in many other subjects it's practically impossible to score 100% on a question!

Tip: Make sure you've answered all the parts of the question. Sometimes you're asked to do seven or eight things, and it's easy to overlook one.

Exam Information

An exam proctor will begin reading exam instructions approximately 15 minutes before the exam start time. Students must be in the exam room with their exam at this time. If taking the exam on a laptop, it must be booted up and have passed the security check. Hand writers must not have a laptop with them in an exam room, unless otherwise allowed according to the professor’s instructions. A student entering the exam room after the proctor begins reading instructions will not receive additional time for booting up their laptop, passing the security check, and/or reading exam instructions.

When instructed by the proctor, write your exam number on the cover page of your exam, bluebooks, and any scratch paper you turn in as part of your exam. Handwritten exam answers must be written in blue books in blue or black ink. Number the bluebooks you use (1 of 1, 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc.). Proctors will allow time to read the professor’s instructions. Other than counting the number of pages of the exam, students are not permitted to turn the page of an exam past the instructions page until the proctor instructs them to do so.

When taking a closed-book exam, no books, outlines, book bags, purses, or scratch paper (other than the scratch paper provided) may be at your seat during the exam. These items must be left outside of the exam room or in the front or sides of the exam room. Students may not begin to write anything, including on scratch paper, before the proctor begins a closed-book exam.

Students taking in-class exams are prohibited from having any electronic communication device, other than a laptop as allowed per the professor's instructions, during the exam. Cell phones and smart watches must be turned off during the exam and placed in a bag or backpack. Violations of this rule may be considered an Honor Code violation. A clock in each exam room will be the official timekeeper for the exam.

Non-alcoholic beverages are permitted in exam rooms; however, the container must have a lid.

After the exam instructions have been read and the exam begins, the proctor will remain in the room. Any student who has a question or problem during an exam should see the proctor.

Students may use the restroom or take a break during an exam. However, all exam materials must be left in the exam room and no additional time will be given. Students must sign in and out at the front of the room with the proctor.