They wouldn't allow me to take the test!!!

[medical22]

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I got there late 🙁

I still cannot believe what happened to me today. I left my house at 7 to get to the test center by 8 (the reporting time). There's never any traffic on the roads going to the college where the test was being given, but of course at 7 this morning I hit so much traffic and plus got lost on the way there. I finally arrived at the college at 8:20 and was told that the test has already begun and that it was too late. I started to panic and started crying. I had no idea what to do. The guy who was giving the exam was so rude to me. Then a few minutes later more people started to walk in. Finally there were 5 others but the idiot would not let us in. He said there's nothing he could do. He ignored us and walked away. We begged and we begged. Then we decided to rush over to another nearby college and got there at 9:00. We weren't even registered to take the test there, but they allowed us in (after we begged and begged again). THANK GOD!! We were all so relieved, but I was so angry at the other guy who refused to give the exam to six people because we were a few minutes late. I understand that once the test has started, we cannot disrupt the students, but he could have seated us in another room or have anyone else proctor the test. He was so stubborn. This is a matter of a whole year of our lives and he did not care one bit. We were even willing to lose the time and go in late. He had a list of the students who were registered and knew that 7 or 8 people were missing so he should have waited a few more minutes.
Does anyone know the correct policy regarding this matter? Are they supposed to refuse us? There was no time given for the start of the test. The ticket only gave the reporting time. No other place begins the test by 8:15. It takes time to get everyone's fingerprints and check their id, etc. I want to find out what the rules are. I am not going to let that man go.
I really cannot believe this happened. God was watching over me!

I would also really like your opinion on this.

 

[Georgey]

I don't know what the official rules are but that guy sounded like a real idiot. For my test session this past April my proctor waited forty five minutes because we had two no shows. They never showed up but at least he was willing to wait and see if they did. If I were you I'd report the guy, even if you don't know what the exact rules are. Point is he COULD HAVE waited and he just decided to be a jerk. I'd take a shot at reporting him. Who knows? You may take his job away. You'd be doing all future test takers at that site a favor.

 

[brhill]

Now let's not all jump down br's throat...BUT...he probably figured that if you didn't think it was important enough to leave an hour early (hell make it and hour and a half) that he shouldn't go out of his way either. I mean yeah of course the guy was a hardass jerk but that's exactly why you take measures to handle emergency situations if something is THAT important. I'd just use it as a valuable life lesson and be glad you don't have spend your life proctoring exams having your only excitement totally screwing kids that are obviously already have a REALLY bad morning. And for god's sake next time prepare for the worst! Toodles.

 

[Barton]

your situation sucks, but AAMC reserves the right to not allow anyone into the test site afet the reporting time. How the hell did another test site where you weren't registered let you take the test? Sounds like some pretty lax security. I'd contact the AAMC to see if they'll let your scores stand. If you weren't on the list at the place you took the test, they might void your scores. That blows, but AAMC is so anal about the whole test protocol and all, I'd check into it.

 

[jakethaiCSULA]

That guy was a total JERK
We didn't start our until 8:45!!!

 

[kutastha]

Originally posted by jakethaiCSULA:
•That guy was a total JERK
We didn't start our until 8:45!!!•

8:45 is pretty early to begin the test - you should be thankful you got to take it at all.

Andrew

 

[SMW]

Huh? Why should jakethaiCSULA be thankful?
Medical22 was the one whose test started early. At 8:15, for pete's sake!!! What is your point, ajr?

Medical22, definitely follow up on finding out the protocol for starting time vs. reporting time and report that idiot (and put in a good word for the guy at the second center). Here's hoping you did awesome, despite the incredibly adverse situation.

 

[Sarena]

I can feel your pain. Sometimes the best laid plans... I was almost late to take my exam in April. I thought I was totally prepared. I even timed how long it would take to get to the test site from my house the Saturday before the exam date (exactly 35 minutes). The day of the exam, I left my house an hour and a half early only to discover that there was a car show in town and traffic was backed up for miles. I barely made it to the site on time. However, the proctors were very understanding and waited an additional 30 minutes to see if anyone else showed up. Medical22 proctors sounds like a true jerk who gets off on the power of reducing a bunch of premed students to tears. Hope you did well on the test.

 

[Amy B]

We started promtly at 8:03. We all kept coming back early from lunch and breaks and everyone wanted to get started, so we only breaked for 7 minutes and we were done at 3:45. The test questioneer took 6 more minutes so we were out of the room right at 4:00

 

[racergirl]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with the consensus here. The proctor has every right to refuse you entrance after the report time has passed. That's why it says all over the ticket and the instruction book NOT TO BE LATE. I think you have to be fair, medical 22. Imagine you had NOT been late, and your proctor had let people continue to trickle into the room while you were trying to focus on the Verbal? You might be pissed off!

If the rules were not strict, then where do they draw the line? How late is too late? 20 minutes? 45 minutes?

I'm sorry about your experience--When I was driving to the test last april I was SURE I was gonna get a flat tire or something--but I don't think you can take out your fustration on the proctor--he was just doing his job! Also, there were things you could have done to avoid the situation--leave earlier, and MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO GET THERE!

I do feel for you, don't get me wrong, but I think you need to take some responsibility for your situation. Don't just spit venom at some worker-guy (the proctor). Finally, you should feel very fortunate to have been able to take the test at the other college.

 

[kutastha]

Originally posted by SMW:
•Huh? Why should jakethaiCSULA be thankful?
Medical22 was the one whose test started early. At 8:15, for pete's sake!!! What is your point, ajr?•

I have two points I will address for you.

Point number one: The first time I took the test we didn't start til 10 am. My second time we started at 9:30 after all the administrative procedures. I would much rather start early as I'd be ready to begin rather than sit and wait while the proctors go through all their business.

Point number two: I said he should be thankful he was able to even take it because of the original poster's story where he wasn't allowed take it at one place. In addition to this point was a reference to a post I read prior where an individual could not take the test due to the proctor's not showing up.

I'm sorry if this was not clear.

Andrew

 

[Smoke This]

Originally posted by SMW:
•Medical22, definitely follow up on finding out the protocol for starting time vs. reporting time and report that idiot (and put in a good word for the guy at the second center). Here's hoping you did awesome, despite the incredibly adverse situation.•

I say the proctor's a scumbag. That's not what you need to hear in the morning of the freaking MCAT! Rules like that exist so that compassionate or free-thinking people can bend them and make you grateful, and for uptight control freaks like the proctor to stand behind when he flexes his authority muscle.

I don't think you should say anything to AAMC. Do they know who took the test where? If they don't know from the outset, I would bite down and thank God and the 9:00 proctor. Who knows what would happen if AAMC hears of this and cries foul?

 

[jc2001]

start @ 9:30 and 10:00 am? what the hell is going on here. Was the proctor late?

At my school, there were over 400 mcat takers. So they divided it into 5 groups. I arrived at 8:00am, and was the first group. We started at about 8:10am. The people who arrive at 8:20 are probably in the last group, which started 20 min after my group.


but I don't see how that could extend to 10am.