A testing center to avoid

As I had to take two beta exams this week or miss out on the opportunity, I
called Pearson Vue to book them last week. In Montreal and Ottawa I have my
favorite testing centres, but this week I am in Hallandale, Florida. The
agent at PV suggested Fast Computer Training in Miami. As I had other
obligations I allotted myself 90 minutes per exam with a fifteen minute
break so that I could get out of there by 12:15. My first exam was booked
for 9:00AM this morning.

When I arrived at the location ten minutes early (per guidelines) the door
was locked... as it was ten minutes later and ten minutes hence. In fact it
was not until 9:40 when someone came to open the door, and when I knocked
she was unaware that I was supposed to take a test, and was embarrassed that
the place was a bit dirty. In fact I have been to washrooms at outdoor
football stadia during rainy season where the floors were cleaner. It was
in a word disgusting.

The testing room must have been someone's office... the back wall had city,
state, and tax department permits posted in no particular order. However
the upside was that the chair was comfortable and the computer relatively
modern.

Throughout the exams I heard the administrator's cell phone tune constantly,
and it was nearly impossible to concentrate.

In a sentence: AVOID THIS TESTING CENTRE.

Ok, there endeth my rant.

--
Montreal MCT
Microsoft MVP: Windows Server - Customer Experience
Visit my blog at
http://dnn.mitpro.ca/mitpro/Blogs/ta...2/Default.aspx

Montreal MCT

Not close to your experience, but I took an exam in a closest -- or room
not much bigger...

--

Michael D. Alligood
MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
CIW Certified Instructor

The Classroom Blog

CertGuard Member
The Stronghold for Excellence in I.T. Certification
www.CertGuard.com



"Montreal MCT" <> wrote in message
news:2041D564-28F1-4391-A9ED-:

> As I had to take two beta exams this week or miss out on the opportunity, I
> called Pearson Vue to book them last week. In Montreal and Ottawa I have my
> favorite testing centres, but this week I am in Hallandale, Florida. The
> agent at PV suggested Fast Computer Training in Miami. As I had other
> obligations I allotted myself 90 minutes per exam with a fifteen minute
> break so that I could get out of there by 12:15. My first exam was booked
> for 9:00AM this morning.
>
> When I arrived at the location ten minutes early (per guidelines) the door
> was locked... as it was ten minutes later and ten minutes hence. In fact it
> was not until 9:40 when someone came to open the door, and when I knocked
> she was unaware that I was supposed to take a test, and was embarrassed that
> the place was a bit dirty. In fact I have been to washrooms at outdoor
> football stadia during rainy season where the floors were cleaner. It was
> in a word disgusting.
>
> The testing room must have been someone's office... the back wall had city,
> state, and tax department permits posted in no particular order. However
> the upside was that the chair was comfortable and the computer relatively
> modern.
>
> Throughout the exams I heard the administrator's cell phone tune constantly,
> and it was nearly impossible to concentrate.
>
> In a sentence: AVOID THIS TESTING CENTRE.
>
> Ok, there endeth my rant.
>
> --
> Montreal MCT
> Microsoft MVP: Windows Server - Customer Experience
> Visit my blog at
> http://dnn.mitpro.ca/mitpro/Blogs/ta...2/Default.aspx

Michael D. Alligood

Closets are pretty common, and nothing to really complain about... There is
a testing centre in Montreal called Vienna Academy of whatever and I passed
my 70-292 Upgrade exam there... they had closets (I am pretty sure I have an
article about it
(http://dnn.mitpro.ca/mitpro/Blogs/ta...6/Default.aspx) but at
least the place was professional... there were people there, and it was
presentable. This place was the hole in the wall that Monty Pythonites got
evicted from!

M

--
Montreal MCT
Microsoft MVP: Windows Server - Customer Experience
Visit my blog at
http://dnn.mitpro.ca/mitpro/Blogs/ta...2/Default.aspx

"Michael D. Alligood" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Not close to your experience, but I took an exam in a closest -- or room
> not much bigger...
>
> --
>
> Michael D. Alligood
> MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
> Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
> CIW Certified Instructor
>
> The Classroom Blog
>
> CertGuard Member
> The Stronghold for Excellence in I.T. Certification
> www.CertGuard.com
>
>
>
> "Montreal MCT" <> wrote in message
> news:2041D564-28F1-4391-A9ED-:
>
>> As I had to take two beta exams this week or miss out on the opportunity,
>> I
>> called Pearson Vue to book them last week. In Montreal and Ottawa I have
>> my
>> favorite testing centres, but this week I am in Hallandale, Florida. The
>> agent at PV suggested Fast Computer Training in Miami. As I had other
>> obligations I allotted myself 90 minutes per exam with a fifteen minute
>> break so that I could get out of there by 12:15. My first exam was
>> booked
>> for 9:00AM this morning.
>>
>> When I arrived at the location ten minutes early (per guidelines) the
>> door
>> was locked... as it was ten minutes later and ten minutes hence. In fact
>> it
>> was not until 9:40 when someone came to open the door, and when I knocked
>> she was unaware that I was supposed to take a test, and was embarrassed
>> that
>> the place was a bit dirty. In fact I have been to washrooms at outdoor
>> football stadia during rainy season where the floors were cleaner. It
>> was
>> in a word disgusting.
>>
>> The testing room must have been someone's office... the back wall had
>> city,
>> state, and tax department permits posted in no particular order. However
>> the upside was that the chair was comfortable and the computer relatively
>> modern.
>>
>> Throughout the exams I heard the administrator's cell phone tune
>> constantly,
>> and it was nearly impossible to concentrate.
>>
>> In a sentence: AVOID THIS TESTING CENTRE.
>>
>> Ok, there endeth my rant.
>>
>> --
>> Montreal MCT
>> Microsoft MVP: Windows Server - Customer Experience
>> Visit my blog at
>> http://dnn.mitpro.ca/mitpro/Blogs/ta...2/Default.aspx
>

Montreal MCT

A closest would have been nice. I took the three Lotus Domino Administrator
exams in a concession stand.

It was a small business college; their normal testing room was being
remodeled, so I had to take the exams in the server room, which was in fact
the same room where they sold notebooks, pens, t-shits, etc to the student
body.

I wasn't directly in front of the concession area, but anyone who walked up
could see me. During the three exams students repeatable ask me to sell them
stuff. I had to call back to an adjacent room for the person who was
supposed to be tending stand. The space was so small; each time this person
came to the stand, I would have to get up out of my chair, turn it sideways,
and step aside to let them pass. And of course, I had to repeat the process
after the sale was complete to let then back through.

I passed all three exams, but by some of the lowest scores I've ever
received.

Harvey Colwell

Wow now THAT is a horror story! As for mine it may not be as bad as that,
but I have submitted a complaint to PV and got a message a few minutes ago
that they were escalating it. I will keep you all informed!

M

--
Montreal MCT
Microsoft MVP: Windows Server - Customer Experience
Visit my blog at
http://dnn.mitpro.ca/mitpro/Blogs/ta...2/Default.aspx

"Harvey Colwell" <> wrote in message
news:...
>A closest would have been nice. I took the three Lotus Domino Administrator
>exams in a concession stand.
>
> It was a small business college; their normal testing room was being
> remodeled, so I had to take the exams in the server room, which was in
> fact the same room where they sold notebooks, pens, t-shits, etc to the
> student body.
>
> I wasn't directly in front of the concession area, but anyone who walked
> up could see me. During the three exams students repeatable ask me to sell
> them stuff. I had to call back to an adjacent room for the person who was
> supposed to be tending stand. The space was so small; each time this
> person came to the stand, I would have to get up out of my chair, turn it
> sideways, and step aside to let them pass. And of course, I had to repeat
> the process after the sale was complete to let then back through.
>
> I passed all three exams, but by some of the lowest scores I've ever
> received.

Montreal MCT

During one of the 2003 upgrade exams I was next to a guy who was reading the
questions out loud for his exam and swearing - I asked him politly to shut
up - he finally did. And I did pass by a couple of questions.
Harvey wins I think. How you could keep all the information in the question
in mind while bouncing up off the chair and back is amazing. Bet you keep
cool when the rest of the IT department melts and panics while the big boss
is screaming that email is not working.
Good for you Harvey - you should get a gold lapel pin for that.
Linda


"Montreal MCT" <yeah.right.com> wrote in message
news:2041D564-28F1-4391-A9ED-...
> As I had to take two beta exams this week or miss out on the opportunity,
> I called Pearson Vue to book them last week. In Montreal and Ottawa I
> have my favorite testing centres, but this week I am in Hallandale,
> Florida. The agent at PV suggested Fast Computer Training in Miami. As I
> had other obligations I allotted myself 90 minutes per exam with a fifteen
> minute break so that I could get out of there by 12:15. My first exam was
> booked for 9:00AM this morning.
>
> When I arrived at the location ten minutes early (per guidelines) the door
> was locked... as it was ten minutes later and ten minutes hence. In fact
> it was not until 9:40 when someone came to open the door, and when I
> knocked she was unaware that I was supposed to take a test, and was
> embarrassed that the place was a bit dirty. In fact I have been to
> washrooms at outdoor football stadia during rainy season where the floors
> were cleaner. It was in a word disgusting.
>
> The testing room must have been someone's office... the back wall had
> city, state, and tax department permits posted in no particular order.
> However the upside was that the chair was comfortable and the computer
> relatively modern.
>
> Throughout the exams I heard the administrator's cell phone tune
> constantly, and it was nearly impossible to concentrate.
>
> In a sentence: AVOID THIS TESTING CENTRE.
>
> Ok, there endeth my rant.
>
> --
> Montreal MCT
> Microsoft MVP: Windows Server - Customer Experience
> Visit my blog at
> http://dnn.mitpro.ca/mitpro/Blogs/ta...2/Default.aspx
>

Linda Marie