CHEAT SHEET · CMA (AAMA)

CMA (AAMA) Cheat Sheet.
The night-before summary, built like the exam.

Weighted to the 2026 outline·15-minute scan·Verified 2026
Drill weak spots →

CMA (AAMA) Exam — Fast Facts

  • 200 multiple-choice questions
  • 160 minutes total testing time
  • Passing score: 405 (scaled)

Pacing Math

With 200 questions in 160 minutes, you have roughly 48 seconds per question. Flag hard items and move on — don't let one question eat your buffer.

  • Quarter-check: ~50 questions by the 40-minute mark
  • Halfway: ~100 questions by the 80-minute mark
  • Leave a few minutes at the end for flagged items

Scoring — Must Remember

  • The 405 figure is a scaled score, not a raw count or a percentage. You cannot compute it directly from "X of 200 correct."
  • Because it's scaled, focus on maximizing correct answers across all content areas rather than targeting a specific raw number.
  • There is no documented penalty for guessing in these facts — answer every question; a blank is a guaranteed miss.

Test-Day Rules of Thumb

  • Budget time in blocks (use the ~48s/question anchor) so you finish all 200 items within 160 minutes.
  • First-pass: answer what you know, flag the rest. Second-pass: return to flagged items with remaining time.
  • Trust the scaled-score design — steady accuracy across the whole exam beats overinvesting in any single tough question.