Becoming a Pharmacy Technician - Part 4 - PTCE Registration

Registering for the exam isn't the simplest of processes. First, you head on over to ptcb.org. In somewhat the middle of the homepage you'll see three buttons:

Obviously I'm not there for Recertification... but Register and Schedule?  On any other website, that'd usually mean the same thing.  Well, the correct button to push was the first button.  Under the Register for Your Exam button, it's about answering standard contact information, some basic questions about how you heard about and prepared for the exam, and payment information.

Email #1 was the Thank You for Submitting an Application email.  If the $129.00 payment was done by credit card, then you'll receive an Authorization to Test email (which is basically a confirmation email) right away, or if you paid by electronic check, the email will be received when the payment clears.

Email #2 was the ATT email, which had my PTCB ID# as well as all the standard information about how to schedule the exam, how to prepare, what to bring, and how to cancel or reschedule.

Email #3 informed me about the auto creation of an account with Pearson VUE, which is the website for the actual testing service.  They gave me an auto generated account name and temporary password.  There's a link in the email to go to their website, but I found it simpler to go back to the ptcb.org website and click on the Schedule Your Exam button.  (Which now makes sense that there are two buttons, since the two separate process of registering/payment and selecting the test date are handled by two different websites.)  The scheduling itself is very simple.  You click a button that searches for nearby test centers, choose the location you want to test at, choose a date, then choose a time, and submit!

Email #4 was the confirmation email about my scheduled test date with all important information repeated again and directions.  I selected my test date for next Thursday to give me time to take the practice exam in the workbook I have, take the official practice test if I feel like I need it, do some extra studying, and have some days for other things I need to take care of.  I can always reschedule the exam to be earlier (or later) if need be, as long as I take the exam within 90 of registration.  (The Register Your for Exam button stuff.)

Let me repeat that last part. Scheduling does not have to be on the same day as registering (and payment). Scheduling can take place at any time up to 90 days after registration. If you want to enforce a maximum deadline from when you get the books you want to study, and when you take the exam, you might want to do that.

And there it goes.  Registering for the exam through two websites and by receiving four emails.  Simple?  Not exactly.  Done?  Completely.