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2018
NCP Exam
Guide
Program
Handbook
NCP Guide Handbook
❖ Welcome to the Guide Program❖ Sample Guide Path❖ Sample Guide Sessions
❖ Call #1: Introductory Call❖ Call #2: Setting Expectations❖ Call #3: NCP Program Details❖ Call #4: Beginning Study Program❖ Call #5: Establishing a Study Plan❖ Call #6: Open Session on Topic of Candidate’s Choosing❖ Call #7: Tips for Success
❖ Suggestions if Your Candidate is a Re-Tester❖ APPENDIX A: Sample Study Program❖ APPENDIX B: Tips for NCP Exam❖ APPENDIX C: PSI Test Center Guidelines
Table of Contents
Welcome to the NCP Guide Program!
Thanks for agreeing to be a Guide. Since you have achieved your NCP, you are
the best person to facilitate another’s journey to becoming an NCP. You can
share the lessons you learned that enabled you to be successful—all while
gaining valuable NCP CE credits for yourself.
Your primary mission is to guide the NCP candidate through the process of
establishing and completing a study plan. A strong study plan is the key to
success. You will also be able to answer questions about testing logistics and
generally what to expect. Just remember all the questions you had when you
began your journey. Remember, you may discuss NCP Blueprint/NCP Roadmap
topics, but you are not allowed to teach or discuss any specifics about the exam
questions.
The Guide serves as a valuable resource for the NCP Candidate. The best way
to succeed is to establish expectations, create a plan and stick to the plan. The
process can be challenging due to time zones, busy work schedules, and
differences in how people learn.
The following Guide tools are available to help you support your NCP Candidate:
1. Guide Path: To show you the potential steps of being a Guide
2. Sample Guide Call Program: To assist you in potential topics of discussion for
your phone calls or emails
3. Sample Study Plan: To share with your NCP Candidate to help him/her figure
out their own individual study plan
4. Tips for NCP Exam: To share with your NCP Candidate
5. PSI Test Center Guidelines: To share with your NCP Candidate
You should emphasize the importance of the study tools made available by
ECCHO (links provided in this document) as well as those that are provided by
the other NCP training partners (link provided in this document).
As a Guide, you may earn up to 5 NCP CE credits in a year (maximum of 15
CEs per each 5-year renewal cycle). Following are suggestions for how to spend
those 4 hours and 20 minutes (50 minutes per CE) with your NCP candidate to
achieve the maximum results. Feel free to spend more or less time based on
agreement between yourself and your NCP candidate.
NCP Guide Handbook
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Exam NCP Guide Handbook
Sample Guide Session
Call #1:
Introductory Call
Introductions: Discuss Who You Are and What You Do
❖ Introduce yourselves
❖ Discuss Work Backgrounds
❖ Discuss Check Experience
Do’s:
• Provide encouragement
• Provide guidance on the NCP program
• Share lessons learned from your journey
• Explain what NCP Candidate may expect regarding logistics,
experience, etc.
• Talk about NCP Blueprint topics in a collegial way
• Encourage self-study and participation in formal exam preparation
training program
• Help NCP Candidate establish their own study plan
• Remind NCP Candidate to study
• Think of yourself as a development and accountability coach for the
study plan
Don’ts:
• Do not discuss test questions
• Do not discuss test answers
• Do not discuss what was or was not covered on the exam (refer to
NCP Blueprint and NCP Roadmap)
• Guides are not trainers and are not expected to answer educational
questions
Guide’s Role
Explain the Guide’s role and what you can and cannot do.
5
X
NCP Guide Handbook
Sample Guide Session
Call #2:
Setting Expectations
Logistics: Discuss and Agree Upon a Format for Your Contact
• What time zone are you and NCP candidate in?
• Discuss preferred time of contact. Morning? Afternoon?
• Discuss frequency of contact.
• Discuss preferred method of contact. Phone? Email? Other?
• Discuss when to start contact and when to end contact.
• Things come up and some of your contact plans might derail. Be
persistent.
• Provide accountability and focus for your NCP candidate.
Baseline: Discuss the Needs of the NCP Candidate
• How much check experience does NCP candidate have?
• How much knowledge in each area NCP exam:
o Rules & Regulations
o Operations
o Risk & Fraud
o Check Product
• What are candidate’s strengths / weaknesses / preferred areas of focus?
6
NCP Guide Handbook
Sample Guide Session
Call #3:
NCP Program Details
NCP Communications
Discuss the milestones that ECCHO will be communicating via the NCP Connection
mailbox ([email protected]) and what to expect along the journey:
• Confirm the candidate is receiving their emails from NCP Connection
[email protected]. If they have not received an email, please have them
set [email protected] up within their email client as a safe sender and
@eccho.org as a safe domain. Also suggest they work with their IT
department to whitelist @eccho.org domain at the server level so they
can receive these critical communications.
• Work through the candidate’s NCP Welcome Email with study links and
timeline. This is an important email as it contains links to all ECCHO
study aids
• Suggestion to take training with NCP Partners. ECCHO recommends
that NCP candidates take training through one of its NCP partners
• Question of the Day emails starting in January and ending when exam
window opens
• Exam tips from previous test takers--free webinar
• Time/details to register for exam location/date/time with PSI
• Homestretch email reminder of exam study/logistics
• It’s Go Time: reminders just before taking the exam
• What’s next: you have taken the exam and await your results
• NCP exam pass/fail results with bar charts of performance in each
Blueprint area (rules and regulations, operations, fraud/risk, and
product)
7
NCP Guide Handbook
Sample Guide Session
Call #4:
Beginning Study Program
Ensure that NCP Candidate Has the Following Materials
and Utilizes Them
• Go over the NCP Jump Start program Jump Start
o NCP Blueprint: Go over the NCPC Blueprint to ensure that the candidate
knows what is covered on the test and the percentage of questions for
each section.
o Go over the NCP Roadmap. Pages 5-7 of the NCP Roadmap discuss
more about the topics and level of information covered on the exam.
• Ensure that the NCP Candidate has and is utilizing all the items on the ECCHO
NCP prep checklist: including the PREP Guide and Questions of the Day.
Please be aware that an updated version of the Questions of the Day will be
sent to the candidate on a daily basis via [email protected] email starting in
January. The PREP Guide will be updated around October each year to reflect
changes in the NCP Exam Preparation Training course.
8
Auditory Learners:
• Re-listen to the recordings of each exam prep training session
• Read materials out loud and put them in your own words
• Record your own lesson on smartphone and listen to it in the car, or other
downtime (e.g., doctors office, train, plane, etc.)
• Discuss materials in a study group
NCP Guide Handbook
Sample Guide Session
Call #5:
Establishing a Study Plan
Visual Learners:
• Turn notes into pictures, charts, etc.
• Develop and/or Use flash cards
• Color code the new concepts you have learned
• Learn the big picture first and then focus on the details
• Avoid distractions
• Print educational materials (PREP Guide, Roadmap, Jump Start
materials, etc. and make notebook or similar)
Discuss the NCP Candidate’s Plan for Studying
• Discuss the value of taking an exam prep training course--refer to the Exam prep
training options. Candidates have a variety of training options to prepare them
for the exam—offered by our NCP Partners.
• Discuss the candidate’s study plan. See APPENDIX A. Make suggestions on
studying; discuss things that helped you to study or retain information. Consult
reference materials online from universities and other resources (e.g.,
http://uaap.mit.edu/tutoring-support/study-tips/tooling-and-studying,
http://www.howtostudy.com/create-a-study-plan/, http://www.wikihow.com/Create-
a-Study-Schedule)
• Discuss learning techniques and how the NCP Candidate learns best and assist
her/him in developing a plan that incorporates techniques for that style. Some
examples follow:
9
NCP Guide Handbook
Sample Guide Session
Call #6:
Open Session
On Topic of NCP
Candidate’s Choosing
• Suggest a call on a topic of interest from the candidate. Guide and candidate can
search Question of the Day, PREP Guide, training materials, regulations and other
resources on that topic to use as a reference. You may discuss topic in a collegial
way but not teach/train the NCP Candidate.
• Invite ad hoc inquiries – candidate calls you or emails with questions about exam
logistics, ways to study, what you experienced, etc. on an as-needed basis.
Detailed check questions/education should be forwarded to the Candidate’s
training provider or ECCHO.
• Set up status calls (for an agreed upon set period near exam window) – to discuss
how the candidate is coming along with their study plan. Does the candidate have
a study plan? Do they spend regular time studying? How much of the exam
material have they covered? Are they actively participating in a training course?
10
NCP Guide Handbook
Sample Guide Session
Call #7:
Tips for Success
Test Taking Tips
• When is the last time the NCP candidate took an exam? Was it online? Is the
NCP candidate a good test taker? See APPENDIX B. Guide her/him to look
online at relevant suggestions offered by universities and other resources on
successful test taking techniques (e.g., https://casc.byu.edu/testtaking-strategies,
https://www.southwestern.edu/offices/success/academic-assistance/mentoring-
skill-development/test-taking-strategies/)
• Discuss the style of certification test language. The language can be confusing.
Emphasize that candidates should slow down, remain calm, read the question
carefully, more than once, look for key words, and look for references (e.g.,
“According to UCC”).
• Discuss the style of scenario based questions / questions that test the level of
knowledge and ability to apply the knowledge to business situation. Although the
test is multiple choice, it requires more than just recalling facts.
• Talk about how to map out challenging questions into scenarios/diagrams to
assist in answering the questions. Talk about ways to utilize the paper and pencil
provided during the exam.
• Refer candidate to sample keyboard for PSI. It is a good idea to be familiar with
the keyboard and its functions, prior to taking the exam.
• Discuss the ability to ‘Mark’ questions (blue key on the PSI keyboard) for later
review while taking the exam.
• Talk about the testing center: what to expect, setup for you (each center is a little
different), what you can/can’t take with you, as well as how to sign up for the
exam date/time with PSI testing center.
• Refer candidate to Study Tips presentation for simple exam taking techniques.
Go through the Study Tips from Previous Test Takers presentation.
11
NCP Guide Handbook
Suggestions if Your Candidate is a Re-Tester
If you are paired with someone who has already taken the NCP exam, it might
be harder to figure out how to guide her/his journey. Following are some ideas
around how to navigate with a re-taker:
• Ask them about their study process for the prior test:
• How much time did they spend studying?
• Type of study techniques they utilized:
o Study Partners: independent, study group
o Study Aids: design flash cards, make recordings of material for themselves,
ECCHO study materials (PREP Guide, Question of the Day, NCP
Roadmap)
o Additional resources: NCP preparation training, original documents (UCD,
UCC 3 & 4, Reg CC, etc.)
o Discuss the gaps in these areas that you might help them develop and
focus on differently
• Walk through all available study techniques even if they believe they
know why they failed. Much can be learned by discussing with an
objective party and examining other opportunities.
• Suggest ways to succeed based on all available resources and your
own experience.
• Ask them about their performance results on the exam (if they are comfortable
sharing):
o Particularly focus on the Blueprint areas where they performed well vs
poorly
o Work with candidate to focus their study more on weaker areas of their
expertise
o Remind them to review areas they performed well
• Review pitfalls and ways to overcome them:
o Not studying enough: develop a plan, carve out time on a consistent basis,
start earlier, utilize a trainer, don’t multi-task while studying, create your own
study aids, get into a study group or have a study buddy, etc.
o Not a good test taker: look at resources online that provide test taking tips.
See below.
o Get too nervous: deep breathing exercises, arrive at the test site early and
take a walk or review notes a final time, read each question twice before
answering, meditation/prayer, etc.
12
NCP Guide Handbook
APPENDIX A: to share with candidate
• Complete Jump Start reading program and determine any items that you need to
spend more time on.
o NCP Blueprint has all topics covered on exam
o NCP Roadmap goes into more depth about level subjects covered on exam
o Online versions of references are valuable for further study (Reg CC, UCC,
UCD, OC3, ECCHO Rules, FFIEC Guidance)
• Study PREP Guide
• Review Question of the Day
o Try to answer the Question each day as it comes in
o Do more research on that topic
o Confirm answer on the next day
o Print Question of the Day and place into notebook for future review
• Take a NCP Partner Exam Prep Training Course
o Print out materials
o Read chapter ahead of class and note any questions that you have
o Take notes during class, turn off all other phones/email, do not multi-task
o Ask questions in class
o After class summarize highlights onto index cards or other useful format for
review
• Form a study group if others at your organization are taking the exam; otherwise,
form a phone study group—pick a topic and discuss it thoroughly; ask your training
provider if they have a study group
• Ask experts at your organization to discuss topics or answer questions
Sample Study Program
Tips for NCP Candidate to Establish their Study Plan
• Consider your current activities and when time is available or can be made to study.
Study time of an hour or more is preferential but other test takers have reported that even
taking 15 minutes here and there helped them to be successful.
• Mark off study time on your calendar. Plot your course by adding which subjects will be
covered on each day.
• Determine your goals for what you will accomplish each week or month (depending upon
when you begin your studies). Use this as a checkpoint to ensure that you do not fall
behind.
• Stick to your schedule. If you fall behind, catch up at night or on weekends, etc.
• Most test takers find that cramming for NCP will not produce a positive result.
13
NCP Guide Handbook
APPENDIX B: To share with candidate
Tips for NCP Exam
Just Before the Exam
• Get a good night's sleep the evening before the exam.
• Eat a healthy, protein-rich breakfast the morning of your exam.
• Arrive at the PSI testing facility 30 minutes early.
• Relax your mind before the test begins.
Prior to the Exam
• Register for the test as early as possible. ECCHO has study aids to help with your
preparation and putting off this crucial step will only add to your stress.
• Spend time working through study topics, scenarios, Question of the Day, other
practice resources for several weeks before your scheduled test date.
• Take an exam prep training course.
• Study a little every day. This gives your mind time to absorb the material.
• Depending upon your learning style, either relax the day before the test to give
your mind a break so that it will be refreshed and ready on test day, OR take the
day away from work to concentrate solely on studying for the exam.
• Take your study aids with you. If you are struggling with terminology or facts, make
flashcards and keep them in your pocket. You can review while you are standing in
line, on train or plane, or waiting for class to begin.
• Put together a study group. If you know other people who are preparing for the
same test, you can get together for study time. This helps because your colleagues
will be able to explain some of the things you do not understand and you can do
the same for them.
Guide’s time to provide Words of Encouragement….
You can do it!I know you can!
14
During the Test
• Ask PSI test proctor resolve any issues that you may have with desk,
computer, etc.
• Read the instructions carefully. Know how to use the keyboard and
special keys.
• Read each question carefully, paying attention to details. Look for
references like “according to Reg CC”, etc.
• Pay attention to time passing in relation to the time allotment.
• Don't get distracted by other testers in the room (wear the earplugs
provided by the testing center).
• Begin by answering the questions that you know. For the rest of the
questions, eliminate the answers that cannot be correct. This often leaves
you with just one answer.
• If you come across a question that is difficult, use the paper and pencil to
draw out/assist in understanding the scenario. Be careful not to spend
too much time on any one question. Mark it for later review, move on and
come back to it at the end.
• Don't second guess yourself by changing your answers unless you are
100% certain.
• Don't fall into the trap of looking for patterns in the answers. There really
can be three (or more) "C" answers in a row.
• When you are finished, ensure you have answered all questions.
• After the test, CELEBRATE! Go out and do something enjoyable. Treat
yourself to a favorite meal or other activity. Celebrate your
accomplishment
NCP Guide Handbook
APPENDIX B: To share with candidate
Tips for NCP Exam (continued)
15
Test Facts
• NCP exam is administered online at PSI proctored testing centers.
• You are allowed three hours to take the exam.• Testing center provides a piece of paper and a pencil to contemplate test questions..• You may not take books or notes of any kind into the test center (other than the
paper and pencil provided by the test center proctor).
NCP Guide Handbook
APPENDIX C: To share with candidate
PSI Test Center Guidelines
Other Tips
• Know exactly where your testing site is before test day and how long it will take to get
there at the time of your test (e.g., traffic conditions).
• Get to the testing site early and go through your flashcards one final time.
Things You Should Know
• You must present two valid, unexpired and acceptable ID(s) in order to take your test.
One must be a photo ID. Examples of ID include: driver’s license, passport, employee ID,
signed credit card.
• You must take a copy of the email that confirms your appointment at PSI.
• The name for the appointment should match the name on your ID.
• Make a plan for your personal items. Purses, phones, etc. are not allowed in the testing
centers. Some testing centers have lockers but some do not have a place to secure your
personal items. Check ahead of time with your designated testing center.
• You must arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time
in order to be admitted to take your exam.
• Persons not scheduled to take a test are not permitted to wait in the testing center or
surrounding common areas.
• You may not exit the building or use your cell phone or other electronic devices during the
exam, however there is a bathroom available in all testing sites.
• Assist her/him in developing a plan that incorporates techniques for that style
Scheduling Your Exam
• Schedule as soon as you can after signup with PSI begins. Appointment times in any given testing center may be limited..
Pass/Fail Score
• You will receive your pass/fail score via email generally by mid-June. You will see bar
charts on your individual report that depict how you performed on the four test areas.
• You will receive your NCP certificate and pin by mail a few weeks after that.
16
Page 3 of 10
Thank You!
Your guidance paves the way for the success of the NCP program
as well as for the electronic check payments system.
Thank you for supporting the future of your NCP program and the
development of expert check professionals.
If you have any questions during your NCP Guide journey, please
email us at [email protected] or call 214-273-3218.
Welcome to the program!