Quick question for all of you L2 guys that have been through this already. What can I actually bring to the test center? I know CFAI gives the ‘list’ of allowed items, but is there a secure area to keep cell phones? If I bring a backpack to hold my belonings, can I keep that under my desk, or is there a bag area? Can you bring your coat into the test room if you’re in a cold climate area with it being December?
I asked CFAI some these, but they more or less said things like coats were ultimatley at the discretion of the proctors. With all the crap you’d LIKE to bring, it’d be nice to know if a bag is permissable to keep with you or at least know that there is a secure area to keep them.
plenty of pencils (mechanical is best), ear plugs, passport, ticket, calculator you can bring a backpack and you put it in a separate room. coat should be ok they should have water there for you.
absolutely no cell phone in a bag under your chair. if you get caught, you’re dead. Don’t bring anything except what you need. wallet in pocket is ok. cell phone will be asked to be surrendered when test instructions are being read. So turn it off and surrender to the proctor if you are uncomfortable leaving it in the common room.
I would leave everything you don’t need in your car. All you need is passport, pencils and approved calculator. My testing center last year had a room for backpacks, but I don’t think it was secure. There was also plenty of water in the room.
Some people don’t drive to the exam center, so the backpack room is probably their only option. I agree that it doesn’t seem very secure, since everyone just dumps their stuff in there; there are no lockers, name tags or anything like that. Then again, maybe it’s not so bad. After all, people in finance would never steal, lie or cheat about anything right? Right??
That’s what I did, leave everything in car. I only had pencils, passport, calculator, and extra battery. They usually have water coolers set up in the room you can go get a drink from during the test