Beta exams

What is a Beta?

Betas are preliminary versions of certification examinations that may be conducted by Certiport to collect data and evaluate certification examination items with the participation and help of actual certification candidates. These beta examinations are typically available for a two to four week time period, with a goal of having 250 or more qualified candidates participate. The statistical results of item performance along with candidate feedback help Certiport select effective assessment tasks to create and publish the operational Certification examination.

Once the beta period begins, a qualified candidate takes the proctored beta examination at a Certiport Authorized Testing Center (CATC) that is participating in the beta. Free beta vouchers are supplied by Certiport. Since the beta examination seeks to evaluate all items in a pool, even ones that may eventually be omitted, participants should be prepared for more items than an operational examination. This is why beta examinations require so much more time to complete. The Beta Candidate receives an initial score upon completion of the beta examination but not a pass/fail status.

Once the beta period ends, Certiport's psychometric staff analyzes the collected data in a thorough development and evaluation process. Items may be discarded if they are identified as too difficult or too easy, show evidence of not being clearly understood, are a poor discriminator of knowledge, and so on. From the remaining items, the best items are chosen for the live examination.

When the selection process is complete, the final step is to re—score the administered beta examination results based solely on the items that were retained in the live examination. Beta Candidates can expect to receive their final results six to eight weeks following the end of the beta period or at the time the live examination is published. After the re—score process, a Beta Candidate whose final score is above passing (using their responses to the beta items) receives certification for that exam as if they took the live examination.

Beta frequently asked questions

The beta exams are typically available in English. After the post—beta analysis is completed, the exam will first be released in English with localized versions to follow.

Beta exams must be proctored and therefore need to be taken in a Certiport Authorized Testing Center that is participating in the beta.

The purpose of the beta exam is to capture the test candidate's initial response to the test questions. Therefore, the exam should only be taken once.

Yes, after the rescore process, if the candidate's final score meets or exceeds the minimum passing score, they will receive certification. You will not need to retake the live exam.

We begin the psychometric analysis of an exam when the beta window closes. Typically the analysis period lasts six to eight weeks. Once this process has been completed, the actual exam will be published and the beta exams are rescored against it.

During recruitment for a beta, we indicate the training and skills that a beta candidate should possess and provide the objective domain for the certification. If you meet those requirements and are selected to be a participant in the beta, reviewing those objective domains to brush up on the listed topics should be adequate preparation to take a beta exam.