Official ESAT Exam Day Guide: Scratchpad & UI Shortcuts

Check-In & Security Procedures#

Knowing test-day procedures prevents anxiety:

Arrival: Arrive 30 minutes early. Late arrivals risk losing their slot without refund.
Photo ID: Present an unexpired, government-issued photo ID (valid passport or driving licence) matching your registration name.
Biometrics & Lockers: Expect a digital photo and palm vein scan. All personal items (phones, watches, calculators, pens) must go into an assigned locker.

At your workstation you receive:

One spiral-bound laminated booklet (around 5 double-sided legal plastic grid pages).
One or two fine-tip black dry-erase marker pens.

No Erasers: Official test rules prohibit wiping ink with fingers or tissues. If your booklet fills up, raise your hand for a fresh replacement.
Test Your Marker: During the 2-minute non-timed tutorial, draw a line to ensure ink flows cleanly. If dry, ask for a new pen before starting Module 1.

Keep your working organized using 4 quadrants per page:

Line 1 (Governing Invariant): Write only the core equation or ratio, isolating the target variable:

\text{Line 1: } \frac{V_1}{V_2} = \frac{R_1}{R_2}

Line 2 (Cancellation & Pruning): Substitute simplified integer values and cross off eliminated choices:

\text{Line 2: } V_2 = 12 \times \frac{2}{6} = 4\text{ V} \implies \text{Cross A, C, D} \implies \mathbf{[B]}

Restricting work to 2 lines per question fits 8 questions per sheet, so you rarely need a booklet exchange mid-test.

Keyboard navigation saves up to 4 minutes across 81 questions:

Test the hotkeys and interface in our Timed Mock Exam Center.

If the timer passes 60 seconds on a question and you do not see a clear path:

Stop calculating. Avoid messy algebraic scrambles.
Prune obvious foils: Eliminate wrong signs, impossible units, or extreme outliers.
Select a provisional guess: Never leave a question blank.
Hit `V` to flag for review.
Hit `N` to move on immediately.

If minutes remain at the end of the module, the review screen lets you return to flagged items.

[ ] Valid ID: Physical passport or driving licence packed.
[ ] Confirmation: Official test appointment confirmation accessible.
[ ] Travel Route: Transit plan confirmed to arrive 30 minutes early.
[ ] Rest: 8 hours of sleep; avoid late-night cramming.
[ ] Hydration: Hydrate in the morning; note that restroom breaks run the active test clock.
[ ] Mindset: Trust your preparation across the 75 Archetypes, apply heuristics, and dominate the 90-second clock.