Purpose

The BU Exams (available for free below) provide a complete, structured, well designed, and challenging “pool workout” you can use to develop and improve your game to reach the next level. They also provide an accurate assessment and rating of overall pool-playing ability. More information concerning the design of and rationale for the exams can be found on the BU Assessment Philosophy page. The video demonstrations resource page provides a detailed overview of the BU Exams and the entire BU process. For written exams testing knowledge and understanding (instead of playing ability), see Pool Quizzes.

Instructions

Detailed instructions for taking the BU playing-ability exams, determining your BU rating, and earning a diploma can be found in the BU Exam Instructions document. The following video also provides an overview:

See more details and
watch Shane VanBoening, Mark Gray,
and other top players take the Exams
on the video demos page.

Exam I – Fundamentals

The first exam covers fundamentals including aiming, stroke, stop/follow/draw control, and cue ball position control. Here are the documents you need to complete the exam and track your progress over time:

Your score on Exam I determines which Exam II you take based on the following ranges:

Exam I score0-4950-6970-100
Exam IIBachelorsMastersDoctorate

Here’s an example of Shane VanBoening taking Exam I:

If BU Exam I is not challenging enough for you, and you get 10s on most of the progressive drills F1-F5, you can instead try the “pro version,” where you keep all bonus points so you can score higher than 10 (up to 14) on each of those drills. The maximum possible score on Exam I doing this is: 120. Pro version scores are not allowed with diploma applications, but it is fun to see how high you can score with that approach.

Exam II – Skills

The second exam assesses important pool skills including aiming, position play, rail cut shots, safeties, kicks and banks, jump and masse shots, and the break. There are three different levels of Exam II (Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate). Your performance on Exam I places you into the appropriate Exam II. The difficulty level and number of available points increases with Exam level. Here are the documents you need to complete the exam and track your progress over time:

Here’s an example of Shane VanBoening taking Exam II:

Exam III – Advanced Shots

The third exam is optional. It is designed to challenge even top players with 25 tough shots that sometimes come up in game situations. These advanced pool shots are fun to practice and can help you get out of jams and win games:

Here are demonstrations of all of the shots in BU Exam III:

And here are Examples of Pros Using BU Exam III Shots in Real Game Situations.

Exam IV – Runout Drill System (RDS)

The fourth exam is also optional. The Runout Drill System (RDS) is a new approach to practice, teach, and learn pool. It consists of a set of 16 break and run challenges of increasing levels of difficulty. RDS tests and challenges all player levels from complete novice to seasoned professional, and it provides excellent practice for the games of 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, and straight pool:

Here are demonstrations of all of the levels in BU Exam IV:

There is also a scored version of RDS called RDS 100. For more info, see the RDS resource page.

Exam V – Placement Pool Challenge (PPC)

The fifth exam is also optional. The Placement Pool Challenge (PPC) consists of the eighteen 9-ball and 8-ball run-out layouts from the Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate versions of BU Exam II. You are required to consecutively attempt to run each of the 18 layouts in order. Each layout run-out attempt ends with a miss or foul. For scoring, you start with 100 points and deduct points for any balls not pocketed legally:

The following video series gives advice on the best ways to run each of the layouts:

For more info, see the PPC resource page.

Exam VI – Safety Shot Challenge

The sixth exam is also optional. The Safety Challenge consists of 20 common safeties. You must attempt them in order, with 2 attempts at each shot. You must play the safeties as they are shown in the diagrams (even if other options are available). If you hide the CB from the OB, the shot is good. If you don’t, you deduct a point. There are 40 points total. You can multiply your score by 2.5 so it will be scaled to a perfect score of 100:

Here’s a video quiz version of the exam, with demonstrations of possible options for all 20 shots.

BU Score

Your BU score is the sum of the first two exam scores (Exam I + Exam II). The score determines your rating and playing level according to the BU rating chart, which also provides comparisons to more-traditional rating and handicapping systems. Your BU score also determines if you have earned a pool diploma according to the following ranges:

BU Score55-8485-99100-124125-139140-179180-200
Diploma
Earned
BachelorsBachelors
with Honors
MastersMaster
with Honors
DoctorateDoctorate
with Honors

If you qualify for a diploma, you can apply online and be officially recognized by the BU.

Video Resources

Step-by-step online video demonstrations are available to help guide you through the process and to show examples of the exams. A 3-volume video series is also available to provide advice and guidance concerning how to practice and learn strategies to help you achieve the highest BU rating and diploma possible.

Here are online videos providing overviews of each BU Exam:

Why You Should Practice the BU Playing-Ability Exams

  • You will get better at pool in a smarter and faster way and raise your game to the next level.
  • The examination process fully and impartially assesses your current rating and level of ability relative to others.
  • The exam drills identify your areas of weakness.
  • The exam drills can provide structure and purpose to your practice sessions by offering a complete and well-designed pool workout.
  • You can use the exam and drill scores to monitor and assess your improvement over time.
  • You can set a concrete goal for improvement by working toward a diploma.
  • When you earn a diploma, you can frame and display it with pride (e.g., in your office or game room) to show off your enthusiasm and excellence.
  • With a diploma, you will receive official recognition of your level of ability on the BU website (with your permission).
  • A diploma is a credential you can use as the first step to becoming an instructor.

BU Exam Challenges

Periodically, the Billiard University offers cash prizes for Exam Challenge contests. Here are results (scores and videos) from past challenges: