Has there ever been a case of someone's computer lagging/freezing during??

[pineappletree]

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I was wondering if there were any horror stories known about computer errors or malfunctions during the exam.

What would happen if such an event occurs??

 

[AlexB]

I was wondering if there were any horror stories known about computer errors or malfunctions during the exam.

What would happen if such an event occurs??

this girl in my orgo lab who worked at the bench next to me came in one day furious, because she said her computer had frozen on her while taking the MCAT. She said she had studied for months, and then the damn thing just stopped working. This was at a test center in NY. But, this is hearsay, since I didn't personally experience it.

 

[AnthroMD]

Someone here on SDN has had that problem before. According to them, they had documentation from the testing center reporting the malfunction. I believe they were allowed to retake it.

Not sure what the real protocol is, though.

 

[SN2ed]

There have been numerous reports on here about computers freezing. However, that is heavily attributed to a selection bias. You won't see people making threads to tell others their computer worked fine. From what I've read, there isn't a standard procedure though people can usually get their test voided if they choose. I should add that they do NOT get their money back.

 

[pineappletree]

Wow, that would be pretty unlucky~~


BTW, why did they change the format to computerized in the first place?
Tests just seem more difficult when you can't feel the pages in your hands...
=(

 

[SN2ed]

Wow, that would be pretty unlucky~~


BTW, why did they change the format to computerized in the first place?
Tests just seem more difficult when you can't feel the pages in your hands...
=(

To speed up scoring and modernize the test. Back when the MCAT was all paper, it took 3 months to get your results. People freak out over 1 month, just think about a 3 month wait.

 

[klmnop]

talk about paranoia....
just bring a usb to save your score as you go 😉

 

[AnthroMD]

Great point. The only way you can get your money back or retake is if they mess up somehow in processing or grading your test. I looked back at that person's profile and saw a score for that date so I guess they had it handled some other way than voiding.

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/taking/regulations.htm

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There have been numerous reports on here about computers freezing. However, that is heavily attributed to a selection bias. You won't see people making threads to tell others their computer worked fine. From what I've read, there isn't a standard procedure though people can usually get their test voided if they choose. I should add that they do NOT get their money back.

 

[Bouddha]

There was a guy in my testing center whose computer test was turned off by the employee while they were walking around turning off computers. Despite the fact that he was sitting right there, half-way through his bio section, for some incomprehensible reason, the employee bent over and hit the off switch.

I was there when it happened, checking out, so I can verify that this did happen. He was so flustered that even when they got his test back on line 10 minutes later, with the correct time remaining restored, he couldn't finish. Probably should have tried anyway, but at a minimum, he'll be filing a complaint. Curious to know what happens.