Achieving Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification is an important steppingstone to a successful career in the automotive service and repair industry. Part of earning that status is passing the certification test. At NYADI – The College of Transportation and Technology in Jamaica, NY, we offer the education and training you need to earn ASE certification and launch your automotive career.

Preparing for and Taking ASE Certification Tests

Taking the ASE Entry-Level Certification Test (formerly called ASE Student Certification) or one of the individual ASE certification tests can feel overwhelming, no matter what combination of education, training, and on-the-job experience you have. Rest assured, you can take an ASE certification test more confidently with a little preparation and by following some tips for getting ready for and taking the test.

Test-Taking Basics

As simple as it sounds, all the test-taking suggestions you were probably told in elementary school still hold true as an adult. Try for a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy meal beforehand, and try to relax before taking the test. Depending on the test center’s availability, you can typically schedule your test time during the day, the evening, or even on a weekend, so try to choose a time that works most comfortably for you.

Take Advantage of ASE’s Free Study Guides

The ASE offers free study guides for all of the areas covered by ASE certification tests that you can download or order by mail. You can use these guides to:

• Understand the specific areas a test series covers
• Check your knowledge in those areas
• Identify areas where you may need to boost your knowledge
• Try practice questions provided in the study guides to get used to the test format

In addition, ASE offers practice tests for some series so you can get a feel for how the test questions are written and check how much you know.

Be Ready for Your Testing Time

ASE certification testing is currently provided through Prometric testing centers which offer a wide variety of testing for many jobs in multiple fields. They have strict requirements for photo IDs and security procedures to make sure every test they offer, including for ASE certification, is fair and legitimate and no one has an opportunity to cheat. Be sure to read through any materials you receive when you sign up for your test, so you won’t be surprised on testing day.

Remember the Goal of the Test

The ASE certification tests aren’t meant to check your knowledge of obscure, uncommon automotive issues, or specialized knowledge related to a single manufacturer. Instead, they use questions written by real people working in the automotive industry, designed to make sure you can apply your knowledge of automotive systems to common real-life scenarios and can generally work independently in the shop.

Don’t Expect Yourself to Be Perfect

ASE certification tests aren’t graded like school tests are, so there aren’t better or worse grades — either you pass or you don’t. Of course, you should do your best and getting a perfect score is great, but you can ease some of the pressure on yourself by knowing you can still pass with about 65-70% correct answers on any given test. 

Be Aware of the Testing Format

Knowing what to expect can make you more relaxed and successful when you take a test. All questions on ASE certification tests are multiple-choice and there is no penalty for wrong answers, only points awarded for correct answers. Because there is a time limit, don’t spend too much time worrying over any single question you’re unsure about. Instead, during the test, you can mark any difficult questions so you can go back and check your answers again after completing the rest of the test.

Trust Yourself, Your Education, and Your Training

Chances are, if you feel ready to earn an ASE certification, the knowledge and skills you’ve gained through your education, training, and experience should be all you need to pass with flying colors. There are dozens of individual certification tests in multiple subject series, covering specific subcategories of knowledge, such as Light Vehicle Diesel Engines, Structural Analysis & Damage Repair, and School Bus Drive Trains, so you don’t need to know all about everything to earn a particular certification. ASE Entry-Level Certification tests are available for the Automobile & Light Truck, Collision Repair & Refinish, and Medium-Heavy Truck series. Have faith in what you’ve learned.

Take Your ASE Certification Tests with Confidence

ASE-certified mechanics typically earn up to 30% more than their uncertified counterparts, so achieving certification is definitely a worthwhile step toward advancing your career in the automotive industry. Preparing for an ASE certification test with a combination of education, training, on-the-job experience, using study guides, and learning about the test and its procedures are surefire ways to guarantee the best outcome when you take the test. At NYADI, our degree and certificate programs, including the only AOS degree in diesel technology in NYC, supported by a strong career services department are designed to help you become a successful part of the automotive industry. Contact us today to learn more.