BIDA® | Final Exam Overview + Study Tips
Congratulations on completing the BIDA® syllabus and beginning your preparation for the BIDA® Final Exam!
There is a 30-day waiting period between final exam attempts, so we encourage you to take ample time to prepare before beginning. This guide contains:
BIDA® - Final Exam at a Glance
What will I be tested on during the BIDA final exam?
| Exam structure | 50 multiple choice questions, 15 case study questions. |
| Exam location | Online/virtual at a location of your choice. The exam does not need to be scheduled. |
| Exam duration | Three hours, timed. |
| Exam content | Prep and core course content. Elective course content will not be covered. |
| Exam results availability | Immediately upon completion. |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Eligibility | Students must complete all required courses to access the final exam. |
| Number of attempts | One attempt |
| Retaking the Exam | There is a mandatory one-month waiting period between exam retakes. Students who have already passed the exam are not allowed to retake it. An active subscription is required during the final exam and all retakes. |
| How to prepare | Review course videos, prep courses, materials, exercises, and case studies. Take the practice exam (we recommend taking the practice exam more than once before proceeding to the final exam). |
| Practice exams | Students may retake practice exams as many times as needed. |
BIDA® Exam Overview
The BIDA® Final Exam is divided into two primary sections. You must achieve a minimum of 70% to earn a passing score on the Exam.
Exam Breakdown
Section 1: Multiple-Choice Questions
- Section one contains 50 randomized multiple-choice questions
- Similar difficulty level as the qualified exams at the end of each course.
Section 2: Case studies
- Section two contains 15 questions about four case studies
- This section accounts for ~22% of your final exam score
- Each case study is based on one of the following tools:
- Required Case Studies
- Power Query
- Power BI Desktop
- Tableau
- Case Study of Your Choice
- SQL
- Python
- Required Case Studies
Topic Weights*
All questions are weighted equally. Each topic varies in weight, as outlined below.
*Topic weights may vary slightly.
Duration
- The final exam is timed and takes three hours to complete
- You should aim to spend about two minutes on each multiple-choice question
- Roughly 80 minutes should be allocated to answering the case-study questions (it is highly recommended you pre-configure the required tools below before beginning)
Other Important Exam Information
- Answers cannot be changed once submitted, as backward navigation is not allowed
- There is no penalty for incorrect answers
- You can retake the exam after 30 days if your first attempt is unsuccessful
Tools Required to Complete the BIDA® Final Exam
We highly recommend setting up the following tools before beginning your exam. This will allow you to maximize your time spent answering questions.
What tools do I need to take the BIDA® Final exam?
- SQL: Ensure that you have Azure Data Studio installed and can create a new connection using server details, which will be provided in the exam.
- Python: You should have Anaconda installed and be able to open the provided .ipynb file. file using Jupyter Notebooks. Ensure that you use the same versions of software used to complete any Python-related courses, as newer updates may have compatibility issues.
- Tableau: You will need to be able to open a .twbx file.
- Power BI Desktop: An Excel file (.xlsx) and a Power BI file (.pbix) will be provided. You must be able to import data from the Excel file to complete the analysis.
- Power Query: An Excel file (.xlsx) will be provided, and some problems must be solved using Power Query. Install the Excel add-in if you run MS Excel 2010/2013 on your machine. For MS Excel 2016 onwards, Power Query is a built-in feature found under the Data tab.
Studying & Practicing for the Final Exam
Review Course Materials
- Rewatch video demonstrations
- Review course presentations, exercises, and case studies
- Take detailed notes and organize them by topic using the "notes" feature in the CFI LMS
Take the Practice Exam
The practice exam will contain questions similar to those in the final exam. We recommend focusing heavily on theory questions, which will make up most of the final exam. You can retake the practice exam as many times as you need to feel confident in your mastery of the material.
Other Tips to Consider
- Be sure to sit in a comfortable setting with no distractions.
- Have a snack and water close to keep you energized and well-hydrated.
- Ensure that you have a stable network connection.
- You can refresh your browser during a brief outage without losing progress, but the exam counter will not stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will CFI provide me with access to the required applications?
- No. Students must download the required applications independently before enrolling in the BIDA® course or taking the BIDA® final exam. Except for Microsoft Suite, most of the software required can be downloaded for free.
Can I complete the BIDA® program using a MAC computer?
- Yes, you can. We recommend downloading Parallels to use PowerBI and PowerPivot on your MAC device. PowerBI is also available, but with limited functionality, online here. Mac Devices support all other applications required in the BIDA® program.