Getting Ready
How to Study
Study Groups
You can form study groups with other candidates to prepare for a GA Exam®.
Read, Recite, Review
Repeate this study technique with all of your reference materials.
Study Schedule
Plan study time to review, identify gaps, and revisit materials.
How to Maximize Your Exam Score
Prepare yourself Physically
Sleep well the night before exam day. Many studies link sleep and test performance. Eat before the the exam because some people do not test as well on an empty stomach.
Deal with Distractions
The exam requires your absolute attention. If another test-taker bothers or distracts you during the exam, inform the proctor.
Employ Wise Strategies
Green Advantage® Exams (GACP & GACA) consist of 60 multiple-choice questions that you must answer in 90 minutes. You can spend an average of 1 ½ minutes per question, which is adequate but limited time.
Read each entire question before you decide which answer is correct. Remember more than one option can seem correct. You must choose the option that is most correct and most complete.
On the paper test, mark only one answer; if you mark more than one answer the result is a wrong answer for that question.
A question with no answer marked is counted as an incorrect answer. Therefore, if you are unsure of the answer, enter your best guess.
When you answer a multiple-choice question, eliminate obvious wrong answers first. Next, consider the remaining options.
If you must spend extra time on a question, skip it and return to it later. Remember to leave that space blank. You must fill in the right space for each question you answer. If time remains after you finish, you can return to any questions you skipped and answer them.
If you finish early, check your work at least once.
Exam Format and Sample Exam Questions
GA Exams consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. You must complete the exam in 90 minutes.
A few experimental exam questions can appear on your exam. Your answers to these questions do not count towards your score. Green Advantage tests exam questions before they are included in the regular exam to ensure their quality. You cannot identify which are experimental questions, so assume that every question counts toward your score.
Sample Questions are available in the GA Exam Content Overview Documents.
Materials on Exam Day
Take With You:
Identification
You must present two forms of identification (ID) to the exam proctor. One must be a valid photo ID: only a valid driver’s license, passport, state ID card, student ID card, or military ID card will be accepted.
Information to Bring to the Exam
Test Taker Authorization Code (computerized tests only), included in your confirmation email
Pencils for Paper/Pencil Exams
To take a paper/pencil exam (rather than a computer-based exam) bring several sharpened #2 pencils to fill in the answer sheet.
Do NOT Take:
These materials are NOT allowed in the exam room.
- Mobile phone
- PDA
- Camera
- Calculator
- Notes, books, handouts or other reference materials
- Laptop Computer, or
- Other electronic equipment
- Materials prohibited by the testing center, perhaps food, gum, or other items.

Brian Wetter
Faculty, Lord Fairfax Community College