Day of the exam

[moyoshix2o]

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Hey guys, I have 20 days to go before my exam on may 19th and I'm starting to realize I don't know much about the actual test day itself. So I guess this can be a running thread of various questions people have.

My first question:

Do they give you scrap paper? Are you allowed to write on it before you start the exam? (obviously i mean once you're already signed in and sitting in front of your computer)

 

[ar2388]

yay! im also taking it may 19! good luck to us. from what i understand they give you a white board.

 

[WellWornLad]

They give you 2 laminated sheets, a dry eraser, and a pen with barely enough ink to write with. You can write on it all you want in the secure testing area (i.e., in front of your computer), but it stays there throughout the testing - no taking it outside during lunch and copying your FA notes down onto it.

 

[clinicallabguy]

Do you get a calculator, or do you have to use the crappy one in Fred v2?

 

[Mr hawkings]

Do you get a calculator, or do you have to use the crappy one in Fred v2?

All you get is FRED V2

 

[clinicallabguy]

All you get is FRED V2

Damitol!

 

[ar2388]

we get a calculator??? thats so awesome! ive been doing the math by hand on paper .. oy

 

[moyoshix2o]

realistically, how long of a break can you take in between blocks? I know we get an hour (if you skip the tutorial) but the process of being signed in and out must take away a good chunk of that time each time you take a break.

 

[ar2388]

i plan on using each break to 1) go pee 2) do some pushups or jumping jacks or something in the hallway 3) have a snack every break and a sip of water or something 4) reassess if i need to pee again and thats it.

 

[Bloor]

Plan:

Skip tutorial after checking that page which confirms your headphones are working- total break time ~59 minutes

2 blocks-1-1-1-1-1

10 minute break after each sequence for a grand total of 50 minutes.

No lunch break- dont want to eat anything heavy; will pack 2 heavy duty protein bars, gatorade, 2 five hour energy shots and H2O. A munch, sip and a pee...and its back to the Qs. Knowing how nervous and on adrenaline I'll be on D-day, I doubt I'd use up more than 5-6 minutes per break anyways

 

[clinicallabguy]

Plan:

Skip tutorial after checking that page which confirms your headphones are working- total break time ~59 minutes

2 blocks-1-1-1-1-1

10 minute break after each sequence for a grand total of 50 minutes.

No lunch break- dont want to eat anything heavy; will pack 2 heavy duty protein bars, gatorade, 2 five hour energy shots and H2O. A munch, sip and a pee...and its back to the Qs. Knowing how nervous and on adrenaline I'll be on D-day, I doubt I'd use up more than 5-6 minutes per break anyways

Good plan. That's about what I did. I didn't drink any caffeine however, because I know that I'd be squirming in my chair during a block having to pee. If you take a break it will probably be at least 10 minutes because it may take 2-4 minutes just to get out and in with the finger swipe, signing out and in, and checking your pockets every time you enter. However, if you're like me you may finish blocks early and get more break time. I took 10 minute breaks after every block but one (I took block 2 and 3 in a row), and I took a 25 minute lunch. I still had about 30 minutes of break time when I finished the last block.

Good luck!

 

[pilottodoctor]

Do you get a calculator, or do you have to use the crappy one in Fred v2?

crappy one in Fred v2

 

[mrmandrake]

Ok this might be a stupid question but let's say you finish a block with 5 minutes left. It seems obvious that you can take an "informal" break by just sitting there and closing your eyes or whatever but let's say you want to go to the bathroom. If you get up to go without ending your test, what happens after the 5 minutes is up? Does it automatically start your official break time or does it go to the next section?

Also, has anyone gotten away with chewing gum during the test?

 

[clinicallabguy]

Ok this might be a stupid question but let's say you finish a block with 5 minutes left. It seems obvious that you can take an "informal" break by just sitting there and closing your eyes or whatever but let's say you want to go to the bathroom. If you get up to go without ending your test, what happens after the 5 minutes is up? Does it automatically start your official break time or does it go to the next section?

Also, has anyone gotten away with chewing gum during the test?

Actually, the cool thing is that any time you have to spare after you end a block is time added to your break time. On block 6 of the test I still had almost 45 minutes of break time left because I was ending the blocks 7 to 10 minutes early, and only taking a 10 minute break.

Not sure about chewing gum.