Registration & Scheduling for the HECM Counselor Exam
Review Exam Guide First
Before registering and paying for the exam, be sure to review the Exam Guide. It provides information about the exam format, a related survey, scoring, your score, no-shows, cancellation, rescheduling, retesting, your questions and comments, exam content, sample questions, and study materials. (Note: If you want to see the location of the exam sites before registering, read item 14 below or item 1 at Frequently Asked Questions.)
Registration, Payment, & Scheduling
To help you through the registration, payment, and scheduling process, print out a copy of this page now.
When you click on the Login button at the end of this web page, you will be taken to the HECM Counselor Exam Registration Center operated by Edgia, the company that is administering the exam for the AARP Foundation.
To register, you will need a valid credit card from Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or American Express. When you arrive at the online RegistrationCenter, follow the numbered instructions below.
Now, if you have printed out this page, have your credit card handy, and are ready to register, click on the Login button at the bottom of this page and follow these instructions:
Under New User?, click on Browse the Catalog
Click on Add To Cart to the left of "HECM Counselor Exam"
Click on 'Checkout in the lower right hand corner
Scroll down under New Account on the right side of the page, and type in the information requested
When you reach "Student ID Login" and "Student Password" type in whatever user name (ID) and password you want to use; each can be no longer than 20 characters in length (there is no minimum); you can select any combination of letters and numbers (spaces are OK, but not recommended).
When you are finished typing in your ID and password, type your date of birth, the last four digits of your social security number, the complete name of your housing counseling agency and the HUD Housing Counseling System (HUD HCS) ID number for your agency. This is a five digit number that begins with an "8" and is used to update your agency's listing on HUD's website. If your agency is an affiliate of a national intermediary for housing counseling, the intermediary contact can provide this number. When you have completed all the entries above, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page
Check the information to make certain it is correct - if it is not, click Modify Personal Information at the bottom of the page and correct it
When the information is correct, click on the click here to enter our secure purchasing area button
Enter your credit card information and click Process Transaction
When your credit card transaction has been completed, you will be at the Registration Center page; click on the Start link at the bottom of this page (note: you don't need to print out the page first if you have already printed out these instructions)
Login using the Login ID (user name) and Password that you created during registration
Click on the Details "magnifying glass" button to the left of HECM Counselor Exam
On the next page, click on the Details link to the right side of the page under the word Actions. You are now ready to select an exam site and schedule your exam. In doing so, keep in mind that you should plan on arriving at the exam site at least 30 minutesbefore your scheduled start time, and allow another 2.5 hours to complete the exam process. If you will be needing special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you will need to schedule your exam and then also call the exam site provider at least 3 weeks before your scheduled exam date to arrange for special assistance (see SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS below).
Next you must select a Prometric exam site where you will take the exam. Prometric sites are operated by Thomson Prometric in all states. These sites are located within 50 miles of 95% of the U. S. population. (See the second question and answer on the Frequently Asked Question and Answer page at hecmexam.org to find out where these sites are located before you purchase your exam ticket online.) When you select a Prometric site, you will print out an "Exam Authorization Letter" with directions for calling Thomson Prometric to schedule your exam.
To schedule your exam at a Prometric site:
* Click on Click here to the right of the word Prometric
* IMPORTANT: Click on the specific Authorization Number that appears on your screen * Then print out a copy of your Exam Authorization Letter. You must bring the ID number from this letter with you to the exam site when you take the exam. * Use the information on your Exam Authorization Letter to call Prometric to schedule your exam. Be sure to have this Letter in front of you when you call Thomson Prometric, and use the exact words in the Letter to schedule your exam. For example, you must request the "Net 2" exam rather than the AARP exam, HECM exam, HUD, exam, or Edgia exam.
IMPORTANT: When you call Thomson Prometric to schedule your exam appointment, be sure to write down the exam appointmentconfirmation number that Prometric gives you - you must bring this confirmation number with you to the exam site when you take the exam
For best service, follow the instructions on the Exam Authorization letter about the best times to call Prometric: generally Tuesday to Friday after 3:00 PM Eastern. To ensure you will be able to take the exam when and where you want, call well in advance of your preferred date. Some high-volume Prometric sites may have no exam appointments available until three or four weeks after your call. If you have any problem reaching or scheduling with Prometric, call Edgiaat 1-800-295-5783.
SAMPLE EXAM
You may see a statement saying that "You are urged to take the sample exam . . ." This is NOT a sample HECM exam. It is a sample "trivia" exam that only gives you practice answering multiple-choice questions on a computer. Sample HECM exam questions can be found on the Exam Guide's Sample Questions page. In addition, as explained on the Exam Guide's Basic Information page, the first 9 questions of the HECM Counselor Exam are a survey that will give you practice in using the computer to answer multiple-choice questions.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
If you will be needing special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act, call Prometric at leastthree weeks before the date on which you are scheduled to take the exam, and tell them what you need. You can reach Prometric staff using the phone number on the "Exam Authorization Letter" you printed out when you registered.
CHANGES IN YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
If at any time after you register, there is a change in your personal information, please be sure to re-enter the online RegistrationCenter using your "Student ID Login" and "Student Password" to change it. For example, your name or email address may change, or your agency may move to a new location, or you may go to work for a different agency. If any of these types of changes occur, please correct your personal information at the RegistrationCenter. You can reach it by clicking on the Register button on this page, entering your user ID and password, and clicking on the Login button.
