Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
about Certification
Please use the form at bottom to pose questions not answered in the FAQ section.
The next CSP Exam will be held in Vancouver, BC on 10/15/2010 - details to follow in late spring or summer. Note for US citizens - you will be REQUIRED to have a valid passport to enter Canada. Please note: Travel into Canada requires a passport - a driver's license will not be accepted = please plan ahead and get your passport in plenty of time before you travel. |
What is the deadline to sit for the exam?
The next CSP Exam will be in Vancouver, BC in October 2010 - details to follow including official Handbook. To view the 2009 exam information please refer to the 2009 Exam Handbook. Please check back in late spring or summer for the 2010 CSP Exam details.
What are the requirements to sit for the exam?
Your eligibility is dependent upon your level of education completed and number of hours of experience. For example, most psychometrists have a 4-year college degree. In such cases, the degree from a regionally accredited institution AND a minimum of 3000 hours of testing, scoring and associated administrative experience under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist or equivalent is required.
Candidates who meet any one of the following criteria are eligible to sit for the Certified Specialist in PsychometrySM examination.
A Bachelors degree from a regionally accredited college or university and a minimum of 3000 hours of testing, scoring and associated administrative experience earned under the supervision of licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist or equivalent.
-OR-A Masters or Doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college or university with documented course work in a related field and a minimum of 2000 hours of testing, scoring and associated administrative experience earned under the supervision of licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist or equivalent.
A total of 2000 hours is equivalent to one-year of “full-time work experience.” To qualify, work experience must include substantial time spent in testing, scoring and associated administrative activities performed under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist or equivalent. Periods of work that include significant time devoted to tasks unrelated to psychometry do not qualify. The required hours of qualifying work experience may have been earned at any time during the five (5) year period immediately prior to the date of application.
Does my school(s) have to send my official transcript(s) or can I provide a copy?
An official copy from you is acceptable.
How long does the exam take?
Each candidate will have up to 150-minutes to work on the exam.
What is the exam format?
120 multiple-choice items.
What is the passing score for the examination?
The passing score is 70%. The exam is not scored on a "curve," therefore the candidate pool does not determine the passing score.
Are there any other requirements to maintain my certification?
Yes. You need to obtain a minimum of 12-hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs), in a psychological, neuropsychological or any mental health related field, with at least 2 CEU’s in ethics, every 2 years.
For example, if you attend one NAP annual conference you could accrue up to 12-hours of CEUs.
If you took the certification exam in 2007, you will not be required to fulfill the CEUs till the end of 2009. (Please note, there will be random audits of CSPs.)
I work only with children; I don’t think I should have to be examined on the adult tests.
All examinees take the same exam. The information on the exam is specific to psychometry, regardless of the population you work with in your setting.
How long before I hear if I passed?
In 6-8 weeks you will be notified via US Mail (no information will be provided by phone, email or fax).
Can Canadians take this exam?
Yes, providing all the same requirements are met. This is true for any English-speaking applicant regardless of where they practice. Your supervision in Canada must be by a certified psychologist or neuropsychologist or equivalent. (Please note, questions with regard to ethics may include questions involving HIPAA.)
What is the cost to sit for the exam?
In 2009, the fee to sit for the certification exam will depend on if you register early, regular or as a non-NAP member. The early registration is $150, the regular is $175, and $225 for non-NAP members. The rates for 2010 have not yet been determined.
Are there other exam locations?
At this time there is ONLY one exam location (and time) offered. With increased demand additional dates and locations may be offered.
Is the exam available online?
No. Security is very important and therefore all examinees are required to take the exam in person and in the same physical location.
Is there a study guide to prepare for the exam?
Sorry, at this time there is no prep guide or course available. This is a long-term project currently under construction and the first version may be available for the 2010 exam. Every psychometrist (not just CSPs) is welcome to contribute to this project - if you are interested please contact the Study Guide Chair, Karen Cornell.
In the meantime please use the new Study Guide Outline & Handbook in your preparation for the exam.
I have not tested very much in the last year or so but I used to work full-time as a psychometrist. With that past experience can I use those years to qualify to sit for the exam?
Yes - please refer to the Handbook for specifics: "Periods of work that include significant time devoted to tasks unrelated to psychometry do not qualify. The required hours of qualifying work experience may have been earned at any time during the five (5) year period immediately prior to the date of application."
Is the certification recognized by organizations such as APA, NAN and INS?
The psychometry certification examination has been developed to meet the strict national standards of certifying professional occupations. The psychometrist certification examination conforms to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Tests published jointly by the American Educational Research Association, the National Council for Measurement in Education and APA. It has been designed and constructed to be consistent with and in compliance with the joint standards. APA does not approve any examinations. APA does sponsor a few of its own certification examinations through its own subsidiary organization called the College of Professional Psychology. NAN does not recognize any certifications or credentialing, either for psychometrists or psychologists.
Are we responsible for administration/scoring issues only, or will there be any questions regarding interpretation of tests?
No. Test interpretation is not within the scope of psychometry. However, you should understand what tests purport to measure.
How much neuroanatomy are we going to be expected to know?
The basics of gross neuroanatomy.
How much statistics do I need to know?
You will not need to compute statistical information using formulas (e.g., ANOVA), but you do need to understand the relationships between statistical norms.
As a psychometrist are we responsible to know about APA, ACA or other Codes of Ethics?
Please refer to both the Code of Ethics for Psychometrists published by NAP and the ones located on this website. In addition, it is helpful to review the APA, ACA, NBCC ethics guidelines - even though they all share a great deal of the same information they often apply well to psychometrists. The impending CSP Exam Study Guide will also include a chapter on Ethics.
I have worked as a psychometrist for over 20-years including training psychology interns, post-doctoral fellows and other staff on assessment issues. I have published several articles as the principle author in peer-reviewed journals. I would like to know if I can be grandfathered-in as an experienced psychometrists?
No. Everyone is required to meet the same criteria. There have been several seasoned psychometrists with over 30-yrs experience who also were required to meet the current certification criteria. There is no grandfathering regardless of years of experience, supervision/training of others, education, publications, etc.
I am supervised by two psychologists. My immediate supervising psychologist is not licensed but their supervisor is, which one should I use in my Attestation document?
The requirement in the Handbook states it has to be a "licensed" psychologist ("certified" in Canada) or equivalent.
I have been a psychometrist for several years. How many years of experience do you recommend to sit for the exam and how much studying should I commit?
Study Time: Each psychometrist has to decide how much to study for the exam. We have heard the range varies a great deal, from none to 6 months. We cannot say with any certainty what is appropriate for you. Based on the feedback we have collected from previous years, and a 67% passing rate in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (each with an exam reliability of 0.80), those who passed the exam reported studying anywhere from 0-50+ hours. In 2009, the passing rate was 82% with a reliability of 0.84.
Experience: There are several who barely had the minimum number of years experience to sit for the exam and passed the exam. Statistically, those who passed the CSP exam over the past several years indicates: the 2005 CSPs had an average of 9.9 years psychometry experience; the 2006 CSPs had 7.2 years; the 2007 CSPs had 9.1 years; in 2008 the CSPs had 3.5 years; and in 2009 also had 3.4 years. This is a common pattern in credentialing, the more senior professionals tend to sit for the exam in the earlier years. In 2009, those who did not pass had an average of just over 1.5 yrs experience.
Education: Educational backgrounds also varied. The table below is comprised of those who passed the CSP exam from 2005 through 2007. In 2008 there was no statistical difference in education for those who passed or did not pass the CSP exam, while more extensive experience did have a positive affect on passing the exam.
CSP Educational Level | Raw | Ratio |
Bachelors Degree* | 53 | (53%) |
Graduate Degree** | 41 | (41%) |
High School Diploma*** | 3 | (3%) |
Doctorate | 2 | (2%) |
Associates Degree*** | 1 | (1%) |
N = 100 (Includes former CSPs) | ||
** - includes MA, MS, MBA, & M.Ed.
*** - Effective 2007, the initial grace period ended and the minimum educational requirement to sit for the CSP Exam is a 4-yr degree from an accredited college or university.
Of those who did not pass, in 2005 the average years of experience was 7.5; in 2006 it was 2.5; in 2007 it was 5.2; and in 2008 it was 2.6. The moral is that studying is important as is experience.
Updated 2/22/10
If you have Psychometry questions - Click here.
If you have a general administration/scoring questions please post your question on the NAP Listserv - open ONLY to current NAP members: 
Please use the form below to pose your Certification Question - other questions will not be reviewed.