Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are common questions and comments related to taking and preparing for an ABC exam as well as maintaining certification.
Didn't get your question answered? Email us!
Didn't get your question answered? Email us!
Exam FAQs
Q: What score do I need to pass the exam? Why wasn't I told my actual passing score?
A: The passing score varies from exam to exam. These scores were determined during the development and pilot testing of each specific exam. For confidentiality reasons, these passing scores are not provided to the test taker.
Q: If I take the exam and don’t pass, will people be able to find out?
A: No results will be revealed to anyone other than the candidate.
Q: If I don’t pass the exam, how long do I have to wait to retake the exam?
A: The ABC has a policy that describes this. Refer to the "Re-taking the Exam" section on the Application Process page of our website.
Q: What do I need to bring with me the day of the examination?
A: You need to bring the same government issued photo identification you provided in your application packet.
Q: Can I bring a calculator or other personal items with me?
A: You are not allowed to bring any personal items with you including a calculator, food, beverage, smart watch, phone or computer. If you bring any of these items with you, you will be asked to power them off and leave them outside of the room or at the front of the room. Please do not bring personal items. A calculator will be provided to you either through WebXam, or one will physically be provided to you.
Q: Why is the exam so long?
A: The length of each examination is determined by the exam development process and is designed to ensure that all relevant areas are covered. Following good test taking strategies, most people finish the exam within the allotted time frame.
Q: I have a disability. What do I do to get assistance during the exam?
A: The ABC allows for testing accommodations for certain situations. Please see the Testing Accommodations page for more information.
Q: Why is the study guide so vague? I went through the study guide and I still felt unprepared.
A: The study guides consist of the job description, a list of K-S (knowledge and skills) references, and sample questions. The references are comprised of sufficient literature sources to cover all K-S. The study guide is not meant to be all inclusive when it comes to studying. It should be used as a tool when creating your plan to prepare for the exam. The actual amount of time and detail needed to prepare varies from person to person depending on their education, training, and experience. Allow sufficient hours of study prior to taking a certification examination.
Q: I don’t own all the references listed on the study guide. Will I still be able to take the exam?
A: The listed references are designed to cover all the K-S for an examination. For many of the listed references, a substantially similar reference (book or other publication) would suffice.
Q: Can I get additional example questions for study purposes?
A: No. The sample questions on the study guides are intended to familiarize you with the general format of the certification examinations, not to supply a "practice examination".
Q: How much should I study?
A: Analysis of data collected by ABC over several years shows that an increased number of hours of study (e.g. 100 hours) is correlated to a better chance of success.
Q: Why are there questions on outdated methods?
A: Exams are reviewed and revised periodically to ensure they are kept up to date with current procedures. However, each certification examination has questions K-S covering the history and evolution of practice of that field of criminalistics.
Q: Even with graduate and undergraduate degrees in Forensic Science, there were still questions I'd never heard of before. Why is this?
A: The ABC exams are designed to be taken by practicing forensic scientists. Although certain knowledge and skills (K-S) are learned while in school, there are still K-S that are obtained through practice and experience.
Q:There seems to be more questions on a particular topic than I’d expect from the study guide and breakdown of K-S categories. Why is this?
A:The exam consists of questions from each K-S category listed in the Examination Outline section of the study guide. Questions are sorted into their most relevant K-S categories with the understanding that successfully answering the question may require knowledge and skills that overlap with other K-S categories. In addition, there are some ungraded questions which are considered pilot questions included on the exam. These pilot questions are not counted toward the overall score and can be from any K-S category. This may make it seem like there are more questions attributed to a particular K-S or topic than what was listed on the study guide.
Q: I think there is a question on the exam that is wrong. How do I report it?
A: You can report it immediately after the exam on the critique form provided. If you'd like to report it after you leave the examination site, you can e-mail the Registrar following the contact address on our Contact Us page.
Q: I can’t believe I didn’t pass the exam. I think it must have been graded wrong. What should I do?
A: The ABC has an appeals process. Please visit the Appeals page.
Q: I feel the conditions at the examination site hampered my ability to pass the exam. How do I voice my concerns?
A: The critique form supplied at the examination offering has a general comments section where a concern such as this can be noted. If you'd like to report it after you leave the examination site, you can e-mail the Registrar following the contact address on our Contact Us page. Additionally, you may file an appeal of your examination process. Please visit the Appeals page.
A: The passing score varies from exam to exam. These scores were determined during the development and pilot testing of each specific exam. For confidentiality reasons, these passing scores are not provided to the test taker.
Q: If I take the exam and don’t pass, will people be able to find out?
A: No results will be revealed to anyone other than the candidate.
Q: If I don’t pass the exam, how long do I have to wait to retake the exam?
A: The ABC has a policy that describes this. Refer to the "Re-taking the Exam" section on the Application Process page of our website.
Q: What do I need to bring with me the day of the examination?
A: You need to bring the same government issued photo identification you provided in your application packet.
Q: Can I bring a calculator or other personal items with me?
A: You are not allowed to bring any personal items with you including a calculator, food, beverage, smart watch, phone or computer. If you bring any of these items with you, you will be asked to power them off and leave them outside of the room or at the front of the room. Please do not bring personal items. A calculator will be provided to you either through WebXam, or one will physically be provided to you.
Q: Why is the exam so long?
A: The length of each examination is determined by the exam development process and is designed to ensure that all relevant areas are covered. Following good test taking strategies, most people finish the exam within the allotted time frame.
Q: I have a disability. What do I do to get assistance during the exam?
A: The ABC allows for testing accommodations for certain situations. Please see the Testing Accommodations page for more information.
Q: Why is the study guide so vague? I went through the study guide and I still felt unprepared.
A: The study guides consist of the job description, a list of K-S (knowledge and skills) references, and sample questions. The references are comprised of sufficient literature sources to cover all K-S. The study guide is not meant to be all inclusive when it comes to studying. It should be used as a tool when creating your plan to prepare for the exam. The actual amount of time and detail needed to prepare varies from person to person depending on their education, training, and experience. Allow sufficient hours of study prior to taking a certification examination.
Q: I don’t own all the references listed on the study guide. Will I still be able to take the exam?
A: The listed references are designed to cover all the K-S for an examination. For many of the listed references, a substantially similar reference (book or other publication) would suffice.
Q: Can I get additional example questions for study purposes?
A: No. The sample questions on the study guides are intended to familiarize you with the general format of the certification examinations, not to supply a "practice examination".
Q: How much should I study?
A: Analysis of data collected by ABC over several years shows that an increased number of hours of study (e.g. 100 hours) is correlated to a better chance of success.
Q: Why are there questions on outdated methods?
A: Exams are reviewed and revised periodically to ensure they are kept up to date with current procedures. However, each certification examination has questions K-S covering the history and evolution of practice of that field of criminalistics.
Q: Even with graduate and undergraduate degrees in Forensic Science, there were still questions I'd never heard of before. Why is this?
A: The ABC exams are designed to be taken by practicing forensic scientists. Although certain knowledge and skills (K-S) are learned while in school, there are still K-S that are obtained through practice and experience.
Q:There seems to be more questions on a particular topic than I’d expect from the study guide and breakdown of K-S categories. Why is this?
A:The exam consists of questions from each K-S category listed in the Examination Outline section of the study guide. Questions are sorted into their most relevant K-S categories with the understanding that successfully answering the question may require knowledge and skills that overlap with other K-S categories. In addition, there are some ungraded questions which are considered pilot questions included on the exam. These pilot questions are not counted toward the overall score and can be from any K-S category. This may make it seem like there are more questions attributed to a particular K-S or topic than what was listed on the study guide.
Q: I think there is a question on the exam that is wrong. How do I report it?
A: You can report it immediately after the exam on the critique form provided. If you'd like to report it after you leave the examination site, you can e-mail the Registrar following the contact address on our Contact Us page.
Q: I can’t believe I didn’t pass the exam. I think it must have been graded wrong. What should I do?
A: The ABC has an appeals process. Please visit the Appeals page.
Q: I feel the conditions at the examination site hampered my ability to pass the exam. How do I voice my concerns?
A: The critique form supplied at the examination offering has a general comments section where a concern such as this can be noted. If you'd like to report it after you leave the examination site, you can e-mail the Registrar following the contact address on our Contact Us page. Additionally, you may file an appeal of your examination process. Please visit the Appeals page.
Certification FAQs
Q: I don't yet have the required experience. Can I become certified?
A: No, you must meet the minimum requirements as defined in the Certification Scheme
A: No, you must meet the minimum requirements as defined in the Certification Scheme
Recertification FAQs
Q: Has anything changed in the recertification forms from last year?
A: The ABC is continually improving the recertification process. It is always good practice to review the current recertification process and current recertification forms, which can be found on our Recertification page.
Q: What if I do not provide adequate documentary evidence to support recertification points I am claiming?
A: It is the responsibility of the certified individual to provide evidence of points earned. If such evidence is not provided with the recertification packet, the claimed points will not be awarded.
Q: I have taken online training. Can I receive points towards my recertification?
A: The ABC has developed guidelines to grant points for such training. Refer to the “Continuing Education Links” section of the Recertification page for a link to the approved courses.
Q: What happens if I do not submit my Rules of Professional Conduct and recertification fees by June 1st?
A: If you do not submit both your Rules of Professional Conduct and your recertification maintenance fee by March 1st, your certification will be placed on probation and you will risk having your certification revoked. Additional late fees will be applied. After June 1st they get suspended and no professional development reports will be processed.
A: The ABC is continually improving the recertification process. It is always good practice to review the current recertification process and current recertification forms, which can be found on our Recertification page.
Q: What if I do not provide adequate documentary evidence to support recertification points I am claiming?
A: It is the responsibility of the certified individual to provide evidence of points earned. If such evidence is not provided with the recertification packet, the claimed points will not be awarded.
Q: I have taken online training. Can I receive points towards my recertification?
A: The ABC has developed guidelines to grant points for such training. Refer to the “Continuing Education Links” section of the Recertification page for a link to the approved courses.
Q: What happens if I do not submit my Rules of Professional Conduct and recertification fees by June 1st?
A: If you do not submit both your Rules of Professional Conduct and your recertification maintenance fee by March 1st, your certification will be placed on probation and you will risk having your certification revoked. Additional late fees will be applied. After June 1st they get suspended and no professional development reports will be processed.
Other FAQs
Q: I know of an ABC certified individual who has engaged in unethical behavior. How do I report them?
A: Refer to the Ethics section of the website.
Q: Does ABC partner with or approve study courses from other organizations?
A: No. ABC does not partner with, endorse, or approve any study or exam preparation courses offered by outside organizations. Each certification exam includes its own comprehensive study guide, available in the Examination section for that specific exam. Current areas of certification can be found on the Certification Page.
A: Refer to the Ethics section of the website.
Q: Does ABC partner with or approve study courses from other organizations?
A: No. ABC does not partner with, endorse, or approve any study or exam preparation courses offered by outside organizations. Each certification exam includes its own comprehensive study guide, available in the Examination section for that specific exam. Current areas of certification can be found on the Certification Page.