The Final Week Before Your SHRM Exam
The week before your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP exam is not the time for cramming new material. Your heavy studying should be behind you. This final week is about consolidation, confidence building, and practical preparation. Following a structured checklist will help you arrive at the testing center calm, prepared, and ready to perform at your best.
Seven Days Before the Exam (Monday)
Review Your Weak Areas
By now, you should have a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses from practice exams. Spend today doing a targeted review of your two or three weakest domains. Focus on understanding the core concepts rather than memorizing details. Create a one page summary sheet of the key points you most need to remember.
Confirm Your Exam Logistics
- Verify your exam date, time, and testing center location
- Plan your route to the testing center, including parking or transportation
- Check the testing center's identification requirements
- Review the items you are and are not allowed to bring
- Confirm that your government issued photo ID is current and matches your registration name exactly
Six Days Before the Exam (Tuesday)
Take a Final Practice Exam
Complete one last full length practice exam under timed conditions. This serves as a final benchmark and helps maintain your test taking rhythm. Do not obsess over your score. Focus instead on your pacing and your approach to difficult questions. This should be your last intensive study session.
Review the Practice Exam
Go through every question you missed and understand why the correct answer is correct. Pay special attention to any patterns in the types of questions you are getting wrong. Are they in a specific domain? Are they a particular question type? Use these insights for brief, focused review sessions during the rest of the week.
Five Days Before the Exam (Wednesday)
Light Review Only
Switch to light review mode. Spend no more than one to two hours reviewing your summary notes, flashcards, or key concept sheets. Focus on high yield topics like major employment laws, the SHRM competency model, and any remaining weak areas.
Begin Adjusting Your Sleep Schedule
If your exam is in the morning, start going to bed and waking up at the times you will need to on exam day. Your body needs several days to adjust to a new sleep schedule, so starting now gives you the best chance of feeling rested on test day.
Four Days Before the Exam (Thursday)
Focus on Behavioral Competencies
Spend a light study session reviewing the SHRM behavioral competencies. Read through scenarios and practice identifying which competency is being tested. This type of review reinforces the application mindset you need for situational judgment items.
Prepare Your Exam Day Kit
Gather everything you will need on exam day:
- Two forms of valid identification (primary must be government issued with photo)
- Your exam confirmation email or appointment number
- A light snack and water for the break
- Comfortable layers of clothing (testing centers can be cold)
- Directions to the testing center
Three Days Before the Exam (Friday)
Do a Quick Review and Then Relax
Spend 30 to 45 minutes reviewing your summary sheet and any remaining flashcards. Then close the books. Your brain needs time to consolidate what you have learned, and rest is more valuable than last minute studying at this point.
Spend the rest of the day doing something you enjoy. Exercise, see friends, watch a movie. Reducing stress in the days before the exam improves cognitive performance on test day.
Two Days Before the Exam (Saturday)
Rest and Recharge
Avoid studying entirely if possible. If you feel compelled to review something, limit it to 15 to 20 minutes of light flashcard review. Spend the day resting, eating well, and staying hydrated.
Visualize Success
Take a few minutes to mentally walk through exam day. Visualize arriving at the testing center feeling calm and confident. Picture yourself reading questions carefully, applying your knowledge effectively, and managing your time well. Visualization is a proven technique for reducing anxiety and improving performance.
One Day Before the Exam (Sunday)
No Studying
Do not study. You will not meaningfully improve your knowledge in the final 24 hours, and studying risks increasing anxiety and undermining your confidence. Trust your preparation.
Final Preparations
- Lay out your clothes for tomorrow
- Pack your exam day kit
- Set two alarms to ensure you wake up on time
- Eat a balanced dinner and avoid alcohol
- Go to bed at a reasonable hour
Exam Day Morning
- Wake up with plenty of time to get ready without rushing
- Eat a balanced breakfast with protein and complex carbohydrates
- Avoid excessive caffeine, which can increase anxiety
- Arrive at the testing center 30 minutes early
- Take a few deep breaths before beginning the exam
- Remember: you have prepared thoroughly and you are ready