Rather than trading rants about the exam, which is now “in the books” so to speak, how about we trade some funny stories about exam day … loads more fun!
In my test center, about 45 minutes into lunch break I am sitting on a sofa and the guy who was sitting in front of me in the morning session comes over to talk, looking quite shell-shocked. Nice chap, told me he breezed through L1 and 2 using only Schweser stuff - never any CFAI materials - mocks or anything and that the AM punched him hard in the stomach - he barely got through 7 questions and left 3 blank. He really looked to be completely “out”. I tried to cheer him up and told him that he can make up for it on the PM paper and that I saw really horrible AM matrices that passed with a strong PM … so, we go back in and since it’s not a huge test center, we again sit with him right before me … then we do the PM … so when it all ends and we are released, I am curious to see how he will react … we meet outside the center (we both went to get our bags) and he just shakes is head in shock and puffs on a cig to relax …
I arrived to the test center pretty early to get my head screwed on straight. Went to the men’s room to relieve myself of the 6am jug of coffee I had inhaled in my car en route. Overhear this guy just absolutely destroying the toilet in his respective stall. Nerves are murder on your GI tract, so it’s all understandable. I’m washing my hands and out of the stall strolls this small Asian girl who starts screaming and tearing up while running past the forming line of dudes hoping to get a piss in before lock down.
Whole bathroom erupts in laughter while this poor girl probably just ruined her entire exam day. Rough way to start the day haha!
Was in the bathroom and heard a loud plop followed by a loud S**T. Apparently someone dropped their calculator into the toilet and he had to reach in there to grab it out. Luckily the calculator still worked.
some1 gotten written up for not following directions before the test. he started filling in the outside of the book information while the proctor was reading. She gave 4 warnings to stop and he didn’t so they wrote him up.
Heard an L1 Spanish speaker in ny center almost got thrown out for not understanding and following the instructions the proctors read pre-test … how the H@$L would he be able to take the exam?!?
A woman one row behind me asked the proctors to go to the bathroom while the instructions were being read and before the exam clock started. They told her no, and she started arguing with them, pointed to her watch and said, “But I still have five minutes to go before the test!”
Orange-vest proctor said “You must remain seated until the exam begins, but no one can force you to stay seated if you decide not to comply with instructions.” They took her exam book, answer sheet, and passport and she went to the bathroom and came back at 8:59.
I noticed that the spoken announcements about remaining seated were more detailed in the afternoon!
Krok - chin UP, mate! Your GIPS post, alone, is worth its weight in gold and you are forever now part of L3 lore … there are many lurkers, many who only write “3/3”, but few who have contributed, so I hope you pass and know that whether you pass or fail this year, you have done your best.
What an idiot. At Level III? They basically told her “You are not being held prisoner, but if you don’t wait five minutes you’re violating the rules. Your call.”
Not really a funny story, but I got zero sleep the night before. Was just staring at the clock in my hotel room with my heart beating out of my chest. Didn’t happen for either L1 or L2. Was totally fuzzy in AM for the first hour and struggled to stay awake throughout. Managed to finish but didn’t feel great about my performance. Hit some coffee in the break and perked up a little for PM. Not feeling good about it overall though.
The guy next to me asked the proctor twice to bring someone from the examination as he couldn’t understand some questions. I was like " are u kidding me?" We are not in school mate. No time for this
Forgot to mention at the PHL testing center we were sharing the convention center with Comic-Con. Went out to the parking garage at break and the guy parked next to me was getting into his super elaborate Superman costume with the help of his girlfriend.
Thought to myself, what a coincidence - here are the only bigger nerds than us CFA takers, in the same convention center.
Was taking the test in sharjah, that is in UAE, and it is Ramadan , the time muslims fast… saw them eating, understand that they got the exception no one wants to screw the day… We were dinning in the closed casket, food was bad, so good I brought my snack…After that I wanted to smoke, and you can’t do it … so lotsa ideas were coming to my mind and I decided to go outside to convince myself that i will not smoke and to my surprise I saw few fellow candidates smoking… I immediately joined them…safety in numbers I guess, managed to quickly puff 2 cigs before one arab dude in white dress was passing by and started shouting to the security guard why they are smoking… quietly the smokers went back, and the funny thing was that no one rushed as we all were thinking about something I bet it was the AM session…
FYI max that could happen to you given the circumstances is the fine so I guess folks needed the cigi to calm down even if it could have been their most expensive ones… aside from the one that kills you…
Ps same story took place after the exam but odds were better as it was almost evening…
I took exam in Riyadh and it was pretty well managed this time. Every two candidates were sharing a wide table. In the middle of the AM, this guy started erasing and was shaking the whole table I literally laughed out and he was punching his calculator as if he wants to break it. I said to myself he’s gone. Right when proctors took our sheets he asked me “Did you complete the test?”, I smiled and replied with a counter question “Is this your first time?”, he: Yes. He missed perhaps more than 1 whole question.
The london test centre was strange. Normally once you are allowed inside the hall, you can use the bathroom within the exam hall itself up until the proctor says you cant use the bathroom. This year, you had to go back out of the actual hall itself. There were at least 5-6 candidates who had entered the hall legitimately, registered and sat down, but went to the bathroom just before 830am. Obviously the doors close at 830am so I wonder how many registered but were locked out for the start of the exam or had a strategy to go ince registered.
They tried this shit at my testing hall last year. When I came out of the restroom the line to get into the testing hall wrapped around the building. This year I ignored them and used it inside the testing hall.