Top Real Estate Exam Tips for Test Day
Everyone approaches their real estate licensing exam with test-day jitters, but as an approved pre-license course provider all over the country, it’s our job to prepare you for the big day.
Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about real estate exams, including how to schedule your test, what to expect the day of, how to prepare the night before, and real estate exam time management strategies.
How To Pass The Real Estate Exam On The First Try
Here’s the secret to passing the real estate exam on the first try: don’t pin all your hopes on test day.
Below, we’ll lay out everything you need to know about the day you take your real estate exam and how to show up ready, but you’ll need to complete your pre-license courses and spend another 5 to 8 weeks studying for the real estate exam.
Since the focus of this article is on test day, you’ll want to check out our blogs on effective studying tips for your real estate licensing exam. These contain important information on how to prepare yourself to pass on the first try, including what to expect on the real estate license test.
How to Schedule Your Real Estate License Exam
Each state real estate board has its own licensing process, so you’ll want to check its official website for scheduling procedures. In most cases, states contract with a professional testing site like PSI. You can typically register for your exam on the testing company’s website.
How quickly an exam day is available will depend on the state. Sometimes you can get an exam slot within days of registration, while in other markets you may have to wait weeks.
In any case, we advise that you wait to schedule until after completing your prelicense final exam(s). Scheduling before you complete the course is definitely premature. It’s also perfectly acceptable to wait to schedule your exam until after you feel ready to pass on the first try.
The only thing to keep in mind is that most states have a maximum time for when you must pass your real estate exam based on when you took the courses. You’re often required to pass the exam within six months to a year, or your course certificates will “expire” and you’ll have to repeat all your classes.
Find out your state’s policy and make sure you schedule your test day well ahead of this deadline. Be sure to register with the exact name you have on your photo ID.
What to Expect from The Real Estate Exam
Before we jump into our exam tips, you must understand what you’re going up against when exam day arrives. While experiences vary by state, there are some common aspects of the testing experience you should know.
Where Do I Take the Real Estate Test?
In most states, you can choose from half a dozen or more potential testing locations. In most cases, these testing locations belong to a third-party vendor – often, but not always, PSI – where you may be grouped with individuals taking all different types of standardized tests.
How Long Will My Real Estate Exam Be?
The time it takes to finish your real estate exam will depend on your pace and the state you live in, but most real estate exams are three or four hours.
The exact number of questions depends on the length of the state portion of the exam, but most are around 150 questions.
Most test takers report that they have plenty of time to finish the exam.
What’s the Real Estate Licensing Exam Like?
Generally speaking, real estate license exams are multiple-choice computer-based tests. You don’t need any computer experience or typing skills to pass.
There will be strict rules about what you can bring with you, and you should expect a rule against talking or communicating with anyone during the test.
The real estate license exam will have a national portion and a state portion. You need to pass both before you’ll be granted a license. If you pass one portion of the exam, you don’t need to take it again. For example, if you pass the national portion and fail the state portion, you’ll only need to attempt the state portion on your second try.
In addition to the scored questions, each real estate exam includes up to 10 experimental questions that won’t be scored. Their purpose is to test out new types of questions in a real testing scenario. Experimental questions won’t be marked as such; this means that you shouldn’t panic if you come across an unexpected question. Just give it your best try and move on. If it’s an experimental question, it won’t factor into your final score.
What Types of Questions Are On The Real Estate Test?
You can expect to see three types of questions on your real estate licensing exam. These include:
Recall Questions, intended to test memory on specific facts and information.
Application Questions, intended to test how well you apply the information you know to different situations.
Analysis Questions, intended to examine how well you analyze information and develop solutions.
The questions are always multiple choice, but the options often include common mistakes or misconceptions. In some cases, multiple answers may be correct, but you’ll need to determine the best answer, meaning the ideal solution or most complete answer.
The Night Before Your Exam
Now let’s talk about how to prepare for your real estate exam day. We recommend getting everything lined up the night before, at the latest.
In preparation for exam day, you should:
Know Where to Go: Look up your testing location in advance so you know how to get there, how long it will take, and what the building looks like.
Have Your Primary ID: On the day, you’ll need to present a government-issued photo ID with the full legal name you used to register for the exam. Acceptable examples include a driver’s license, passport, state ID, or military ID.
Have Your Secondary ID: You’ll need a second form of identification with your name and signature (again, matching your exam registration). Accepted examples include credit cards, debit cards, and social security cards.
Plan to Arrive Early: You’ll want to leave for the testing facility early enough to account for traffic and any mishaps that may crop up. You should arrive at the testing center 30 minutes early. You may be turned away if you fail to show up on time.
Leave Other Belongings Behind: In most cases, you won’t be allowed to bring anything but your forms of identification into the testing facility. In some cases, non-programmable calculators may be allowed, while in other cases they’re banned. Cell phones, food, and even hats are typically banned. There may not be a secure place to put personal items inside the facility, so it’s best to leave things at home or in your car.
Resting before exams is the best thing you can do for your performance. It has been demonstrated that well-rested minds perform far better than those worn out from last-minute cramming. Additionally, all that studying will be useless if you pass out at the test site.
An all-nighter the night before your exam is not something we advise. A brief review that concentrates on the main topic headings could be beneficial, but intense last-minute studying will only leave you tired.
Real Estate Test-Taking Tips for the Day of the Exam
The real estate exam will test your knowledge and ability to retain the information you learned throughout your pre-license course and your ability to perform under pressure.
Here are some real estate exam tips to keep in mind on the big day.
Tip #1: Last Minute Checklist
You’ll want to be up and ready with plenty of time to make it to the exam.
Before you leave your house, you’ll want to go over your final checklist for real estate exam day. Your list should include:
- Directions to the testing facility
- A primary photo ID
- A secondary ID with a signature
- A plan to secure any and all other belongings
Tip #2: Review Flashcards or Short Notes of Challenging Topics
If you’ve put the right amount of studying in ahead of time, you probably know your weak spots, like formulas you forget or lists you struggle with.
It’s not a bad idea to go over these items before the exam so they’re fresh in your memory. Notecards or a study guide can help, but remember that you’ll have to ditch them before you enter the exam.
Try not to stress yourself out during any last-minute studying.
Tip #3: Loosen Up
Test-taking is much easier when you are confident and comfortable. Music can help distract you on your commute, and before you go to the exam room, take some time to stretch out and release your body from any tension or knots it may have.
The goal is to relax and clear your mind in time for the exam.
If you need to go to the bathroom, go beforehand. While bathroom breaks are allowed during the real estate exam, they break up momentum and distract you from the task.
Tip #4: Read Each Question Carefully
One of the most common real estate exam mistakes that aspiring agents make is rushing through the exam and not taking the time to read each question. This is understandable, given the time constraints on each exam section, but it’s still vital to ensure you fully understand the question before providing an answer.
Too often, many test-takers think they understand what a question is getting at, select an answer, and move on. But often, this tactic results in wrong answers because the question isn't as straightforward as they had expected.
When taking the exam, read and re-read each question before answering. Missing simple, small words like ‘all’ or ‘some’ or mixing up terms can change the whole meaning of the question, and the people who create the real estate license exam often put answers deliberately to throw the test taker off.
Avoid such misinterpretations by taking your time and reading the question carefully.
Tip #5: Don’t Focus All Your Attention on One Question
Among the most critical real estate exam time management strategies is not to get too caught up in a single question. This can be harmful to your performance, especially on timed exams.
Remember, you must get a 75 out of 100, which is not a perfect score. A helpful tactic is to note questions that gave you trouble and move on. Once you’ve answered all other questions confidently, go back and answer the tougher ones.
This way, you don’t have to worry about spending too much time on the question and missing out on the rest. Other questions further down the exam may jog your memory and help you remember the answer to the question that initially left you perplexed.
Tip #6: Make Sure You Fill in the Right Answer
This may seem simple, but test-takers often accidentally fill in the wrong box on a question. Small mistakes like this can be extremely costly, and it could be too late when you notice the error.
To avoid human error, take your time on each question to ensure you select the answer you want. If you have some time left at the end of the exam, go back and double-check that your answers match up with the question.
Tip #7: Keep a Positive Attitude
Lastly, stay positive. A positive attitude can significantly impact your performance in the real estate exam. Take a minute break if you feel like the exam load is getting to you at any time. Drop your pen, close your eyes, and take some deep breaths.
Staying relaxed will allow your mind to think clearly and dig deeper to remember what you learned. Following these real estate exam tips can help you attempt the exam relatively quickly and increase your chances of passing with flying colors.
Get Ready to Pass on the First Try with Online Pre-License Prep!
As a trusted real estate education provider, we’ve helped thousands of students pass their real estate exam on the first try.
Our pre-license courses are self-paced and mobile-friendly, so you can study wherever and whenever it’s best for you. We also offer exam prep materials with condensed study guides and thousands of practice questions that will prepare you for success.
Check out our catalog, which includes courses that will help you after you earn your license as well, and get started on your journey today!
