Any stories from Exam Day?

[Ritchie503]

Just thought I would see if anyone had stories from exam day. I took the exam in Minneapolis, Minnesota (ELSES State) and would have to say that I am amazed at the disorganization/mass confusion at our site.

The guy next to me was trying to take the Civil exam, they gave him a Chemical exam (in addition to at least 15 others who had the wrong exam) and just kept going with the directions. They eventually got the correct exams to everyone, those people who had the wrong ones weren’t finished filling out their answer sheet with the general information (name, booklet #, etc.) and the main proctor said to begin. A bunch said they weren’t ready, the rest of us who were ready were confused if we were to start. They did have us start, the few there were behind were allowed to finish slightly later. On a happy note from what I saw, the afternoon was much better.

(Kevo did you notice all of this? I was on the far left of the room when sitting down; I am thinking you were on the other side.) (And Joe, the guy next to me who I recommended come visit this board, I do feel sorry for you… hopefully you still get the pass letter).

 

[ktulu]

Two things from Mobile:

1.) It felt like a class reunion. There must have been about 10 people that I went to school with at Auburn taking the exam. That was kinda cool.

2.) Unfortunately, the people that were supposed to be directly in front and behind me were no-shows. And they, too, were people that went to Auburn. Total, I say that there was closed to 7-8 empty seats. Hopefully, some understandable reasons not to show up for this type of exam....

ktulu

Another thing, it was also pretty cool meeting someone from here at the exam site. So, jbatch, it was nice meeting you and hopefully we both get passing scores...

 

[DVINNY]

Geesh.

I took it at the Charleston West Virginia site, and they are very professional and organized. The only snag I noticed was that there were quite a few test takers that brought in the wrong calculator and the Proctors ran out of "loners". I know that it isn't the fault of the proctors at all.

The confusion was with a TI calc. One model had an A and one didn't and one was allowed, the other not. I'm not sure which.

Other than them dealing with the Calc issue, all was smooth

 

[ccollet]

i don't know if it was a good or bad change. but last oct. when i failed i was assigned a seat in the absolute last row in the room (maybe 200 people)

this time i was assigned a seat in the very first row.

 

[Ritchie503]

The only snag I noticed was that there were quite a few test takers that brought in the wrong calculator and the Proctors ran out of "loners".

I was suprised how many hands went up after they read the list of approved calculators and asked if anyone had a non-approved calculator. I just don't understand it because the list is on ncees, elses, and came in HUGE letters on a bright piece of paper with our admission information/letter. I don't know if calculator makers do it, but with other items depending on where you buy it you can have a different model number for the exact same product.

 

[ARJ]

In October 06' there was this guy that got busted for coloring in a circle after time was called. He was outside of the exam room yelling at the proctor saying, "YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!". A policeman was standing right next to the proctor, just in case. Well, anyway, I saw the guy at the the exam site this past weekend and asked him what happened. He said that the board tried to ban him from taking the exam for 3 YEARS!!! Also, even though he had already passed the Seismic and 8 hr Civil (California crap)---they were going to make him retake those too. It wasn't until attorneys from his employer got involved and threatened to sue the board. Apparently, the board didn't follow procedure and had nothing in writing. Anyway, the board caved and just disqualified the exam he took 6 months ago, and allowed him to sit for this exam. MORAL OF THE STORY? WHEN THEY SAY PUT YOUR PENCILS DOWN......PUT YOU PENCILS DOWN!!!!

 

[Road Guy]

seriously!

 

[ALBin517]

i don't know if it was a good or bad change. but last oct. when i failed i was assigned a seat in the absolute last row in the room (maybe 200 people)
this time i was assigned a seat in the very first row.

I was sitting right at the door in the front row. A guy came sprinting in with arms full of books at 7:43. The proctors were well into reading the exam instructions. I was waiting for him to get turned away, and the ensuing meltdown, but they let him in. Sorry. It would have been a better story the other way.

 

[Ritchie503]

One of my freinds is a lawyer and when he took the bar (3 years ago this coming July) he said there was someone who just broke down and started balling, loudly enough for others to be distracted, and had to be escorted out of the room. The bar exam is 2 back to back days of exams. He said that was the highlight of the exam... that and he walked out over 2 hours early because he knew he passed.... damn lawyers!

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

My site last year didn't really have any stories one way or the other. Everyone had the right exam, no calculator issues, no troublemakers. It was pretty smooth.

Then again there were only 40 people in the whole state taking it, so that helps.

 

[kevo_55]

Just thought I would see if anyone had stories from exam day. I took the exam in Minneapolis, Minnesota (ELSES State) and would have to say that I am amazed at the disorganization/mass confusion at our site.
The guy next to me was trying to take the Civil exam, they gave him a Chemical exam (in addition to at least 15 others who had the wrong exam) and just kept going with the directions. They eventually got the correct exams to everyone, those people who had the wrong ones weren’t finished filling out their answer sheet with the general information (name, booklet #, etc.) and the main proctor said to begin. A bunch said they weren’t ready, the rest of us who were ready were confused if we were to start. They did have us start, the few there were behind were allowed to finish slightly later. On a happy note from what I saw, the afternoon was much better.

(Kevo did you notice all of this? I was on the far left of the room when sitting down; I am thinking you were on the other side.) (And Joe, the guy next to me who I recommended come visit this board, I do feel sorry for you… hopefully you still get the pass letter).

Ritchie,

The people taking the structural were in the back left hand corner of the room. (to the left if you had your back to the doors that we came in on.) I sat on the very left row and maybe 3/4 of the way back.

One guy had a wrong exam a few rows in front of me. But I kinda feel back for them. They had to have been short changed some time.

Also, a girl I work with was taking the PE Civil exam. I believe that she was kicked out for having a cell phone. I'm not sure what actually happened. (She's currently on "vacation.") She was sitting in the middle of the room.

I didn't see anyone get their calculators taken away. One guy next to me guy his taken away when I was taking my Structural I. What really sucks is that he didn't show up with a new calculator after lunch. I actually said to him that there was a Target a few blocks away. He was clueless.

I hope the exam went well for you Ritchie!

 

[kioti1]

I took the test in Washington at the Seattle Center. I think it worked out great. There was an 8 foot table that I had to share with only 1 person, the room was quiet, adequate number of proctors to hand out exams, parking right across the street, a food court a few minutes walk away, etc. The only small argument I heard was someone set up a little bookcase on the table and the proctor made them take it down because it blocked his view of that person and behind. They talked for a minute and she removed it. Not like she was going to win that battle.

We too had someone come in just after they started instructions but they just let him in.

 

[benbo]

It never ceases to amaze me how some people take this so seriously and other people so casually. I mean, I can see something coming up at work or home and not having time to prep, but bringing the wrong calculator or a cell phone? I obsessed over this darn thing (probably why I'm reading and posting two years after passing). After the EIT, I sure as heck didn't want to take this twice. My coworker came out talking about how it was "cake." I thought I failed. I passed by the skin of my teeth and he was taking it the next time (when he got serious and passed).

 

[ALBin517]

Also, a girl I work with was taking the PE Civil exam. I believe that she was kicked out for having a cell phone. I'm not sure what actually happened. (She's currently on "vacation.") She was sitting in the middle of the room.

We had a guy come back from lunch with a cell phone. I reserved judgement at the time.

But then the same guy was ready to leave the exam about five minutes early. So he gathered his stuff and started walking up, despite the "nobody leaves in the last fifteen minutes" rule (which had been stated at least three times by then). The proctors shooed him back to his table, then gathered together and shook their heads.

 

[Ritchie503]

I totally forgot to mention that there was a high school volleyball tournament going on in the Minneapolis Convention Center on PE Exam day, it was crazy on the main level in there. When I saw that the line to get into the parking ramp was 2 blocks long I knew something was going on!!

Kevo, I guess we were on the same side then, I was the first person on the left, three rows back. (Kind of nice having absolutely nobody to my left). I felt bad for the ones with the wrong exam, I understand it happens but it should have been handled differently.

I purposely left my cell phone in the truck, wasn’t making that mistake. I don’t know if the people who raised their hand had calculators taken away or if they just wanted to verify that theirs was okay; I was too far away to know. It would suck having your calculator taken away, I guess if I couldn’t acquire a new on at lunch I wouldn’t bother coming back for the afternoon. But then I knew which were approved and brought two approved calculators to the exam.

Good Luck to you too Kevo and to everyone else!

 

[Timmy!]

The Phoenix test was administered in the Grand Ballroom of the El-Zaribeh Shriners' Club. They may have well used the Batcave. The interior lighting was pathetically dim. Not to mention that the plywood tables were 18 inches wide [i measured them], so that you had negligible space to organize much of anything.

There was, to my knowledge, only one or two drones who brought unapproved calculators.

The funniest story I heard was from a candidate who decided to reconnoiter the site before the day of the test. He arrived, strolled in, and noticed "Quiet--Testing in Progress" signs posted on the door. His first panic-stricken thought was that he had missed the test. He opened the door, only to find the proctors "practicing" as they were reading the test instructions and glowering intently at unoccupied desks.

 

[jd_chi02]

We'll last time when I sat for the FE ... this lady who works with me and has a nervous breakdown everytime you ask her to do something could not find the location. Upper Managment figured since she could not find the site she didn't need to pass anyway. :true:

This time I had to go to Grand Rapids because my application in Illinois experied. So I go to this convention center ... I forget what it was called but, they were having a Gun and Knife show. I was hoping some FE taker didn't spaas out and go get a gun since it is legal to carry a firearm in Michigan. :210:

Last story ... I thought I did pretty good this time around however, the kid next to me was grunting and sighing the whole time.

:smileyballs:

 

[WR/ENV_Instructor]

Overall my experience was very good. Room was quiet, but I had ear plugs in. - even had a 8' table all to myself.

However there was one thing that would have stressed me out. Our morning session ended at 12:10 PM. The Proctor announced everyone must leave the room for lunch and they will reopen the doors at 12:40 PM. He then announced that the doors would be closed at 1:00 PM and the state trooper would reinforce the doors being shut.

Wanting to review my notes before the PM session, I returned to the room at 12:40 PM. To my surprise, and the few that were already in the room, the proctors began handing out the tests at 12:45 PM! We began the test by 12:55 PM!! I quickly surveyed the room and saw that maybe 20% of the people had not returned from lunch - I know they were coming back b/c their books were still there. Talk about a high stress level - getting back to the room at 1 PM and finding out the 4 hour clock had already started. Plus, you're going to lose even more time bubbling in your name and ID information.

I don't know, I just though the Proctor could have made it clear when the PM portion of the test would begin. I assumed it was not before the doors closed or 1 PM. I consider myself very lucky to have gone back early.

 

[DVINNY]

I forgot to add that the circus was in town for ours.

Seriously.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey circus was going on in the same building while we were taking the test. It caused no issues though, but was funny

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

The funniest story I heard was from a candidate who decided to reconnoiter the site before the day of the test. He arrived, strolled in, and noticed "Quiet--Testing in Progress" signs posted on the door. His first panic-stricken thought was that he had missed the test. He opened the door, only to find the proctors "practicing" as they were reading the test instructions and glowering intently at unoccupied desks.

That's about the time you wish you brough spare underwear as well as a spare calc. to the test.