ASE Certification for Mechanics
Certification by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence tells your customers that you're not just some dude turning a wrench in a garage, but a professional trained to work on all makes of vehicles. It not only assures customers that they can rely on the services of a skilled technician, but also, in many large urban areas, ASE certification is necessary to work in most garages.
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ASE Basics
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Two levels of ASE tests are available. ASE Certified Technicians are entry-level service mechanics. No work experience or specialization is required to become a certified technician. ASE Master Technicians specialize in areas such as engine repair, brakes, electrical systems, heating and air conditioning, suspension and collision repair. Two years of work experience is necessary before taking the Master Technician test, and mechanics can earn as many specializations as they can successfully study for and complete. Certifications are good for five years, at which point mechanics must pass a recertification exam in each specialty to keep certifications current.
ASE Certification Test
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The ASE test is created by a board at ASE, but administered by ACT, a company that provides standardized college-entrance exams to high school students. You're allowed between one half and two hours to complete the test, depending upon which test you take. The number of questions per test varies by specialty, but usually numbers between 20 and 30 multiple-choice questions. Technicians are allowed to register for multiple tests each day, but the ASE recommends avoiding testing that totals more than 225 questions in a day.
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Test Strategies
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Unlike some standardized tests, you are not penalized for answering incorrectly on an ASE test, so it's important to take a stab at answering every question put before you. Before you resort to guesswork, approach the question using typical test-taking strategies: Try to eliminate as many incorrect answers as possible, reread the question to make sure you understand it and, if falling back on a guess, go with your first instinct.
Test Questions
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"Technician A and Technician B" questions are a common question format on ASE certification tests. This type of question presents two differing opinions of a cause of a problem or its solution. It's the test-taker's job to determine which course of action is correct, or if both or neither are the solution. It's doubly important to thoroughly read this type of question instead of leaping to a snap judgment: Both technicians' answers may be correct, so don't stop reading when you encounter a correct response. Additionally, it's not uncommon for questions to offer outlooks from both technicians that are incorrect.
Come Prepared
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Even with years of experience in the garage, ASE tests can be difficult for technicians who haven't adequately studied for them. ASE provides study guides for each area on the test, and third-party study guides are also available. Although it may seem tedious, take several practice exams. Not only will they let you gauge your level of preparedness, but also they will allow you to familiarize yourself with the test format, which should help in overcoming jitters on the day of the test.
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