CAT Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)?
A: CAT is the computerized delivery of exam items uniquely tailored to the ability of an individual candidate. Unlike fixed-form, linear exams, adaptive testing delivers items based on the demonstrated ability of a candidate during the exam. For all CAT certification exams, each candidate is tested in accordance with exam content requirements as described in the certification exam outline. The difficulty of each item a candidate receives is optimized to measure his/her ability with the greatest degree of efficiency possible. More resources about how adaptive tests perform, in general, can be found at https://iacat.org/introduction-to-cat/.
Q: How does Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) work?
A: A candidate should expect to find each item challenging throughout the exam. Depending on the ability of a candidate, the number of items each candidate receives on the exam will vary. Each candidate who takes a CAT exam will start with an item that is well below the passing standard. Following a candidate's response to an item, the scoring algorithm will re-estimate the candidate's ability based on the difficulty of all items presented and all the previous answers provided for those items. After each item is answered, the item selection algorithm determines the next item to present to the candidate with the expectation that a candidate should have approximately a 50% chance of answering that item correctly. With each additional item answered, the computer's estimate of the candidate's ability becomes more precise. Through this iterative process, the intent is to gather as much information as possible about a candidate's true ability level more efficiently than traditional, linear exams.
Q: Why is ISC2 changing from fixed-form linear testing to variable-length, Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)?
A: ISC2's transition to CAT is an important investment in the future of its certification program. The implementation of CAT strengthens ISC2's commitment to meet the critical demand for cybersecurity professionals worldwide by providing a fair, valid, reliable, and efficient exam administration process. CAT provides numerous benefits to candidates including:
- A more precise and efficient evaluation of a candidate's competency
- More opportunities for examination administration
- Enhanced exam security
Q: Which ISC2 exams are available via Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)?
A: CC, CISSP, CCSP and SSCP examinations are available exclusively in CAT format worldwide in each exam's currently available languages currently available languages.
Q: Can a candidate take CAT examinations in a linear format?
A: No. Once an exam is available in the CAT format, it is no longer offered in linear format.
Q: How much does it cost to register for a CAT exam?
A: Pricing for all ISC2 certification exams can be found here.
Q: How much time does a candidate have to take an exam in CAT format?
A: Maximum administration time for CISSP is three hours. Exceptions will be provided only to candidates with medical accommodations that are pre-approved by ISC2. There is no minimum administration time limit. Candidates may proceed through the exam at a pace to which they are comfortable. Additional details about accommodations are available here.
CC and SSCP examinations will have a two-hour maximum administration time. CCSP will have a maximum administration time of three hours.
Q: What is the break policy for the CAT exam?
A: ISC2 does not limit the number or duration of candidate breaks; however, all breaks will be included in the maximum administration time.
Q: How many items will a candidate receive on the CAT exam?
A: Candidates will be presented with a minimum of 100 items on all examinations. The maximum item count is 125 for the CC and SSCP or 150 items for the CISSP and CCSP examinations. Each exam will contain 25 pretest, or unscored items, as part of the minimum length examination. Pretest items are items being evaluated for inclusion in future exams.
To receive a pass or fail result, a CC and SSCP candidates must answer a minimum of 75 operational, or scored, items along with 25 pretest, or unscored items.
A candidate will not be able to distinguish between operational and pre-test items; consequently, a candidate should consider each item carefully and provide the best possible response based on the information presented.
| EXAM |
Item Count |
| CC |
100-125 |
| SSCP |
100-125 |
| CISSP |
100-150 |
| CCSP |
100-150 |
As an adaptive exam, items adjust to the candidate to allow for demonstration of minimal level of mastery of concepts within each domain.
Candidates who pass the exam at 100 items have mastered enough concepts throughout all domains to prove proficiency. Candidates who do not pass the exam at 100 items have not shown the proficiency required throughout enough domains to achieve the minimal passing score. Candidates who exceed 100 items could be proficient in some domains, however, the presentation of additional items allows the candidate the opportunity to continue to prove proficiency in other domains so that they may achieve the minimal passing score.
Q: Is content on the CAT exam delivered in sections?
A: No. Content is not presented in sections or any predetermined order; exam items are chosen randomly by the CAT item selection algorithm to comply with the exam content outline. The content for each CAT exam is constructed in compliance with the domain weights stated in the exam content outline regardless of exam length.
Q: Will item review be permissible on the CAT Exam?
A: Because the CAT exam is a variable-length computerized adaptive examination and the difficulty of items presented to a candidate is based on previous responses, item review is not permitted. Once a candidate finalizes an answer, it may not be reviewed or changed.
Q: How does the computer determine whether a candidate will pass or fail the CAT exam?
A: The probability of success on a CAT exam is based solely on a candidate's estimated ability in relation to the standard necessary to pass the exam. The scoring algorithm determines whether a candidate passes or fails the exam using one of three rules, in the following order of application:
- Confidence Interval Rule – Once the minimum exam length (100 items) is satisfied, an exam will end when a candidate's ability estimate excludes the pass point with 95% statistical confidence. For candidates with ability estimates that statistically exceed the passing standard, the exam will result in a pass. For candidates that have ability estimates that are statistically below the standard, the exam will result in a fail.
- Maximum-Length Exam Rule – If the Confidence Interval Rule has not been invoked prior to a maximum length examination, the candidate's ability estimate will be evaluated against the passing standard.
- If the final ability estimate is at or above the passing standard, the candidate passes.
- If the final ability estimate is below the passing standard, the candidate fails.
- Run-out-of-time (R.O.O.T.) Rule – If the Confidence Interval Rule has not been invoked prior to a maximum time of the examination, the candidate's ability estimate will be evaluated against the passing standard.
- If the final ability estimate is at or above the passing standard, the candidate passes.
- If the final ability estimate is below the passing standard, the candidate fails.
- If a candidate does not answer seventy-five (75) operational items and twenty-five (25) pretest items within the maximum time of the examination, the candidate will automatically fail the exam.
Q: Can a CAT exam be taken with an Authorized Training Provider at an event or mobile testing facility?
A: No. ISC2 exams are available exclusively through Pearson Professional Centers (PPCs) and ISC2-authorized Pearson VUE Select Test Centers (PVTC Selects). Current ISC2-authorized test centers can be found at: https://wsr.pearsonvue.com/testtaker/find/testcenter/ISC2
Q: When does a candidate receive their results for CAT?
A: A candidate will receive their results immediately after he/she has completed the exam. For a candidate who does not pass and who has taken the minimum number of required items, they will also be provided diagnostic feedback to share domains in which a candidate struggled so they may focus on preparation for future attempts. Candidates do not receive any numerical scores on their pass/fail report.
Q: Will a candidate receive a score with his/her exam pass/fail report?
A: No. Candidates do not receive numerical scaled scores on their pass/fail examinations. Proficiency level for each domain will be provided only to failing candidates.
Q: What is the CAT exam retake policy?
A: For each ISC2 certification program (CC, SSCP, CISSP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, ISSAP, ISSEP and ISSMP), there are two independent rules that govern exam retake attempts:
- Test-free days between retake attempts:
- After your first exam attempt: You may retest after 30 test-free days.
- After your second exam attempt: You may retest after 60 test-free days from your most recent exam attempt.
- After your third exam attempt and for all subsequent retakes: You may retest after 90 test-free days from your most recent exam attempt.
- Maximum exam attempts within a 12-month period:
- You may attempt an ISC2 exam up to 4 times within a 12-month period for each certification program.
Q: Is it true that a candidate who receives the minimum number of items and the last item is "easy" will fail the examination?
A: By design with a CAT exam, a candidate cannot reliably identify which items are easy and which are difficult. At the end of an examination, a candidate receives items he/she has approximately a 50% chance of answering correctly. The sentiment regarding which items are ‘easy' and which items are ‘difficult' is relative to a candidate's ability. Because the exam is adaptive, both high and low ability candidates will think the items at the end of the exam are challenging.
Q: What is the passing proficiency level?
A: Proficiency is defined here as candidate performance relative to the "passing standard," and exam performance feedback to failing candidates is provided using the following three levels:
- Below proficiency – below the passing standard
- Near proficiency – close to the passing standard
- Above proficiency – above the passing standard
Q: Does a candidate need to score “Above Proficiency” in all domains in order to pass the exam?
A: No. Candidates must score above the proficiency level in order to pass the exam. However, a candidate does not need to score above the proficiency level in each area of the test plan to pass the exam. A single pass/fail result is calculated on the total of all operational items administered for the examination. ISC2 exams are compensatory exams which allow for a higher number of items answered correctly in one domain to compensate for a lower performance in another domain. If a candidate performs very well in a more heavily weighted domain where a high number of items are included on the exam and only performs “near proficiency” or even “below proficiency,” in a lesser weighted domain where a fewer number of items are included, there is a possibility that a candidate may pass the exam, but there is no guarantee.
Q: If a candidate fails with 75 operational items answered, does this mean they did very poorly?
A: Not necessarily; it simply means that it took only the minimum number of items for the scoring algorithm to determine with 95% certainty that the candidate's ability was below the passing standard.
Q: Is any candidate randomly selected to receive maximum length examination?
A: No. Items are administered in accordance with exam content outline specifications, and the item selection algorithm is based on a candidate's ability. No candidate is selected to receive a predetermined number of items. Items are always selected based on the candidate's response to previous items and fulfilment of the exam content outline. The exam ends when it can be determined with 95% confidence that a candidate's performance is either above or below the passing standard, regardless of the number of items answered or the amount of exam session time elapsed.
Q: How should a candidate prepare to take CAT?
A: As the exam content outline and passing standard for the linear and CAT versions of the examination are exactly the same, candidate preparation should not change based on the format of the examination. Regardless of exam format, a candidate should always follow good time management strategies so he/she may provide well-reasoned responses to at least the minimum number of items required.
A candidate can expect to find each item presented challenging. Consequently, many candidates will feel that they did poorly on the exam as all candidates are expected to only get 50% of items they answer correct. This psychological phenomenon is common for CAT exam candidates, as most fixed-forms exams have candidates answer a higher proportion of items correctly due to item targeting inefficiencies. It is important for a candidate to remember it is not the number of items answered correct that is important, everyone will get about 50% correct, it is the difficulty of the items that he/she answer correct which is relevant for passing the exam.