Why can't I use my own mechanical pencil on the exam?

[FairhopeEE]

I am heavy-handed and normally use a 0.9mm at work, and am to be provided a 0.7mm with merely 3 pieces of lead? I'll need another pencil before noon! What possible harm could come from using my own? I'm sure there is a reason but I can't imagine it being a good one.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

They have scanners now that look just like pens. They are afraid (and I think its been done before) of someone using one to copy a test.

 

[TXengrChickPE]

Just guessing here... but I would have to say that it's to make absolutely sure that everyone ends up using lead that can be read by the machine. I once heard of someone who accidentally used pen... from what I heard, his exam did not get scored, at all...

If I were you, I'd go buy myself a couple of cheap mechanical pencils with .7 lead and spend the next 3 weeks practicing with them!

They will give you an extra pencil during the test if you use up all of the lead (or eraser) on yours.

 

[IlPadrino]

I am heavy-handed and normally use a 0.9mm at work, and am to be provided a 0.7mm with merely 3 pieces of lead? I'll need another pencil before noon! What possible harm could come from using my own? I'm sure there is a reason but I can't imagine it being a good one.

Are you kidding? I'd think if you (or anyone!) uses that much lead, regardless of hand pressure, you're writing too much. More thought and less writing... that's the ticket!

 

[EM_PS]

I am heavy-handed and normally use a 0.9mm at work, and am to be provided a 0.7mm with merely 3 pieces of lead? I'll need another pencil before noon! What possible harm could come from using my own? I'm sure there is a reason but I can't imagine it being a good one.

Heh. working as a surveyor, i've used nothing heavier than 0.5 mm & even down to 0.3 mm for ultra-clean field notes / sketches. 0.7 mm feels like a regular 'stick' pencil to me. I sweated the same worry though, being enamored of the mech pencil you use everyday - during the test (FS) though, totally didn't even register what writing device i was using, as you're just a monkey filling in bubbles at that point (well, a monkey in incredibly tortuous thought lol).

Try not to sweat it overly much, and def practice w/ some smaller lead pencils in the mean time.

 

[FairhopeEE]

Are you kidding? I'd think if you (or anyone!) uses that much lead, regardless of hand pressure, you're writing too much. More thought and less writing... that's the ticket!

OK, so I exaggerate a tad. And I did buy a 0.7mm a few weeks ago and have been using it during test prep, but I can see myself being nervous and snapping the lead often.