The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) is redesigning its Advanced Generalist examination to provide a stronger base for advanced non-clinical social work practice across the United States and Canada. The new version of the ASWB Advanced Generalist licensure examination will be even more directly targeted to advanced generalist practice than it has been in the past.
In order to accomplish this goal, ASWB needs the involvement of social workers willing to help develop a bank of test questions that will ensure the ASWB exams remain effective measures of social work competence. Test -takers who participate in this effort will have their $260 examination fee waived, and will be administered an examination of up to 255 questions, with a longer time limit to complete the examination. Candidates will still only be scored on 150 questions—the additional questions will be “pretest” items that will help ASWB develop a new 170-question Advanced Generalist exam that will be administered beginning January 1, 2012.
The expanded Advanced Generalist examination will be the primary examination offered by the association for all Advanced Generalist tests administered between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011. First time candidates for this exam, as well as re-test candidates who failed the Advanced Generalist examination before January 1, 2011, will be assigned to the free expanded examination during this timeframe. Candidates who register to retest after taking the free expanded Advanced Generalist examination will be administered a 170-question test at the full registration fee of $260.
FAQs
Why is ASWB changing the number of questions on the Advanced Generalist test?
Is it really free?
When should I register for the test?
Should I be taking this test?
Is it the actual licensing test?
What if I fail? Do I get a free re-test?
Will I have to get more questions right in order to pass?
Will the non-scored questions be in a separate portion of the test?
How many questions will be on the test?
Will I be given more time to take the test?
Will there be breaks?
Will I be able to skip questions and go back to them later? Will I be able to review my test before submitting it?
How will this exam be scored?
Can I register for the free test online?
Will the appointment process be the same?
When should I schedule an appointment to take the examination?
I don’t want to participate in this project. Can I opt for the regular 170-question test?
Why is ASWB changing the number of questions on the Advanced Generalist test?
The temporary increase in the number of non-scored pretest questions is necessary in order for ASWB to develop examinations that accurately reflect the results of the last practice analysis. The examinations developed as a result of this analysis will have a stronger basis in advanced non-clinical social work practice.
Is it really free?
Yes. Candidates who register for the Advanced Generalist between January 1 and June 15 2011, and who take the Advanced Generalist examination for the first time between January 1, 2011 and June 30 2011 will not be charged the $260 examination fee. Candidates who fail the test before January 1, 2011 and register to re-take the test between January 1 and June 15, 2011 will also qualify for a free test. Candidates who have already registered with ASWB to take the Advanced Generalist examination, and who are planning to wait to take the test until after December 31, 2010 (and before June 30, 2011) will be refunded their $260 registration fee after ASWB receives the test scores.
When should I register for the test?
The registration period for the free examination is January 1, through June 15, 2011. The examination must be taken by June 30, 2011.
Should I be taking this test?
The Advanced Generalist examination is designed for social workers with an MSW and at least two years of post-MSW experience in non-clinical social work practice. Several jurisdictions have a separate licensing category for this type of practice; a few others provide social workers with the option of taking either the Advanced Generalist or ASWB Clinical licensure examination. In these instances, social workers should carefully consider whether the Advanced Generalist test is the most appropriate examination for them. Content outlines for the examinations can be found here. Finally, candidates who have a testing option should be aware that several jurisdictions do not use or accept results from the Advanced Generalist examination for purposes of clinical licensure.
Is it the actual licensing test?
Yes. The score you receive on this version of the Advanced Generalist licensing examination can be used for purposes of licensure in those jurisdictions that accept this category of test.
What if I fail? Do I get a free re-test?
No. This program is available for one attempt only. Repeat takers will be provided a 170-item test at the full registration fee ($260).
Will I have to get more questions right in order to pass?
No. Test-takers who take any Advanced Generalist examination during 2011 will be scored on 150 questions, just as they are now. The only difference will be the addition of “pretest” questions that will not count toward the score.
Will the non-scored questions be in a separate portion of the test?
No. The additional pretest items will be mixed in with the scored questions. Test-takers will not be able to tell which items are scored and which are not, and test-takers should answer every question to the best of their abilities.
How many questions will be on the test?
Estimates are that the test will contain as many as 255 questions.
Will I be given more time to take the test?
Yes. Candidates will be allowed six hours to complete the test.
Will there be breaks?
Yes. The expanded test will be administered in two blocks with a break in-between. You will not be able to go back to the first block after the break, and you will not be able to move on to the second block until after the break.
Will I be able to skip questions and go back to them later? Will I be able to review my test before submitting it?
The two blocks of the test will be separate, but each block will function just like the tests do now—within each block, you will be able to mark questions for later review, skip questions and go back to them, etc. You will NOT be able to return to a block once you complete it.
How will this exam be scored?
The test will be scored as a single 150-question test. The two blocks will NOT be scored separately.
Can I register for the free test online?
No. Registrations for this test will only be taken over the phone, at 1-888-579-3926.
Will the appointment process be the same?
Yes. Candidates who choose to take the free test will follow the same appointment process with Pearson VUE as all other candidates for an ASWB examination. Details of this process can be found in the ASWB Candidate Handbook.
When should I schedule an appointment to take the examination?
You should schedule your appointment as soon as possible after registering with ASWB. Appointments will be scheduled according to availability at the test centers and all authorizations offered for this project will expire June 30, 2011. There will be no extensions granted.
I don’t want to participate in this project. Can I opt for the regular 170-question test?
Not if you want to take the test between January 1 and June 30 2011. For the first six months of the year, the expanded free test will be the only test available to first-time takers and candidates who failed the Advanced Generalist test before December 31, 2010. Candidates who do not want to take the expanded version will not be able to register for the Advanced Generalist examination until after June 15, 2011, and will not be permitted to take the test until after June 30, 2011.
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