I understand the desire to curb cheating, but the Institute’s rules are starting to feel draconian. I’d feel slightly better about having to sit still for an hour at the end of the test if I understood why.
As someone who never finishes these exams with more than 10 min to spare, and most of the time, within last 5 minutes, I love it. I did see something in an email about it as a new rule change, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise. I would think the reasoning is for less distraction for the remaining test-takers. It seems like a distraction at times when a third of the room is finished, getting up, moving chairs, whatever, and you’re scrambling to finish the exam, while maintaining your focus.
There are some rules that I just don’t understand at all. I’d prefer to understand the “why” behind their rules, but it’s not a big issue with me. As long as rules are clearly specified ahead of time and consistently enforced, I’m happy with it.
I’m still confused about why a proctor approached me during the exam and said I wasn’t allowed to run a (silent) timer on my wristwatch. I’ve never heard of that before, and I’ve used a timer for levels 1 and 2. And based on what I’ve heard, lots of candidates run timers on their watches.
It wasn’t a surprise, but I’d like to know why. I think that’s fair considering the general inequity between test takers and the CFAI. We have to wait a year to retake, can’t be late, don’t even know what the score to pass is, can have results voided simply by a proctor saying we’ve broken a rule, etc. Not that I’m complaining about those things, I agreed to them because I think the CFA designation is worth it. But any changes to the testing procedures instituted after we’ve started the journey could be explained. (Waiting for a host of people to say “If you don’t like it, quit” now…)
I do understand having people exit the test can be frustrating, but it could ultimately help you. If you never finish early, it’s unlikely you are able to review your answers. Which means you are competing against people that have NOTHING else to do but to go over every answer 2-3 times in detail because they cannot leave (like I did). It’s likely MPS is increased (I know I reinterpreted a few questions and most likely improved my score as a result thereof) as a result of this change and is most likely to hurt slower test takers.
Last year when I sat for L2, the moron proctors at my exam were missing one test booklet. They actually held our section for about 35 minutes after the exam, and I assume that they found it since they finally let us go after that
My guess is screw ups along those lines lead to this policy.
Ahh, that makes sense. I got out of the test center at 5:27 and they didn’t lose a booklet – only just really slow. Fingers crossed this is the last time.
I’m willing to bet that the reason why the rule is in place is because people complained about how distracting it is for people who leave early to stand up and walk out of the room.
If anything it backfired because a TON of people were getting up to use the bathroom just to get out the room after they were done early and there was much more traffice in and out of the room i was in.
I also agree with Gersonides that it’s also probably due to security purposes.
consider yourselves lucky, in Toronto, most of us didn’t get out of the parking lot until after 6pm. I kid you not, this is no exageration, most of us had our cars turned off in the lineup waiting to get out and didn’t turn it back on for over 30 mins to move a little. Not one inch of movement in over 30 mins. It was insane.
Ugh. Well, hopefully this is your last testing experience.
In the last 30 minutes everyone was just going to the toilet instead in the PM here in Zurich, so I didn’t think it improved much from a “focus” point of view. As for myself, I was much less bored than I had feared because the PM was harder than I expected and I actually used all the time until the end to think about answers I wasn’t sure about.
Because the CFAI is eternally effing stupid. It’s 2016 and they’ve got us writing in booklets flipping back two to three pages to grab information out of a problem in order to then write out our GD answer. The goal is supposedly education but they give the test just once per year, forcing tons of candidates out of the program simply because if they failed they don’t want to forget all the useless BS they learned only to have to try to relearn it again 6 GD months later. They are creating an artificial barrier to higher ethics and knowledge in this industry with this program. I have often considered the possibility of not using their GD mark and instead just listing on my resume that I have passed all three exams but if I do pass then my job will want me to use the mark for marketing purposes. They will never get dues from me personally…ever, they’re lucky my employer pays.
I love when they send me surveys too, I just go off on them every time and give them negative answers and commentary.
Well, in Colombo, we tend to have nitwits who make the biggest racket possible when leaving their desks, pushing the table and chair in opposite directions when leaving…unless the exam’s a breeze for you, those distractions can break your concentration and flow!
To be honest you just sound like one of those people who have a complaint about absolutely everything. God forbid we need to answer our short answer question on a following page of an exam booklet - how on earth did I even make it through that exam having to navagate that mess!! Oh and going through the rigors of the 3 CFA exams only to not use the CFA designation is probably the stupidest thing I’ve read on this website. No one has forced you to take these exams or pay CFAI for their services. Get a grip. Maybe go outside and try to enjoy life a little, the world isn’t out to get you.
The proctors are definitely not rocket scientists by any means. I was the first person to check in at my section and they were pretty much clueless on what to do. Also, they used Wal-Mart bags to collect exams in. Thought that was a little tacky that they couldn’t have official looking CFAI bags. Gives the feeling someone is just taking the exams back to their house and quickly marking them while watching tv or something.
So they literally went desk to desk putting each exam in a walmart bag?
Happens every year. I only left Level 1 early and did not expect the jam when I took level 2. But if you left through the main entrance (Cityview?) there were cops there that directed traffic and they stopped the other directions from moving. I got out at 5:45. The other entrance didn’t have traffic lights nor cops and everyone was turning left because that was the way to the 401.
i just hung out by the water fountain
I literally sprinted to my car and beat the crowd out. I also didn’t check in a bag so that helped. There were a lot of other people running to their cars.
I asked asked them why when we got the email earlier this year. I was pretty upset about the new policy as I have always had at least an hour to spare on every session (until the L3 morning section). This is how they responded:
Dear ,
We are excited to learn of your registration. We will no longer allow early departures to minimize the disruption to candidates who are still taking their exam. As the last few minutes of each session come to a close, candidates are already being placed in a stressful situation. We want to minimize as many outside distractions as possible.
I hope this is helpful. If you need further assistance, please respond to this email or call us at +1 (434) 951-5499. Toll free numbers can be found on our contact us page.
Regards,
Jason
From:
Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2016 1:13 PM
To: CFA Program
Subject: Re: Important Policy Updates for the December 2016 CFA Exam
Do you mind if I ask why the early departure policy has changed?
Thanks,
I approve this message… it’s one thing to promulgate higher learning in finance, it’s another to do it by creating artificial barriers to obtaining the Chart (I say because Charter is so self-aggrandizing).