All of the 100,000 credentialed members of AMT have taken and passed a rigorous certification exam. How did the people who achieved a passing score prepare for success? Read the tips from current AMT members and AMT Edge mentors about finding study materials, getting your timing right, and prepping strategies.
Exam Tips from People Who Passed the Test
Each AMT member has taken and passed a rigorous credentialing exam. Not everyone passed on the first attempt. But they did pass. If you meet the eligibility criteria to sit for a certification exam, with the right preparation there is a good opportunity for your success!
We asked AMT members what worked for them. Here is their advice for you along with their best wishes for success—they were in your position at one time, too.
Study material
- I studied from the Exam Content Outline and Reference Material resources on the AMT website. They are free and tell you what content will be covered on the exam.
- Build confidence, practice, and pace yourself with one of those great AMT practice exams.
- Flash cards with sample questions, formulas, and hard-to-remember tables worked for me!
Study tips
- I had two study buddies, and we reviewed flash cards over and over. We all passed!
- I took the practice exam and focused my studies on the topics I got wrong.
- Find the answers to the practice exam questions in your textbook and highlight them. Read over the highlighted areas so you understand the concepts. Good luck!
- If you’re just finishing school, take the exam as soon as you can while everything is fresh in your head. Don’t wait!
- If you find yourself getting frustrated, take a break from studying.
- I studied in intervals, so I didn’t get overloaded.
Before the exam
- The night before your exam, just rest and relax. Take a long, hot bath or shower and go to bed at a decent hour.
- Get a good night's rest, and tell yourself this is what you prepared for. You got this!
- Don’t cram the morning of your exam.
- Don’t doubt yourself! Remember that you’ve made it this far and you’re doing great!
During the exam
- Focus and concentrate on the exam; it’s the most important thing that day!
- Take your time. Block out the rest of the room and read each question carefully!
- I took the whole time available to me.
Exam Tips from AMT Edge Mentors
The AMT Edge Student Readiness Program is an easy and fun series of emails with resources, tips and activities giving you the edge to pass your upcoming certification exam. One benefit of joining the Edge is that you gain access to an online student community specifically for people preparing to take their exam, just like you!
The Edge community includes mentors: Kevin Sloss RMA(AMT), Fran Oran RMA(AMT) and Past AMT President, Jeffrey Lavender, MT(AMT); who pop into the online student community periodically to give advice and answer any questions. Here is their take on overcoming text anxiety:
Studying for the exam
- When using the exam content online to study, treat each objective as a question and see if you can answer it. If you can, or if you feel good about that subject, then don't spend a lot of time on that topic. Move on to something you aren't as comfortable with.
- Remember, all the questions are multiple choice. There are no true/false, fill in the blank, or trick questions.
- You can't cram for the exams and expect to pass. Spend a little time each day studying so you truly understand the content.
Taking the test
- Come to the test with confidence! If you had a good school program, and study a bit each day, you'll be fine. Come prepared, get good rest, eat a good breakfast, hydrate and you'll do great!
- For questions about procedures, Don't be afraid to look a little foolish and simulate doing the hands-on procedure. Walking through the procedure might stimulate your brain to select the correct answer.
- If your mind goes blank on a question, skip it and come back to it later. Another question might jog your memory.
- For multiple choice questions, narrow the choices of each question down to two answers and take your best guess with what is left over. A 50% guess is always better than a 25% guess.
- If you don't know an answer to a question, forget about it and move on. Don't let it stress you out for the rest of the exam. We all miss questions; it isn't the end of the world. Narrow down the choices and take your best educated guess.
For more test prep advice and exam tips, watch our short video: AMT Certification Test Prep and Exam Tips.
You know that an AMT certification exam asks you to answer a lot of questions, but you probably have your own questions about the exam. Read this insider's view of exam questions and how they are composed.