Everything You Need to Know about Executive Assessment (EA) Test Day
Taking the EA at a Test Center: Arriving Prepared on Test Day
Being prepared for EA test day can alleviate a great deal of stress and help facilitate an optimal testing experience. Students should first and foremost make sure they know how to get to the test center. It is advisable to visit the location in advance of the actual test, in order to become familiar with the transportation routine (traffic, directions, parking, etc.). Test-takers should plan on arriving at the test center at least half an hour before the test begins. Test centers generally have waiting areas where students can relax, read a newspaper, or do some last-minute studying. In order to be admitted to the test center, students must bring valid identification, a letter or email from Pearson VUE confirming the test appointment, and their list of business schools that they wish to receive scores. Valid identification must include the test-taker's name (exactly as it appears on registration), date of birth, a recent and recognizable photograph, and signature. Documents that meet these criteria include passports, driver's licenses, military IDs, or government-issued national identification cards. All forms of identification must be current (expired documents are not allowed). Snacks and drinks are allowed only during breaks and cannot be taken into the test room (they must be stored in lockers outside of the testing area). Test-takers are advised to pack all of their materials the night before the exam.
Items Allowed in the Test Center
Nearly all personal items are prohibited in the test center during the testing period (the only exceptions are identification, locker key, light sweater, and prescription eyeglasses). Any other possessions brought to the test center must be stored in lockers while taking the test. Items specifically prohibited include cell phones, watches, calculators, all other types of electronic devices, books, pens, rulers, and paper. Weapons of any kind are not permitted in any area of the test center. Test-takers are provided with booklets of scratch paper and pencils, and additional scratch paper will be provided on request. Beyond the documents required for admission, students will not need to bring any additional items in order to complete the test.
Test Center Rules and Regulations
All testing aids are expressly forbidden while taking the EA, including electronic devices, books, or any other item that could assist a test-taker. Students are subject to video and audio monitoring while undergoing the exam, and students may not communicate with each other in any way or otherwise disrupt the testing session. Leaving the test room during the test period without the permission of the test administrator is prohibited, and students must stay in the designated areas during breaks. Access to cell phones, laptops, or any other communication device will not be permitted during break periods. Test materials cannot be removed from the test center and cannot be reproduced in any form.
Test Day Chronology
Upon arrival at the test center, the first step is to check in. This process begins with the presentation of valid identification and the signing of the EA Examination & Testing Rules Agreement. Administrators then digitally record the test-taker's signature, photograph, and palm vein pattern. Before being assigned a computer workstation, students must sign the non-disclosure agreement. Students who do not complete all steps of this process will not be allowed to take the test. The EA begins with the Integrated Reasoning section, followed by the Verbal Reasoning section, and finally the Quantitative Reasoning section. The entire test lasts 90 minutes and there are no breaks offered. After finishing the test, students are shown their score on the computer monitor. If they selected schools to send scores to prior to taking the EA, this is the score that will be sent out. They will also receive a printout of their score, and it will be available in their online dashboard account within 24 hours of completing the exam. Before leaving the test center, students are asked a series of questions about demographics, background, graduate school plans, and willingness to participate in surveys.
Penalties for Violations
Test-takers who fail to follow all of the above policies will receive sanctions that range from cancellation of scores all the way up to lifetime testing bans, depending on the nature of the violation. Policy violations (accessing electronic devices, accessing study guides, improper storage of items, or accessing other unauthorized items) result in score cancellation, indication of a violation on official score reports, and testing bans of one to three years. Serious policy violations (disrupting others, falsifying score reports, taking the test for others, disclosing test content, or providing fraudulent payment) can lead to testing bans of one year to life as well as revocation of scores and notification to schools.
Taking the EA Online at Home
If you are taking the EA at home, there are specific policies you must follow. You must take the test using a Windows or Mac personal computer or laptop. Please refer to the GMAC EA website for the most updated information on specific system requirements. You must complete the test in a walled room with a door, and no one else may enter the room while you are completing the test. Those EA exams taken at home are remote proctored, which means human proctors monitor your session through live video and audio feeds, both of which are recorded. You will need to provide proof of your identity when taking the EA at home, and you will be asked to present a valid government-issued ID with a recent, recognizable photo (typically a passport or driver’s license), which will be checked through facial recognition technology.
When completing the EA at home, you will have access to an online whiteboard on which you can work through calculations, make notes, or complete scratch work, as well as a calculator for the Integrated Reasoning section. You can also follow the GMAC guidelines and purchase a physical whiteboard that can be used in place of the virtual whiteboard, although you may always decide to use the virtual whiteboard instead. According to the GMAC, you may use one erasable whiteboard that is no larger than 12 inches by 20 inches (30cm x 50cm). You may use one dry erase marker and one eraser during the exam session. During your assessment you will be asked to ensure your whiteboard is completely empty and show the front and back of your blank whiteboard to the camera. You will receive onscreen prompts for when to do this. While there may be no acknowledgement from the proctor, the front and back of your whiteboard will be recorded on video and will be reviewed by test security.
There are no scheduled breaks during the at-home EA administration and if you need to leave your computer for whatever reason, the assessment clock will not stop. You must also secure permission from the remote proctor before leaving your computer.
Items Allowed in the Room
All items that are prohibited in a test center are prohibited from being in your room while you take the EA online at home. Items specifically prohibited include cell phones, calculators, paper, pen/pencil, permanent marker, tissues, paper towels, napkins, whiteboard cleaning spray, paper in a clear slide, Boogie boards, chalkboards, and writing tablets.
Test Day Chronology
Administration of the EA online will proceed very similarly to administration at a test center. The process begins with the presentation of valid identification and the signing of the EA Examination & Testing Rules Agreement. Students must sign the non-disclosure agreement. Students who do not complete all steps of this process will not be allowed to take the test. The EA begins with the Integrated Reasoning section, followed by the Verbal Reasoning section, and finally the Quantitative Reasoning section. The entire test lasts 90 minutes and there are no breaks offered. After finishing the test, students will receive their score in their online dashboard within seven days of completing the exam. If you selected schools to send your scores to prior to taking the EA, these schools will receive your scores within seven days of your completing the exam. If you add schools to send your score to after completing the EA, these scores will be sent out within 24 hours.
Penalties for Violations
Test-takers who fail to follow all of the above policies will receive sanctions that range from cancellation of scores all the way up to lifetime testing bans, depending on the nature of the violation. Policy violations (accessing electronic devices, accessing study guides, improper storage of items, or accessing other unauthorized items) result in score cancellation, indication of a violation on official score reports, and testing bans of one to three years. Serious policy violations (disrupting others, falsifying score reports, taking the test for others, disclosing test content, or providing fraudulent payment) can lead to testing bans of one year to life as well as revocation of scores and notification to schools.