My admissions ticket says that the exam is being administered at a hotel downtown, which is probably 45-60 minutes away in morning traffic. Quite honestly, the last thing I want to do is leave for the exam 1 and a half to 2 hours before check-in starts to ensure travel goes smoothly.
What do you guys think of fronting $135 bucks for a room at the same hotel the night before the exam? I could get to the hotel right after dinner on Friday and then just walk around, familiarize myself with the environment and then review in that environment too. My girlfriend thinks it’s a bad idea due to cost and that it might throw me off. I realize it’s a little ridiculous to spend that much, but I’m considering it. That way I don’t have to allocate 1 and a half to 2 hours for morning commute. Plus, I don’t want to start my day that early by waking up 3 hours before check-in only to get tired quicker during the day since I’ve been up longer. If I stay in the hotel overnight, I can wake up an hour/hour and a half before the exam, eat my breakfast, check-out (leave my stuff with the bellhop), and then hang-out & review cards or w/e until it’s time.
This is more of a psychological issue. Realistically, you won’t sleep that much in anticipation regardless and will likely be experiencing adrenline through your body all of exam day. That extra 1 hour whatever you decide (sleep, walk around, study) won’t make or break anything.
If you are a tense guy that wants to take 0 risk and 0 chances and if even taking a small chance throws you off… then $135 is nothing. spend it.
judging by the fact that you had to make a thread on it… I’d say do it, and buy yourself the piece of mind.
I’m currently leaning that way, but then there’s the argument that one is not clearly more risky than the other.
Is the hotel risker?: - Sleeping in unfamiliar place the night before (not sure if it will actually affect me) - Potentially forgetting something I need. - Not being able to just make myself whatever I want in the morning for breakfast, depending on what I’m feeling that morning. - Not being able to control my environment (I can’t tell the whole hotel to be quiet at night).
Or is not staying at the hotel risker?: - Traveling the morning of will probably be very stressful. - Traffic could cause me to be late, even if I leave early. - Waking up 2 hours ealier than need-be, potentially loosing my mental freshness by the time I get to the exam/getting tired quicker in the day.
Trying to weigh those out right now to see if the hotel is worth the $135.
I have the unfortunate problem that I have had to drive 300 miles to take every single exam. So I’m familiar with the hotel problem.
Personally, I would wake up early and drive to the test center.
You can sleep in your own bed in your own house. (Priceless.) You’ll undoubtedly get better sleep here than anywhere else.
You’d probably waste an hour packing up in the morning anyway.
In a hotel, you don’t have your own alarm clock (unless you pack it, then you have to set it correctly, make sure AM/PM are right, etc.) You run the risk of oversleeping.
You can eat breakfast at your own house (or wherever you normally eat breakfast).
There might be parties or other distractions/noises at the hotel.
What Iteracom said–you’ll probably wake up early anyway and be restless.
What if you forget your calculator/ticket/passport? Then you’ll be screwed.
The $135 is nothing. I wouldn’t base my decision on that. It’s the other stuff that makes me want to sleep in my own bed before the test.
EDIT–you posted while I was typing. Nonetheless, I’d still sleep in my own bed and wake up early.
BTW–what city are you taking the test in, that you have an hour commute on a Saturday? I’ve taken the test in Dallas and San Antonio and never had this kind of worries about traffic.
I’m taking the exam in Downtown St. Louis. I live in the suburbs of St. Louis. Google maps says with no traffic at all, it would take me 35 minutes to get to the hotel. I anticipate there being some traffic, so +15 min or so.
Some of those stuff on your list I can control though. I can ask for a wake-up call, set an alarm on both my watch and my phone and I’d feel pretty comfortable about waking up. I can even bring an extra alarm clock from home.
Packing can be done the day before so no worries there.
Your other points is what keeps me debating. Oh, and throw finding parking/arrival on the list of worries for driving instead of hotel stay.
Personally, I think a hotel is overkill, though I can understand why some might consider one. Takes me 75 minutes to reach my test center. Last year, left two hours before I needed to be there and had no problems and I contend with North Jersey traffic - it’s early Saturday morning, traffic ain’t like 8 a.m. on a Monday. You’re probably not gonna sleep much the night before, but you have a better shot at it in your own bed.
Have you ever driven downtown on a Saturday morning? Try it this weekend. Leave at 7:00 a.m. and see what happens. I bet you’ll find a very lonely road. This also gives you a chance to find parking, etc. beforehand, so you’re less worried about it on game day.
I bet if you do some scouting, you’ll find that you’re worried about nothing.
I have a very strong opinion on this, because I have struggled with this problem for all levels of the CFA, and other exams of merit where I’ve had to travel a long way to take the test. Thankfully, I chose the hotel option every time and have not regretted it.
In fact, I have only been perhaps an hour away from the exam site, but for me, 100%, travel is the most stressful thing in the morning and eliminating that has been critical to having a level head for the exam. Also, if I can be frank, you have access to a bathroom without having to sit in a car for a long time, run around finding parking, etc., etc. I prefer to write up a long packing list well in advance so I don’t forget any items and pack heavily, planning for every contingency, and go to the hotel with confidence that I’m not going to “forget something.” If you’re going to do the hotel thing, don’t go half-ass. Make that hotel your base of operations and set up your command center.
Traffic on a Saturday? Not too likely but there may be construction. Last year though going to the test center, I only lived about 7 miles/20 minutes. My route wound up being closed half way through for a bike thing/marathon/something. I guess its my fault for not adequately checking the route, but thats when it pays to leave extra early.
When I took level 1 I had to drive 60 something miles each way. I just woke up early for it.
Always take your own lunch, that way you know what you’re having and you don’t necessairly know whats in the area of the test center.
I stayed in a hotel for all 3 exams- its like an 80 mile drive, maybe more. I only paid $100 at a holiday inn express and I get to expense 50% of my exam costs, so I included it. Its well worth getting an extra hour or more of sleep in the morning. You want things to be as convienent as possible on saturady morning. Drive to the exam center the day before after you check in too.
My exam is right across the street from a shopping mall. Does this change your “bring your own lunch” opinion?
Further, this mall is a really big, tourist trap mall right on the Riverwalk. And there is Air Force boot camp graduation every Saturday morning. So if you go to the mall on Saturdays, you have about a million tourists and boot camp graduates and their families walking around the mall. Does this change your opinion still?
Yes, Rivercenter. And I don’t like it mucn either, but that’s where the exam is. So I’m debating whether I should pack my own lunch and eat at the test site, or just walk across the street and go to Chick-Fil-A or something. I’ll have to fight the throng, but the line should go fairly quick and I can take it back to the test site and eat.
The test was there two year ago, too, when I took (and failed) Level 2. I ate at Hooters that day. Oddly enough, there was no wait. But I hate Hooters food, and I’m not sure whether it would be a relaxing or a distraction.
How bad could traffic be on a Saturday? I took it in DC last year and also lived in the suburbs so i drove to the nearest Metro (subway, train, etc) station, about 15 min away and took that into DC so I wouldnt have to worry about parking. I’m guessing St. Louis does not have a train system. Anyway I love hooters food…the chicken wings are boss.