Once you feel ready and prepared for the certification exam, it is time to register to take the exam. Follow these steps below.
Application
To sit for the exam, you must first fill out the application and submit your fee. The application requires basic information regarding the applicant’s identity. The application shall be signed by the applicant, acknowledging that the award of certification will be based upon meeting the minimum qualifications requirements and achieving a satisfactory score on the exam.
Please complete the application packet and submit with your application fee. The exam fee also includes your initial two year certificate, if certified. At the end of the two-year term, a renewal will be sent to you and renewal fees will be required to maintain your certification along with the required CECs. Upon receipt, review, and approval of a completed application, you will be receive an email from Meazure Learning with your eligibility dates and instructions for scheduling your exam.
Registering for the Exam
Exam registration is easy, just follow the simple steps below:
- Download, complete, and submit your application with appropriate fee.
- Receive a “Notice to Schedule” email from Meazure Learning, then select your exam type (see Digital Exam Options below) and schedule the date/time that works best for you.
- Receive a confirmation email from Meazure Learning with additional information about your exam.
That’s it! If you need to reschedule or cancel your exam, Meazure Learning provides instructions for how to do this, but note that Meazure Learning may collect additional fees to reschedule or cancel your exam.
Exam Options
- Test Center: Meazure Learning provides secure internet-based delivery of the CFM® exam at Meazure Learning’s proctored internet-based test sites in the United States and Canada.
- Live Remote-Proctored (LRP): Live remote-proctored (LRP) test administration includes a live proctor who monitors the entire examination process via web camera. With this option, candidates can take the exam from the comfort of their own home. Candidates must have a computer with a web camera and dual monitors are NOT allowed.
- In-Person Event: the digital exam can be offered at a hosted, in-person event such as a conference or workshop. Additional lead time and logistics are required for event-based exams. Please contact cfm@floods.org if you are interested in hosting a digital exam at your event.
Taking the Exam
- Budget your time well. Because you will have three (3) hours to complete 120 multiple choice questions, you will want to complete more than half (60) in less than half the time. This is because you will want extra time after completing the full examination to review questions you either skipped or questions you may have marked for review. Also, allow time so that every hour you can take a minute or so to relax your eyes and stretch a bit.
- Read each question carefully, focusing on what is being asked. If you are uncertain about the answer, but nevertheless want to give a tentative response at the time, flag the exam question to indicate that you want to review the exam question and your answer if time allows. Go back to questions marked in this manner after completing the entire exam.
- Read all options before selecting your answer. Always select the best choice.
- Pay close attention to keywords such as “best,” “most,” “primary,” or “usually.” These words indicate that other options may at times be correct, but given the wording or situation in the exam question, you must judge which option is the best.
- Do not overanalyze or try to “read into” a question. Questions are not written to be tricky. Do not assume additional information beyond what is given in the exam question. All information necessary to answer the question will be given in the text of the question or scenario.
- Go through the entire exam, answering the questions you believe you know and skipping the ones you do not. Questions on the exam are not ordered by difficulty (i.e. they do not go from easiest to hardest). Leave time at the end of the examination period to go back to the questions you skipped or want to review. Remember, you should do your best to answer every question.
Exam Retake
If a person fails the certification exam, he or she may take the exam over again at any time during the next twelve months. A retake exam fee will be charged along with a retake application. A person taking the exam after the twelve months expire must apply as a new applicant for certification and pay the regular certification application fee.