In this module, you shall learn about:

• • How to apply for API 653 exam,

• • What you shall expect during exam day,

• • Time management during the examination &

• • Exam tips.

Basic Facts

What you should expect during Exam Day?

API Exam Day at the prometric test center

How the API exam questions developed? 

Periodically a question writing session is conducted.  Subject Matter Experts (SME’s), or individuals who specialize in pressure vessels, write questions from specific sections of the Code.  Each question is then checked by three other SME’s.

This validation exercise addresses two issues:

1. Is the question written clearly?

2. Does the question cover knowledge that is important to the inspector?

These questions are initially included in the question databank as non-scored or pretest questions.

Presently there are over 1000 scored questions in the databank and are grouped by topics.

For each examination, there are 170 questions on the exam, of which only 140 are scored and 30 pretest or experimental questions that are not scored.

The scored non-scored questions are unmarked; hence, you have to answer all 170 questions.

Out of 170 questions, 110 questions are in closed-book part of the exam, and 60 questions are in open-book part.

How the questions are set

The examination has two sections:  open book and closed book parts.

• The API 653 exam day is 7.5 hours long – a short tutorial session, 2.75 hours for the closed-book portion, a 45-minute lunch break and 3.75 hours for the open-book portion.

The closed-book  questions are those that the inspector is encountered on daily basis, so, he/she is expected to know the answer without referring to the Codes. These questions are called “awareness” type or ”practical” type of questions.

Whenever you find a very definitive or quantitative statement or fact in body of the Code, a closed book question may be expected on it.

Any topic repeated several times in the codes and RPs are potential exam questions.

Thus, the basic requirements of a code, specific “DO” and “DON’T” statements, important quantified statements, important definitions and well-known inspection principles will constitute a closed book question.

The questions asked in closed book part are straight forward statements directly taken form Code without much of the modifications and therefore are easy to answer.

Where the candidate is required to refer to the diagrams or formulas or tables or graphs and curves from the Codes, it will always be an “open-book” question.

All calculation type of questions will normally be “open-book” type.

The information in the Code, which is not short and crisp, (that is, large paragraphs, several descriptive statements clubbed together) will normally be asked in “open-book” part.

Here, the candidate is not expected to remember the answer but should know where to find it in the body of the Code.

Navigating through codes and RPs during open book exam is important especially knowing that the pdf search button is disabled during the exam.

Pay special attention to relevant figures, charts and table footnotes.

To answer open-book questions, one only needs to know where to find the answer in the code.

If you cannot find the information quickly, go to the table of content. I f you still cannot find it, go to list of tables and figures.

We shall highlight important pages of codes in each module.

During mock exam and practice sessions, please use codes and RPs especially for calculation type of sample and mock exams and actually solve them yourself even though it may look very simple.

Frequenting codes and RPs would help you greatly during open book part of the exam and saves time.

Please note that it is very important to also work with the soft copy of PDF version of the codes and RPs as it is quite different when you go through a hard copy or any other medium of a code than when you go through the PDF format.

You should get used to navigating through the PDF version as this is the medium you have to work through during the examination without using ”word search” capability.

Please remember that study of API 653 code has to be “thorough” and total, while study of ASME Sec. V and ASME Sec. IX should be such that it covers the topics mentioned in the “Body of Knowledge”.

Our E-leaning modules is specifically focused on the body of knowledge.

• • If you are about a month away from examination, read all the Codes at least once and concentrate on highlighted text in the Codes.

• • If you are about two weeks away from the exam, concentrate on highlighted text as well as the mock examinations provided.

• • In the last week of preparation, focus on Flash Cards and highlighted text from the codes and RP.

How to prioritize and plan studying for API 653

You have only a limited amount of time to study, so you need to invest your time wisely, that is, obviously, you should spend your study time where you can get the MAXIMUM return!

Almost half of the test questions come directly from API 653.  So that’s your priority!

For every hour spent on the other publications, spend 2 hours studying API 653.

If you thoroughly understand API 653 and don’t even look at the other publications, chances are, you could pass the test based on your personal knowledge of other codes and recommended practices.  (We are not recommending this approach!)  But remember, almost half of API exam questions comes straight from API 653 Inspection Code.

There will be about 70-75 test questions directly from API 653.

API 653 is about 150 pages long. This is an average of one question for every two page.

The remaining 85-90 questions will come from some 2000 pages contained in the other documents.  That’s less than 1 question for every 20 pages read.

Spend your time mining in the rich veins of API 653.  To do well in the exam, you must “Major on the Majors, and Minor on the Minors”.  For this exam, API 653 is the “Majors”!

Our Training focus is on high scoring areas although low scoring areas are also covered enough.

This means, we shall cover briefly those refence materials that contribute to a few exam questions while question rich reference materials are covered in much more detail. On need to know basis.

Time Commitment

Time is your limited resource.  Your learning efficiency will increase by having a plan and be focused.

Why spend hundreds of hours studying haphazardly when you could learn just as much or even more with 50 hours of organized approach?

Our e-learning course helps you manage your time as well as focusing on key subjects in an organized and effective manner.

The plan can be based on 12 weeks of preparation with 6 – 8 hours of study each week.

This plan will allow you to study at a steady pace whenever you want and wherever you want with 24/7 access to our e-learning course and a WhatsApp chatline to answer your questions, if any.

Your learning and satisfaction will significantly increase with this disciplined approach that can also fit in with your daily routine.

Do not wait and cram the week prior to exam.  You may still be lucky to pass the test, but you will soon forget what little you have learned.

Preparing for a certification exams is a great opportunity to really increase your inspection knowledge and skills.

Make the most of it by significantly enhancing your career by getting certified.

Percentage of Exam Questions per Code and RP

As per API Publication Effectivity Sheet or reference material for API-653 exam, there are 4 standards and codes (API 650 & 653 standard & ASME Codes V & IX) and 6 Recommended Practices (571, 575, 576, 577, 651 & 652) prescribed for examination.

However, all of them are not equally important and therefore, do not require equal emphasis.

About 45%-50% questions are asked from one code API 653 which is some 150 pages long, while the rest contribute to 55% marks which are some 2000 pages.