My gripes with the administration / format of the exam

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #195653
    win2bet
    Participant

    Wish they would give us regular paper & allow using different colored pens/ pencils

    Improve usability of the excel sheet / better dual screen views

    Having to be fingerprinted after a bathroom break (major waste of time)

    Not allowing water in the test room

    Thats all =]

    ,

    REG 68,87
    BEC 85
    FAR 75
    AUD 64,64, 86!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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    Replies
  • #684283
    aj2013
    Participant

    I totally agree about the regular paper, and would be up for using more than 1 color pens/pencils. I think most people practice on regular paper, and it would help me feel more comfortable than having to test the markers or worry about not being able to erase/needing more sheets. Just give me a blank notebook or something, seriously…

    I don't use the Excel spreadsheet too much, but I'm sure it could be better.

    I understand the fingerprinting (and metal detector wanding) – annoying, but I'd rather not have cheaters. However, my center is always pretty quick about getting you through the process. If I had a different center that was slow (heard quite a few of those stories), I'd probably a) not go to the bathroom, or b) complain about the waste of time.

    And yes, water should be allowed. Even if they make you use some standard water bottle or something. People need to be hydrated to focus…

    B - 80
    A - 80
    R - 71, 59, 74, 80 FINALLY!
    F - 77

    Used Kaplan for FAR, BEC, AUD, and the first 2 REG attempts. I started using NINJA about 2 weeks before my 3rd REG attempt. I believe it's why I was so close to passing and why I passed the 4th time. USE IT FROM THE BEGINNING.

    #684284
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I have never used that Excel sheet, not in studying and not on the test. Kind of forgot it existed.

    Not being able to drink is ridiculous. Also ridiculous is not being allowed to take off/put on your sweater WHICH YOU HAVE ON YOU unless you sign in and out.

    Also, if they're going to time you on bathroom breaks, they need to make damn well sure that there is not someone cleaning the restroom and preventing you from using it (I tried, I got kicked out) and that the only other bathroom isn't taken up by some girl who needed to flush 3 times in the 15 minutes she hogged it…. And then you have to wait in line to sign back in.

    Also don't insist I need two forms of ID (NASBA) but then insist I only need one (Prometric) and make me walk back to the locker room because of all the cheating one could do from glancing at their social security card during the test.

    #684285
    Ag12thman
    Participant

    The no water, especially, is a joke – especially for those of us who drink it a lot during studying and really all day long.

    FAR: July 2016

    #684286
    KBinMN
    Member

    I commented on the lack of paper and pencil at the end of the exams on the evaluation. The laminated sheets and markers are a joke.

    #684287
    taxgeek83
    Participant

    Check out the feedback for the proposed 2017 exam update. I think the powers that be are considering making the spreadsheet feature a lot more like Excel to more mimic what most candidates will see in the workplace. Doesn't help you now, but will be nice for future test takers. 🙂

    #684288
    jenpen
    Participant

    I wish that instead of being in one big room, we were allowed to be alone. The stupid monitor at my last exam breathed so heavily I kept waiting for her to keel over. And the lady next to me kept clicking her nails on the desk surface. The whole thing just makes it super hard to concentrate. Never mind that I freeze my butt off in the local test center.

    And for those of you who have access to more than one restroom while testing – be thankful. My center only has one little bathroom for everyone.

    And I absolutely agree about the boards and marker (my marker is always so used that I can barely read what I write) and allowing water in the exam room.

    AUD - 85
    BEC - 84
    FAR - 82
    REG - 78
    Ethics - 95
    Licensed in IL & MO

    AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
    REG - 75
    FAR - 7/15/16
    BEC - TBD

    Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

    #684289
    TBone
    Participant

    1) The scroll function on the mouse should work for the TBS that have a million words and moving parts and you should be able to zoom in/out on the view.

    2) If you fart, you should lose points and everyone sitting in a 10 ft radius of you should get bonus points.

    FAR:  68, 75 (Lost Credit), 69 because f*uck me, right? 77

    REG:  71, 79

    BEC:  73, 75

    AUD: 69, 70, 72, 74, 74, 69, 75

    FAR: 66, 75
    AUD: 67, 69, 70, 74, 74
    REG: 71, 79
    BEC: 73

    #684290
    JohnWayneIsGod
    Participant

    Does anyone know if that markers and laminates are the same as what is used on the GMAT? Once I start the practice tests, I want to accurately recreate test conditions to include those silly pieces of plastic.

    FAR - 80

    Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

    -John Wayne

    #684291
    garciarb
    Participant

    @johnwayne From what I recall, they are very similar. I took the GMAT in 2012 though.

    BEC - 81
    AUD - 79
    REG - June 2016 (Thanks Nasba!)
    FAR - ugh

    #684292
    garciarb
    Participant

    @johnwayne From what I recall, they are very similar. I took the GMAT in 2012 though.

    BEC - 81
    AUD - 79
    REG - June 2016 (Thanks Nasba!)
    FAR - ugh

    #684293
    y_u_no_pass
    Participant

    yeah they are not identical but similar to the GMAT format.

    Also consistency. At my first test center I could grab things I needed from the front of the locker, at the second I had to leave it out and hope no one stole it.

    Florida CPA!
    Took final exam 2/25/15.
    Sent in Application 3/12/15.
    Issued License 3/20/15.
    Used CPA Excel solely for all exams.

    #684294
    garciarb
    Participant

    you would think they could give us a label-less bottle of water to take in.

    BEC - 81
    AUD - 79
    REG - June 2016 (Thanks Nasba!)
    FAR - ugh

    #684295

    I purposly mimicked this crap in my daily study habits.

    I studied for 4.5 hours without a bathroom break. Took some time to build up to this level of bladder control.

    I studied for 4.5 hours without a single sip of water.

    I bought lamenated sheets and crappy markers that only worked half the time.

    I studied for 4.5 hours at the library next to a bunch of obnoxious people making way too much noise.

    I studied for 4.5 hours at the taco bell to get used to really bad smells.

    I studied for 4.5 hours in an 85 degree smelly locker room.

    I studied for 4.5 hours in a wind tunnel.

    I studied for 4.5 hours on a crappy computer monitor, bad mouse, and with over sized headphones that cut off blood flow.

    I passed! You gotta do what ya gotta do, right?

    AUD - 90
    FAR - 71, 76
    REG - 75
    BEC - 76 (bubble sucks)

    Becker + Ninja MCQ's

    #684296
    str6116
    Participant

    The pen and laminated paper sucked. I'm a lefty so my writing smears easily. Also the pen was a mess. At one point the ink kinda spilled on the sheet and my hands were a mess… Hard to wash off too.

    FAR-82 (7/27/15)
    AUD-74 (8/31/15), 92 (1/4/16)
    REG-65 (10/28/15), 70 (6/9/16), 80 (7/18/16)
    BEC-86 (11/28/15)

    DONE

    ...and that's all the people need to know.

    #684297
    needcoffee
    Member

    It drives me nuts that we cannot take the water in the testing room or at least keep it somewhere close by. When I took the GMAT, I was told they don't allow the water in the testing room because they don't want somebody trying to get out of the test by “accidentally” spilling some water on the computer.

    "It's choice not chance that determines your destiny".

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