Getting ready to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) can be quite stressful. Now, just when you think you are ready to head out for the exam, you find out that the Prometric Center is CLOSED! What?! The exact center you are about to take the exam at happens to not be administering any exams at all. That means your NPTE got canceled!
You’ve already done your NPTE exam preparation and are anxious to get it done and over with!
Closure Caution: January NPTE Takers
It’s never a good time for closure to happen; however, it seems as January exams tend to have higher site rates mainly due to the weather. To see whether the site you are going to maybe closed, you can visit Prometric Site Closures.
The Closure is Confirmed!
Once you know that your particular site is closed, the next step is to reschedule your exam. When the Prometric Center knows they will be closed, they make every effort to reach out to you either by sending out an email and / or calling. So, be sure they have the correct contact information in order to get in touch with you. If you see that the site is closed on your NPTE date and haven’t gotten an email within 24 hours, be sure to directly email them.
Will I Have to Wait For the Next NPTE Date?
Most likely you won’t have to wait for the next scheduled NPTE date that is 3 months away. Be reassured that you’ll be able to take your exam relatively soon. It could be within a few days of your original scheduled exam date. The Prometric Center usually reschedules your exam as soon as possible, within 48-72 hours depending on the reason why the center was closed.
Why Would the Prometric Center Close?
For the most part, the main reason for closure is due to the weather. This could include extreme weather patterns such as heavy snow in the winter and heavy rains that cause floods. Some of the more severe weather closures could be related to your location for hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons. If your location is known to have heavy snow, rains or tropical weather patterns, you may want to expect the unexpected.
Are There Other Reasons Why They May Close?
Yes, these reasons are rarer but have happened such as natural disasters. These would include earthquakes and fires or where the weather would make it hard for you to travel safely to the center. Other closures may be due to power outages or technical difficulties where it’s affecting the computers and software.
Now, What Are You Supposed To Do?
Take a deep breath and reset yourself to be ready to take the exam on your new scheduled date. Enjoy the day if you had planned to take it off and just visualize your success. Remember, as tempting as it may be to talk to others that would be taking it before you, don’t engage with them about the exam. Don’t ask about their experience, especially about the questions or anything else that would jeopardize yours or their licenses. You want to be sure to go in with confidence instead of the misconceptions of how hard the NPTE questions may be from those that just took the exam.
Restart Take 2!
Treat this new NPTE date as if it was your original scheduled exam. Make sure to bring your 2 Identifications, your Authorization to Test (ATT) letter, snacks, and drinks. Give yourself a little extra time to arrive so that you don’t have to worry about being there late. Take a few moments for you to be in the right mindset of getting into the zone and be confident to tackle the exam.
Will My NPTE Results Be Released Later?
In general, you’ll want to expect your NPTE exam scores to be released 5 days after you have taken the exam. You can learn more about what happens behind the scenes after you submit your exam. If you take the exam within 2 days, you may see your exam results released the same night as scheduled for others just much later or the morning after. Otherwise, you’ll want to plan that you will get your scores at a later time.
While it’s stressful to have your NPTE exam at a later date than expected, don’t let the site closure throw you off. Take advantage of the extra days to help you be more mentally and physically prepared for this marathon exam.