If you are done after 2 hours of the 3, can you leave?
yes
to add to iteracom’s reply, you can leave early but no one can leave in the final half hour
…and do not discuss specific questions - especially on a internet forum (ex. analyst forum).
I’ve heard of CFA monitoring these forums.
this forum traditionally closes down for exam day, to stop people discussing the exam
Yep, think this forum’s been burned before on this topic…
It will close down for 2 days, because some countries have the exam on Sundays
Don’t worry about bringing in 24 sharpened pencils in case one breaks, 20 should be more than enough.
Ha! Reminds me of how I would bring in my huge bundle of painstakingly sharpened pencils and use maybe two at the most!
I took a lot of pencils because I got a packet of them from the dollar store and took the whole dollars worth in
Can you leave the test center between the exams? Some talk about huge line ups at the cafeteria but if you leave for a bit that shouldn’t be a worry
No, not once you’re let inside the room where you’re going to take it. When they’ve checked your calculator and ID and other stuff the first time (there are multiple checks) the silent period has begun.
Speaking of calculators, when I took Level I there was a guy who did not have the right type of calculator with him (that is to say: either a HP12C or a TI BAII). He had to take the test _w i t h o u t_ a calculator… What a waste of prep time and effort!
There is always someone who seems to think they’re going to do an exception in their particular case, but there aren’t any exceptions to the rule: HP12C or TI BAII (in total 4 models are allowed).
I’ve seen this happen too. A girl who took Level I and who sat a few rows in front of me had her exam results waived, I later learned that there had been a formal investigation .
This is how it all happened, from what she told me later: she had arrived somewhat late to the exam and didn’t immediately find her way to the room where the exam was held, so was let in a bit late. Naturally she was stressed up by that fact, since it meant a very bad start. This also meant that she was stressed for time throught the exam. Also: she was from another country (China) so passing was very crucial to her personally. Toward the end she had maybe some 10 blank bubbles on her Scantron sheet. She started to swap frantically between reading those final last questions and randomly filling in bubbles by chance. The proctor called out once that exam time was up. She apparently didn’t hear anything since she was so concentrated continuing swapping between reading and filling in bubbles… Then the proctor called out really loud that the time was up, this time standing right before her desk, but - unfortunately - in desperation she tried to jot down one or two more blobs to fill those final blank bubbles on the Scantron sheet. It was a clear-cut case, naturally, later followed up by a full PGP investigation and all that. She cried. All that wasted preparation, the humiliation of having cheated albeit involuntarily during a sudden fit of desperation, plus think of all the extra costs associated with enrolling a second time, this time flying to another country for the December exam, hotels and all that.
Don’t underestimate the importance of stopping writing, and don’t underestimate that you might not act quite rationally when there’s a lot at stake - as there was here.
yea CFAI has a no-tolerance policy on their rules.
I recall reading about this once a person, he wrote to CFAI inquiring about something test related, and informally wrote in the email he was a L1 candidate. problem was, he had not officially registered yet. CFAI ran a check on him, realized he wasn’t an official L1 candidate, and he was suspended for a year or so.
that’s just brutal. the poor kid was going to register and just wanted to ask a question first
I think those who wear these don’t generally approve of or take kindly to interest rate calculations, so my guess is that this is practically a non-issue given how abundant the concept of interest rates is in the curriculum.
you can leave, just make sure you get back in time for the afternoon
Yes, you are free to move about the country during the break. I always packed a lunch and ate in my car during the break. Gave me time to review big topic areas that weren’t covered in the morning, as it was likely they would be part of the afternoon. I also didn’t like to hear other people talking about specific morning questions, as there is always some jackass who talks loudly and confidently enough to convince people that he is right eventhough he’s a moron.
Sooo true!
It’s helpful to see that everyone there is as nervous as you are (or more), but don’t talk about the exam material. You’re not supposed to in any case, but it’s good for your own sanity not to.