Exam Logistics Questions…

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #184474
    holacpa
    Member

    Hey y’all – I’m prepping for FAR (my very first section) and had a few questions that I thought one of you might be able to help!

    * I know we have to use the CPA calculator thingy and not a handheld – and I HATE that little calculator – does anyone know if the keyboard on exam day has a number pad or is it just the regular numbers across the top of the keyboard. Hoping for SOMETHING that will make their calculator app easier to use. I study on my laptop and the numbers across the top make calculations so slow, and there’s not a number lock feature (unfortunately!) on my laptop’s keyboard. Hoping there’s that at least in the exam!!

    * It helps me to talk to myself out loud when I’m solving a hard problem (can’t believe I’m admitting to strangers that I talk to myself, but I figure I’m among friends!) When taking the exam, are you in a room alone? Am I going to get in trouble or bother another test taker if I randomly start talking to myself? 🙂

    * Finally, sometimes when doing the practice MCQs, there’ll be a series of 3 or 4 problems with the same facts, but asking for different answers/calculations. This is so much faster because once you’re familiar with the scenario and have built all the journal entries and whatnot, you can answer much more quickly. Does anyone know if that happens on the exam? Where there are multiple MCQs surrounding the same scenario? Or is this giving me a false sense of speed when solving the practice MCQs?

    Thanks all and sorry for 1000 questions!

    A few months in and overwhelmed! 🙂

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 30 total)
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    Replies
  • #539260
    toozdeigh
    Member

    Hi, holacpa!

    The keyboard at Prometric is a regular keyboard. It does have a key pad. The functionality of the calculator is similar to a 10-key calculator.

    You are in a room with many others, though you are in a cubicle. I would have found someone talking in the exam room to be distracting. I stayed in the zone most of the time, but I always noticed when the proctor walked through or another test taker nearby left the room. Even someone typing away on their keyboard could be distracting at times.

    You could have a simulation structured like your description in your third point.

    🙂

    #539289
    toozdeigh
    Member

    Hi, holacpa!

    The keyboard at Prometric is a regular keyboard. It does have a key pad. The functionality of the calculator is similar to a 10-key calculator.

    You are in a room with many others, though you are in a cubicle. I would have found someone talking in the exam room to be distracting. I stayed in the zone most of the time, but I always noticed when the proctor walked through or another test taker nearby left the room. Even someone typing away on their keyboard could be distracting at times.

    You could have a simulation structured like your description in your third point.

    🙂

    #539262
    Micky
    Member

    1) it is a standard basic PC keyboard with number pad.

    2) no, you are not alone in a room. You will be in a cube like situation, right next to other candidates. There will also be microphones and videos that will capture/record you. This can be seen and heard by all people outside. At least that is what my prometrics was like.

    3) all questions are independent of each other.

    Good luck!

    REG-89 (08/26/13)
    FAR-91 (10/28/13)
    BEC-87 (11/25/13)
    AUD-96 (01/06/14)
    Ethics-92 (12/08/13)
    CPA Licensed

    #539291
    Micky
    Member

    1) it is a standard basic PC keyboard with number pad.

    2) no, you are not alone in a room. You will be in a cube like situation, right next to other candidates. There will also be microphones and videos that will capture/record you. This can be seen and heard by all people outside. At least that is what my prometrics was like.

    3) all questions are independent of each other.

    Good luck!

    REG-89 (08/26/13)
    FAR-91 (10/28/13)
    BEC-87 (11/25/13)
    AUD-96 (01/06/14)
    Ethics-92 (12/08/13)
    CPA Licensed

    #539264
    RedSoxFan77
    Member

    I really like the exam calculator, it has improved so much over time. They have commas now, huge plus, and running tape so you can see all the numbers you've entered and subtotals – you can clear the tape at any point.

    FAR 75
    AUD 74, 82
    REG 58, 74, 83
    BEC 68, 75
    Licensed 7.1.14!!!

    #539293
    RedSoxFan77
    Member

    I really like the exam calculator, it has improved so much over time. They have commas now, huge plus, and running tape so you can see all the numbers you've entered and subtotals – you can clear the tape at any point.

    FAR 75
    AUD 74, 82
    REG 58, 74, 83
    BEC 68, 75
    Licensed 7.1.14!!!

    #539266
    NYCaccountant
    Participant

    When I took REG, I was the only person in the room. Mind you, this was right after a snow storm.

    AUD - 99
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 93
    REG - 87
    NYC born and raised.

    FAR - 93
    REG - 87
    BEC - 84!!!!
    AUD - 99!!!!!! CPA exam complete.

    #539295
    NYCaccountant
    Participant

    When I took REG, I was the only person in the room. Mind you, this was right after a snow storm.

    AUD - 99
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 93
    REG - 87
    NYC born and raised.

    FAR - 93
    REG - 87
    BEC - 84!!!!
    AUD - 99!!!!!! CPA exam complete.

    #539268
    RedSoxFan77
    Member

    Wait, there are microphones in the testing room too?? lol, I never thought of that, but I guess it makes sense. I never noticed the prometric people wearing a headset so they can hear us ‘live', perhaps they listen in if they see our lips moving?

    I usually wear the noise cancelling headsets provided, those are really helpful.

    FAR 75
    AUD 74, 82
    REG 58, 74, 83
    BEC 68, 75
    Licensed 7.1.14!!!

    #539297
    RedSoxFan77
    Member

    Wait, there are microphones in the testing room too?? lol, I never thought of that, but I guess it makes sense. I never noticed the prometric people wearing a headset so they can hear us ‘live', perhaps they listen in if they see our lips moving?

    I usually wear the noise cancelling headsets provided, those are really helpful.

    FAR 75
    AUD 74, 82
    REG 58, 74, 83
    BEC 68, 75
    Licensed 7.1.14!!!

    #539270
    Kenada
    Member

    I have grown to like that calculator its much better than what you see in your review test banks.

    I have the same habit of talking to myself when practicing questions but now for the exams I don't talk to myself I write it down and do hang gestures at the screen as if I was speaking to myself.

    Oh yes they can hear you. At my test center it's actually a loud speaker at their desk. Every time I checked into pro-metric I would hear the noise from inside the exam room at the desk of the guy that is checking me in.

    I wish they had told the person that was sitting next to me in my first REG exam to shut up as I could hear her rambling on and on and on… Grrrrrr

    I guess when you fart they hear that too 🙂 ehehehhe.

    CA Candidate. 05/27/2014 ~ 786/110
    I am done!!

    #539299
    Kenada
    Member

    I have grown to like that calculator its much better than what you see in your review test banks.

    I have the same habit of talking to myself when practicing questions but now for the exams I don't talk to myself I write it down and do hang gestures at the screen as if I was speaking to myself.

    Oh yes they can hear you. At my test center it's actually a loud speaker at their desk. Every time I checked into pro-metric I would hear the noise from inside the exam room at the desk of the guy that is checking me in.

    I wish they had told the person that was sitting next to me in my first REG exam to shut up as I could hear her rambling on and on and on… Grrrrrr

    I guess when you fart they hear that too 🙂 ehehehhe.

    CA Candidate. 05/27/2014 ~ 786/110
    I am done!!

    #539271
    yourmomsaCPA
    Participant

    I have no problem getting up and telling the proctor that some ahole is making noise. It IS distracting. Everything is. You're in this sound proof room that is so quiet, a mouth breather would drive me crazy (not that I would complain about that particular situation). I had a guy tapping his foot on his chair. tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap. I was like “seriously? You're seriously doing that?” He stopped.

    They have noise reduction headphones but it drives me crazy (er) to be completely without sound. Not hearing the click of your own mouse/keys is weird.

    FAR - 87 2/18/14
    AUD - 84 4/2/14
    REG - 87 7/23/14
    BEC - 78 8/26/14

    I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

    #539301
    yourmomsaCPA
    Participant

    I have no problem getting up and telling the proctor that some ahole is making noise. It IS distracting. Everything is. You're in this sound proof room that is so quiet, a mouth breather would drive me crazy (not that I would complain about that particular situation). I had a guy tapping his foot on his chair. tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap. I was like “seriously? You're seriously doing that?” He stopped.

    They have noise reduction headphones but it drives me crazy (er) to be completely without sound. Not hearing the click of your own mouse/keys is weird.

    FAR - 87 2/18/14
    AUD - 84 4/2/14
    REG - 87 7/23/14
    BEC - 78 8/26/14

    I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

    #539273
    RedSoxFan77
    Member

    Kenada, that's funny, you'd think they would tell the test takers to quiet down if they were making noises and distracting other test takers. My biggest fear is that I'll be seated next to someone wearing excessive cologne or perfume, now that would be a huge distraction to me. Fortunately, I haven't had any seating/noise issues with all my exams so far.

    FAR 75
    AUD 74, 82
    REG 58, 74, 83
    BEC 68, 75
    Licensed 7.1.14!!!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 30 total)
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