Understanding the ISA Certified Arborist Exam Structure
If you are preparing for the ISA Certified Arborist exam, one of the first things you might wonder is: How many questions are on the ISA Certified Arborist exam? Knowing the structure and length of the test is crucial for effective time management and preparation.
Total Number of Questions
The ISA Certified Arborist exam consists of a total of 200 multiple-choice questions. However, there is an important detail to be aware of regarding how these questions are scored:
- Scored Questions: Out of the 200 questions, only 180 questions are scored and count towards your final result.
- Pretest Questions: The remaining 20 questions are unscored "pretest" questions. These are mixed throughout the exam and are used by the ISA to evaluate new questions for future exams. You will not know which questions are scored and which are pretest questions, so you must answer all of them to the best of your ability.
Time Allocation and Question Format
You will have 3.5 hours (210 minutes) to complete the 200 questions. This breaks down to just over one minute per question.
All questions are multiple-choice, typically offering four possible answers (A, B, C, or D). There are no essay questions or practical field demonstrations required for this specific written exam.
How the Questions Are Distributed
The 200 questions cover 10 different domains of arboriculture. To pass, you need an overall score of at least 72%. The questions are weighted across the following domains:
- Soil Management (12%)
- Identification and Selection (8%)
- Installation and Establishment (5%)
- Safe Work Practices (15%)
- Tree Biology (11%)
- Pruning (16%)
- Diagnosis and Treatment (12%)
- Urban Forestry (7%)
- Tree Protection (4%)
- Tree Risk Management (10%)
Understanding exactly how many questions are on the ISA Certified Arborist exam and how they are distributed allows you to create a focused and effective study plan!