Half way thru PM session, I smelled this really offensive odor assoicated with foot and cheap plastic shoes…the guy next to me took off his shoes, no socks. damn…can we request CFAI to allow gas mask in the future?
rolo550 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The guy next to me had to borrow a pen…seriously > didn’t know he needed one…and hes taking L3… Did you take the exam at LOS?
The Johannesburg experience was near-perfect by comparison. I felt grateful knowing I could walk to my car within five minutes and relax in peace; great access to toilets; proctors were professional, super-efficient and friendly. And all this a twenty-minute drive from home. I take my hat off to those of you who coped with long travelling times, noisy hotels without your families on the night before the exam and even physical danger (as in Bangladesh).
It’s not exactly riots and burning busses but at the Westin in San Francisco a rock band started warming up and playing with 45 minutes left in the PM session. The proctors just looked at each other and didn’t do anything. Eventually the band stopped with 10 minutes left in the exam.
I wrote all three levels in Halifax (Canada), and the experiences were brilliant. The proctors are efficient but laid back, the facilities are really nice, and there is not that many people- I think we had 30 writing level 3. I live 10 minutes from the test centre so I was able to go home and play Fifa 11 for half an hour and eat a healthy lunch. Interesting side note: I thought the morning session went really well. The match I played in FIFA started with me going up 2-0 early, then lost 3-2 after they scored three goals in the second half. I was definitely a little worried it was a sign! Props to the guys writing in Bangledesh- that is some serious conditions to write an exam in. All the best with your results!
Not at the exam site, but saw a guy commit suicide jumping off a bridge onto the 210 freeway the day before on the way to the hotel. He ended up right next to me one lane over. Kind of put things in perspective.
bpdulog Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The Sheraton in NYC was freezing, they had the AC > blasting when it was 65 degrees out. All I had on > was a pair of shorts and my Dubinsky t-shirt. It warmed up once everyone was in the room - I noticed how cold it was the sec I walked in. I also had shorts on - section BB toward the back.
After reading these stories, Im no longer upset that the biggest problem where I did it was that they never organised any water to drink during the exam!
Well Trasnferpricing, that’s pretty appalling – tricky to concentrate while dehydrated. I must add that I was startled to see, on one of my visits to the water section, that one of the used cups contained yellow liquid. Still wondering about that…
rolo550 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The guy next to me had to borrow a pen…seriously > didn’t know he needed one…and hes taking L3… Yeah, that one caught me off guard, too. Who makes tests that require pens?? I hope my pencil is gradeable.
ATH Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Nothing exciting in Denver but … the only food within walking distance > was a Burger King. Don’t forget Taco John’s. Or, do. I will, after that.
hawgdriver Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ATH Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Nothing exciting in Denver but … the only food > within walking distance > > was a Burger King. > > Don’t forget Taco John’s. > > Or, do. I will, after that. Didn’t notice that. It was my first time at that center. My plain turkey sandwich and Powerade seemed like a safer choice.
CFASniper Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > mutton Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > London experience was a little farcical. > > > > The PA system wasn’t working so we couldn’t > start > > the morning exam on time. Exam papers were > > distributed to desks but they didn’t start as > they > > weren’t able to read the instructions out. > People > > were kept in seats and told to keep quiet, > after > > about 30 minutes they let people make toilet > runs > > and suddenly the entire room room bursts out > into > > discussion. The proctors didn’t know what to > do. > > By the rule book, they should have ejected a > > thousand plus people from the program there and > > then =) In the end, we started about 45 minutes > > late. > > > > Just after 12:00, the PA system started > blurting > > out messages from one of the other testing > rooms > > whilst we were still writing the exam, and > about > > 10 minutes after that there was a message > letting > > the L1/L2 candidates know that our exam was > > overrunning and to be respectful and quiet in > the > > hallways. There were a few chuckles in our room > at > > the irony of this being loudly broadcast over > the > > PA into the room still writing the exam. When > our > > AM session finished, still working PA for the > post > > exam messages. > > > > The afternoon session was postponed by 45 > minutes, > > but unfortunately the majority of candidates > > weren’t aware of this and rushed their lunch > and > > were queuing up to go back in at 13:30, then > had > > the same drawn out wait for the exam to start > as > > in the morning. > > > > Oops. > > > +1 > > I was in the same room +1 Likewise - i was in S5 aswel. AM paper started all of a sudden without us being read the instructions at the back of the hall!
hawgdriver Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > rolo550 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > The guy next to me had to borrow a > pen…seriously > > didn’t know he needed one…and hes taking > L3… > > Yeah, that one caught me off guard, too. Who > makes tests that require pens?? I hope my pencil > is gradeable. I did not bring a pen
Pencils are fine for essays. Called CFAI today and also confirmed while at the test center. CFAI made it seem like more of a recommendation and answered the question like I was being paranoid. Anyway, no worries.
mmoore55 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hey nazmul.razu and kh.asif, > I write about CFA exams for Bloomberg (and took > Level III in much calmer conditions in NYC this > weekend). That’s a crazy story, would love to get > more details and write it up. Really puts > everyone’s exam nuisance stories in perspective. > > Anyone who went through that, please shoot me an > email (mmoore55@bloomberg.net) and I can get in > touch to discuss. > Thanks, > Michael > > Sorry everyone for the public spamming, wish this > had PMs. Would love to read that article when it comes out on Bloomberg, please do let us know.
there were only bad experiences with our test center in Pakistan. 1. A.C’s were not working properly. 2. somethings of people get stolen. 3. one of my friend got a gift from a pigeon. the pigeon dropped waste on him while he was doing paper. 
Nothing special in Poland (Warsaw) happened except for the fact that for the first time all three levels were gathered in one hall (Expo) - more than 600 people I guess. AC was good, no significant delays, but of course long queues to the restaurant and other facilities around…
Nothing special in Zurich. In the AM session the head proctor approached a candidate and asked him if he was all well and good luck. I was like, what do you have to do to get such special treatment? Toilets were sufficient, lots of parking around and plenty of room to get away from other hysterical candidates.
sbmarti2 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I wrote all three levels in Halifax (Canada), and > the experiences were brilliant. The proctors are > efficient but laid back, the facilities are really > nice, and there is not that many people- I think > we had 30 writing level 3. I live 10 minutes from > the test centre so I was able to go home and play > Fifa 11 for half an hour and eat a healthy lunch. > > Interesting side note: I thought the morning > session went really well. The match I played in > FIFA started with me going up 2-0 early, then lost > 3-2 after they scored three goals in the second > half. I was definitely a little worried it was a > sign! > > Props to the guys writing in Bangledesh- that is > some serious conditions to write an exam in. All > the best with your results! You should move up to PES 11…they have a much more realistic game play