Changes Announced: CPCU® and ARM™ Designation [Updated January 2025]

As of January 2025, the Institutes has announced two major changes for the CPCU® and ARM™ test taking process:

• 1) Question Format – CPCU® and ARM™ exams will now begin to include a variety of question types, including multiple choice, select multiple, drop-down select, drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, and numeric entry, among other question formats that may be added at a later date. (Previously, all exams were multiple choice)
• 2) Proctored Exams – Moving forward, all virtual exams administered by The Institutes will be proctored to ensure the test taker is not using notes or cheating in any visible way. This will be done through “virtual exam proctoring,” which means your exam session will be recorded through a program called Talview, and if needed, will be manually reviewed by a member of The Institute’s team. (Previously, all virtual exams were non-proctored)

New Question Format (FAQ)

CPCU® and ARM™ exams, along with select other certification exams administered by The Institutes, will now include a variety of question types in addition to the standard multiple choice type exam questions. In this section, we will detail some of the common FAQ’s regarding this change. This section will be updated periodically with new FAQs.

What type of questions will I see on my exam?

Your exam may now include multiple-choice, select multiple, drop-down select, drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, and numeric entry type exam questions.

If you are using an AssociatePI online course, your course will be updated with the new exam question format. Our courses are automatically updated, at no cost to the user, each time the exam changes. Whenever the exam changes, we update our online course (during the downtime so it doesn’t disrupt studying) to reflect the new content. No need to buy a new course, your online course will always reflect the most up-to-date exam content.

How many of each question type will I see on my exam?

It’s unclear, according to The Institute’s they “Don’t specify which question types appear on specific exams.”

But here’s some insight: As of the posting of this article, the overwhelming majority of questions on the exam still seem to be the standard multiple-choice type questions with a few “new” question formats sprinkled in. That may change in the future though, as each exam is unique and constantly being updated with new test question banks.

When does this change go into effect?

This change has already gone into effect. This change was effective prior to the Quarter One 2025 Testing window that opened January 15th, 2025.

Proctored Exams (FAQ)

All virtual exams administered by The Institutes will be proctored with “virtual exam proctoring”.

What is “virtual exam proctoring”

Virtual exam proctoring means your exam session will be recorded through a program called Talview to ensure the test taker is not using notes or cheating in any visible way. If needed, the recording of your exam may be manually reviewed by a member of The Institute’s team.

How does this work?

The Institute is using a program called Talview to conduct its virtual proctoring. Talview is an AI technology that utilizes face and voice software to provide virtual exam proctoring. It will “flag” if a test taker is suspected to be cheating; if flagged, a member of The Institutes will review the recording to make the appropriate decisions.

This program will record the following as you take your exam:

• Your computer screen
• You (through your webcam)
• Sound (through your microphone)

Will I be watched by a live person?

No, you will not be proctored by a live person. Your exam session will be recorded by a program called Talview. It is an AI exam proctoring service. If needed, the recording of your exam may be manually reviewed by a member of The Institute’s team.

What software will I need?

You will not need any special software; the Talview proctoring is built into the Institute’s virtual exam, but you will need the following to take your exam:

• A laptop or desktop computer (mobile devices not supported).
• A webcam (the one built into your laptop is adequate) .
• A microphone (the one built into your computer is adequate).
• Operating system of Windows 10 or 11, or the latest two releases of MacOS.
• You must run the exam on the latest versions of Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.

Will I fail or be penalized if I move around too much?

No, even if you are flagged by the AI software, there will always be a live person who reviews the recording. So, as long as you are not cheating, you will not get penalized!

The good news, from what we’ve been told, is that they won’t be too strict. This means that even if you are flagged by the AI program for looking away from the computer too many times, a real person will review the video to see if any action needs to be taken.

When does this change go into effect?

This change has already gone into effect. This change was effective as of the Quarter One 2025 Testing window that opened January 15th, 2025.

Our Response

We’re tracking these changes, and here’s how we’re responding:

• New content – We are personally re-taking each exam when the testing window re-opens to ensure our courses are up to date with the latest exam content.
• New questions – Our free practice exams and online courses will start to include the various question formats to better align with the real exam (drop-down, fill-in-the-blank, etc…)
• Proctored exam guidance – The new proctored exams are difficult. No more notes, handouts, or notetaking. We will be providing guidance on how to best approach the exams going forward.

You can track all major CPCU® exam updates here.

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