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RAISING THE BAR is brought to you exclusively
by Imperial Beverage of Kalamazoo, MI.
All components were developed solely by Imperial Beverage, and all rights are reserved.

At Imperial Beverage, we support safe alcohol related practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Student Status; General Public Questions

I am not a server, bartender, or staff member at a retail establishment, but I still want to take the test. May I participate?
Absolutely. Email raisingthebar@imperialbeverage.com. We'll get you set up with login credentials, and let you take any tests you'd like.

I have changed jobs. I took the Raising the Bar exams for my old job, and am being asked to do so again by my new employer. Can we transfer the scores to my new employer?
Sure! Happy to. Send an email to raisingthebar@imperialbeverage.com describing your old location and new, desired destination for your scores. We'll reach out to be sure we have everything correct, so definitely include your phone number. Then we'll make the switch, and your scores will appear among your new team. You can also rest assured that if your manager deletes you from the roster at your old place of business your scores and work won't be lost. We build in special features just for events like this.

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Help! I can't log in.

My login credentials aren't working. What do I do?
Username or password not working? Talk to your manager. He or she can provide you with temporary credentials that will allow you to log in. This person will be the Raising the Bar contact person at your restaurant or retail location.
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About the Exams
How accurate is my syllabus?
Very. The syllabus was created after review of the group of exam questions for your level. Use the syllabus as a study guide.

Do I have to take the tests in order?
No. You may take any test that you are assigned, in whatever order you wish. However, taking the tests in order is recommended, so that you feel fully prepared for your current and subsequent testing level(s).

Is every question on the exam answered in the text?

No. The coursework should prepare you for roughly 85-90% of a given exam. Every nuance of every varietal or appellation is not named specifically in the coursework. This is primarily because wine and beer information, benchmarks for style, and other relevant and timely information changes every hour, every day. Because the coursework and questions will constantly change to accommodate this, every question simply can't be answered in the text. However, additional reading recommendations are available for each course, a the bottom of page one of your coursework. Watch for these recommendations, as they will serve to help you prepare.

I've heard that everyone gets a different test. Is that true?
Yes. All practice test and exam questions are drawn randomly from a pool of questions for that course level. Additionally, the order of the multiple choice selections is also random. As such, no two students will ever get the same test.

These tests are timed. How does that work?

Yes, the tests are timed. If necessary, you will be able to abort each practice test after up to half the available questions. On the final, after 10 questions, you cannot abort the test. Your manager or Imperial Account Manager will have to reset it for you, so be sure to set aside the right amount of time in a quiet spot.
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Why Practice Testing is Important

Are study guides available for Raising the Bar?
No, official study guides are not avialable. However, several documents will help you to prepare. First, the syllabus is an accurate reflection of what items will appear on your exam. Next, you should take each of the two practice tests available to you. Once you've taken the test, you will be able to see the graded version. It is available to you from your dashboard, and because it is an accurate reflection of what you do and do not know, you should print these two items and use them to study.

Why should I take the practice tests?
Practice tests are learning tools, to prepare you for the final exam. Real exam questions are pulled at random for each practice test, so you may see the same question on the final exam. Why wouldn't you want to prepare by seeing parts of the real thing? Another bonus: your employer will have no idea how you scored on your practice test. That's right! He or she can tell if you took the test, but not how you scored. You, however, can see all sorts of detail that will help you prepare to move on.

I got one of the same questions on a practice test that was on the final exam. Is that normal?

Yes. All questions are drawn at random from the same bucket of questions for both the two practice tests and also the final exam. It is likely that you will have seen two-three questions (or more) on the final that you saw on Practice Test One or Two. All the more reason to take both practice opportunities and study the results!

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Understanding the Icons Used in Raising the Bar
My Dashboard is full of Icons I don't understand. What do they all mean?
We've developed a printable pdf document describing the icons you'll see throughout the site. Click here to view or print the handout.