My last two years of nearby Prometric experience made my husband forbids me (again) to go back. Sadly, it's only 2-3 hrs drive away from my home. Now, I have to fly 2-3 hours, just to write, ten times the costs.
First of all, I am not a troublemaker, and I think that is something, that I somewhat becoming a target of bullies. Harsh comment, but over my 20yrs in the accounting industry, when it happened, it just crushed my spirit, and decide to hide for awhile.
Read this a lot, ‘bullies get ahead', and ‘being nice does not guarantee you'll be treated the same way'. Somewhat, these phrases are becoming real. Sad, but I can never be a bully. I am a Christian, a wife, a mother of three kids, a daughter of a 69yrs old mom, a sister to three siblings and aspiring for a US CPA designation.
Anyway, as to Prometric experience, these ones I found odd:
– A Prometric staff (jokingly I think) told me after my exam, when asked by her how was my exam, I answered, I was short of time. Then she replied, she can simply give someone a phone call and it will give me an extra 30 mins. I replied ‘no', and left.
– A CPA candidate sitting on the floor reading/writing on her notes, in front of the locker area. I am not sure, if she's on a break or about to start her exam or just finished her exam. The Prometric staff didn't say anything.
– A Prometric staff put my NTS inside a Chinese passport. I normally used my Driver License for ID. I don't use my Canadian Passport except on crossing the Border or through immigration at the airport.
– I was ‘signed in' before going to the washroom.
– I was given a locker key #20 and asked me to sit in comptuter stall #15. First time happened to me.
– After I handed in my REG (to him)/FAR (to her) used up scratchboards during the break, my SIMs became more impossible for the time left.
– My recent DRS simulation won't load the answers.
– My AUD score, 2016 Q4 (69%), 2017 Q1 (59%) (taken in the same prometric). Got 77% in different Prometric location, studied for two days.
Besides my recent Prometric experience inside, I think my experience around the site is really bad too. The nearby hotel I stayed at, another hotel room occupant made sure I didn't get any sleep the night before my first exam. Also, I was placed in a floor level that they were doing some drilling, construction, room renovations, especially, one besides me. In addition, I was woken up with a weather alert at 4am (4x at least) on my last exam.
Upon arrival at the location, we went food shoping for 7 days consumption in a nearby grocery store. The store won't take our Canadian cards, and their ATM is broken for cash withdrawals. This was after spending 1.5hr picking our groceries. Famish at almost midnight, we went to MCDonald, no choice. At least we know our cards will work there. But we didn't have to pay there either, because a person in front of our car paid it for us. Heard a Random Act of Kindness? So, my husband waved at the driver, as way of saying ‘thank you'.
Anyway, my husband and I are no longer planning to visit that place, especially writing in that Prometric location. So much of recent bad memories (except for a Random of Act of Kindness) that make anyone give up. But my family, especially my husband won't let me. He wants me to write at least once a year, during our vacation, and it would be far away. He knows, my accounting career is part of me.
Good luck to your near exams. I won't be writing exam for at least 5-8 months. Likely, I won't be writing in this forum much. I will still read your writings though, once in awhile. Thanks.
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