Texas Real Estate Exam Day Tips — What to Do Before, During & After

The Night Before Your Exam

Do a Final Light Review — Not a Cram Session

The night before your exam is not the time to learn new material. Instead do a light 20-30 minute review of the key numbers and Texas-specific terms you have already memorized. Flip through your notes just to reinforce what you already know — do not try to absorb anything new.

The most important things to review the night before are the numbers the Texas exam tests repeatedly:

• 85 — National portion questions
• 40 — State Law scored questions (plus 10 unscored pretests)
• 70% — passing score on each portion
• 56 of 85 — correct answers needed on National
• 28 of 40 — correct answers needed on State Law
• 150 minutes — National portion time limit
• 90 minutes — State Law portion time limit
• $50,000 — Recovery Trust Account per transaction
• $100,000 — Recovery Trust Account per licensee
• 2 business days — trust fund deposit deadline

Get a Full Night of Sleep

Your brain consolidates everything you have studied during sleep. A well-rested mind performs dramatically better on a 4-hour exam than an exhausted one. Go to bed at a reasonable time and aim for 7 to 8 hours. Do not stay up late studying — the marginal benefit of one more hour of cramming is far outweighed by the cost of being tired during a 4-hour exam.

The Morning of Your Exam

Eat a Good Breakfast

Your brain runs on glucose. A solid breakfast — protein, complex carbs, nothing too heavy — will keep your focus sharp through a 4-hour exam. This is not the morning to skip breakfast or eat something that might make you feel sluggish.

Listen to Your Exam Cram Audio One More Time

Put in your earbuds on the drive to the testing center and do a final audio review of the key Texas exam topics. By exam day you will have covered this material many times. One final listen activates everything you have already stored in your memory and gets your brain thinking in real estate terms before you sit down. Many students say this is the single most effective thing they do on exam morning.

Arrive Early

Plan to arrive at the Pearson VUE testing center at least 15 to 30 minutes early. This gives you time to check in, store your belongings, use the restroom, and settle your nerves before you sit down. Rushing in at the last minute adds unnecessary stress before a 4-hour exam.

What to Expect at Check-In

• You will present your two forms of ID
• You will be photographed and your palm vein or fingerprint may be scanned
• All personal items including your phone, wallet, and keys go in a locker
• You will be given scratch paper and a pencil for calculations
• You will be escorted to your assigned computer station

During the Exam

Remember — Two Separate Portions

The Texas exam is divided into two distinct portions that you take back to back. The National portion comes first — 85 questions with 150 minutes. Then the State Law portion — 40 scored questions with 90 minutes. You must pass each portion independently with at least 70%. Treat them as two separate exams and pace yourself accordingly for each.

Pace Yourself on Each Portion

For the National portion you have about 105 seconds per question. For the State Law portion you have about 135 seconds per question. Both are generous time limits if you stay focused. Read every question carefully but do not overthink — go with your best answer and move on.

Answer Every Question — No Penalty for Guessing

The Texas real estate exam does not penalize wrong answers. A blank answer and a wrong answer count the same — zero points. Never leave a question blank. If you are unsure, eliminate the obviously wrong answers and make your best guess from what remains.

Trust Your First Instinct

Research consistently shows that your first answer on a multiple choice exam is more likely to be correct than a changed answer. Unless you have a very specific reason to change your answer — like remembering a fact you had forgotten — go with your first instinct and move on.

Watch Out for Trick Wording

The Texas real estate exam frequently uses words like EXCEPT, NOT, and BEST that completely change what a question is asking. Read carefully and pay special attention to any question that contains these words. Missing one word can cost you a correct answer on a question you actually know.

Flag Questions You Are Unsure About

The Pearson VUE testing system allows you to flag questions and come back to them. If you encounter a question you are not sure about, make your best guess, flag it, and move on. Come back to flagged questions at the end of each portion if you have time remaining.

After the Exam

You Will Know Immediately If You Passed

The Texas real estate exam is scored by computer instantly. When you finish and submit each portion your result will appear on the screen. You will see a PASS or FAIL result along with a score report showing your performance by category before you leave the Pearson VUE testing center.

If You Pass

Congratulations! You can now proceed with your TREC license application. In Texas, a real estate salesperson — called a Sales Agent — must be sponsored by a licensed Texas broker. You cannot practice real estate independently as a Sales Agent. Make sure you have a sponsoring broker lined up so you can activate your license quickly after passing.

If You Do Not Pass One or Both Portions

Do not panic. Many first-time test takers do not pass both portions on their first attempt. Look at your score report carefully — it shows your performance by category so you know exactly where to focus before your next attempt. You can retake each failed portion separately — you do not have to retake both if you passed one. Use the A+ Simulator to drill the categories where you scored lowest before rescheduling.