Prepare for Your Appointment

Important: Please read the Assessment Center Policy and Guidelines (PDF - 323kb) for information about test day and additional instructions and policies.

What to Bring

• Your Authorization to Test
• The appropriate ID with your photo bearing your signature - read the Assessment Center Policy and Guidelines (PDF - 323kb) for exact instructions
• Sheet of bar code ID labels sent with your Authorization to Test if applicable
• Art product in plastic bag (Art candidates only)

On-line Tour of a Pearson Professional Center

This online tour will help acquaint you with the Pearson Professional Centers Testing experience.

Hands-On Testing Experience

The new NBPTS-Pearson VUE assessment center tutorial is now available online. In order to take advantage of the tutorial, please follow these steps:

Retake Candidates:  The NBPTS-Pearson VUE assessment center tutorial has been updated for 2009-2010.  Please download the current version in preparation for your appointment.

• Go to the Pearson VUE website referenced above.
• Your browser (pop-up blocker) will probably first tell you that it has blocked the site from downloading the file and offer you options. Select "Download File."
• You will next receive a security alert that asks if you wish to Run, Save, or Cancel. If you choose Run - you can download and install the file online. If you choose Save - you can download the file to your computer, then run the installer. This is a 40MB file, so it will take a few minutes.
• Follow the installation prompts to install the Pearson VUE NBPTS tutorial and Demo program on your computer.

Note: The tutorial is a Window's software application that is a replication of the test center test driver, which is PC-based. If you are using an Intel-equipped Mac with Windows installed, you should experience no problems running the tutorial. If you are using a "Mac-only" operating system, you will be unable to access the tutorial on that computer.

Review Scoring Guide

For additional information you should also read the Scoring Guide for your selected certificate. These guides contain the rubrics that are used to score assessment center exercises and two retired prompts in your certificate area.

Download Exercise Descriptions and Retired Prompts

The assessment center component provides six exercises, each allowing up to 30 minutes for candidate response.  For a complete description of each assessment center exercise or to view the two retired prompts in your certificate area, select your certificate area from the drop-down menu and view the "Assessement at a Glance". All documents are in .pdf format. If you are unable to open them, please download the latest version of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Web site.