In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know about the AINS® & CPCU® virtual exams and give you some extra tips to help you pass your test!

In this post:

• About the virtual exams
• FAQs regarding the virtual exams
• Virtual exam demonstration (from The Institutes)
• Tips for taking your exams

Ace your AINS® & CPCU® exams with the help of our study materials!

About the AINS & CPCU Virtual Exams

Test format:

• Number of questions: 50 multiple-choice questions per exam*
• Time limit: 65 minutes per exam
• No proctor (You do not need to have a webcam nor schedule a specific date & time to take the exam since no one will be monitoring you.)
• Exam is online-only & can be accessed through Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox

Exam registration

• The Institutes offers four testing windows per year during which exams can be taken:

January 15 to March 15

April 15 to June 15

July 15 to September 15

October 15 to December 15

• You must pay for your exam registration fee through The Institutes (online or by phone) to gain access to the online test.
• You will receive an early bird registration discount if you register before the start of your chosen test window.
• After you have paid your fee, log in to your online account with The Institutes some time during your test window and click on My Courses and Exams to access the online test.

Conquer your AINS & CPCU exams using our study materials!

FAQs Regarding AINS & CPCU Virtual Exams

1) Is there an option to take AINS & CPCU exams at a Prometric test center?

As of 2022, all exams are virtual-only. The option to take the exam at a Prometrics test center is no longer available.

2) Is there an option to take AINS & CPCU virtual exams at an on-site test center?

As of 2022, all exams are virtual-only. The option to take the exam at an on-ste test center, such as your employer’s office, is no longer available.

3) Is there an early bird registration discount?

Yes. If you register for the start of your test window, you will receive a discount on your exam registration fee.

4) If I take a virtual exam and do not pass, will I be allowed to retake it again during the same test window?

Yes, you may retake an exam once per test window. You will need to pay the exam registration fee every time you retake an exam, but it will be slightly discounted if you retake the exam during the same test window.

Also, the test questions on your retake will likely be different than the questions you got on your first attempt.

5) Can I see what the virtual exam interface looks like?

Yes. See the YouTube video below prepared by The Institutes, which highlights the features of the virtual exam interface:

Ace your AINS® & CPCU® exams with the help of our study materials!

 Types of test questions:

Currently, all AINS & CPCU exams consist only of standard multiple choice questions. However, The Institutes released new CPCU courses in July 2023 that had other question types in the simulated exams.

Although The Institutes has stated that the exam format has not changed, it is probably likely that they will eventually appear on the exams at some point in the future.

The below section describes our experience with these new question types, but please note that these details have not been reviewed or confirmed in any way by The Institutes.

Standard (single-answer) multiple choice questions:

Right now, the exams consist only of standard multiple choice questions. For these questions, you must choose the best answer out of the four answer choices given to you.

The below question types do not appear on the real exams yet, but do appear in the simulated exams in The Institutes courses. We assume that these question types may in the future.

Multi-choice questions:

This type of question looks just like a standard multiple choice question except that there are multiple correct answers. You must get all of them to earn the point, so it is very important to read the question carefully so you’ll know if you are to select one answer or multiple answers.

The multi-choice questions we encountered had more than four answer choices, so if you encounter a test question that provides more than four options, that might be an indicator that it is a multi-choice question rather than a standard (single-answer) multiple choice question.

Type-in-the-blank questions:

In this question, you are not given any answer choices and must type your answer into the provided textbox. The questions we encountered only asked for a single vocabulary word or the answer to a mathematical calculation, so it looks like you are not expected to write entire sentences.

We did notice that some questions had a character limit, and the correct answer choice was that exact number of characters. After typing your answer, you may want to see if you have hit the character limit. If you haven’t and can still add a few more characters, that might be an indication that you don’t have the answer they are looking for. Keep in mind that this wasn’t consistent on all type-in-the-blank questions; some let you type indefinitely even though the right answer was only a single word.

We did try deliberately misspelling an answer and it was marked wrong, so it appears that spelling will count.

Drop-down menu questions:

These questions are effectively the same as a standard (single-answer) multiple choice question. The only difference is that instead of choosing from the answer choices being spelled out on the screen, you are selecting the correct answer from a drop-down menu.

Drag-and-drop questions:

With this type of question, you are given multiple items that you must match to the correct category by dragging the item into the appropriate section. You must correctly match all of the items to get the point.

The specific question we saw had six items that we were suppose to divide between two categories. The correct answer was that each category had three items, and we noticed that when we had tried to drag a fourth item into either of the categories, the system would not accept more than three answers and kept kicking one back out. If you notice the same thing occurring, that might be an indicator that the category doesn’t have any answer choices as you thought.

Tips for taking your exam:

• Do not wait until the very last day of the test window to take your exam. We have heard of many instances where there was a technical issue with The Institutes’ website and students were not able to contact customer service until the next day, after which The Institutes needed yet another day to fix the issue. The safest approach is to take the exam at least 2 days prior to the test window.
• Read the entire question and all answer choices carefully!
• All questions are only worth one point, so guess and move on if you are taking too long to answer a particular question. Flag the question so that you can come back to later if you still have time. That way, you can rack up points on any easier questions that come afterwards before you run out of time.
• You are allowed to have scratch paper, a pen or pencil, and a basic calculator handy.
• If seeing the timer will stress you out, use a sticky note to cover it up. You may want to set an alarm to give you an early warning that you are near the end of your time.
• As you are reading the question, use your mouse to drag over key words like “except,” “not,” and so forth to call attention to them.
• Although the test interface does let you flag questions, it can be very helpful to also keep a list of those questions on your scratch paper so that you can add extra notes about the question, or star the ones that you think you are more likely to get correct when you go back to answer them so you can prioritize those if you are low on time.

How to Minimize Distractions During Your Test

• Try to eliminate distractions at home (ex: arrange for a babysitter, keep pets out of the room, silence your phone, etc.).
• Create a space that mimics a test center. For example, it is better to take your exam in an office space rather than to do it on your laptop in bed.
• Test your internet connection and browser version before starting your exam.
• Make sure you have plenty of scratch paper, a few working pens or pencils to take notes, and a calculator of the permitted type.
• Test the calculator to make sure it works and has fresh batteries.
• If possible, try to use a wired internet connection rather than wireless or wi-fi, to ensure a consistent connection that is less likely to cut off.
• Before you start your exam, put up a piece of paper on the wall with a mantra that will help you calm down or refocus in case you mentally stray.
• If you have a safe alternative site you can go to besides home, such as your work place, consider testing there to minimize at-home disruptions.

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