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Post by DreamNalj on Aug 13, 2013 6:52:47 GMT -5
Much appreciated, sealaw90.
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Post by funkyodar on Aug 13, 2013 7:48:35 GMT -5
Agreed sealaw, very appreciated. Now...tell me more about this lil break you were able to take between tests and go outside....  |
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wylaw
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Post by wylaw on Aug 13, 2013 8:26:49 GMT -5
I see that persons who have sat through the WD have reported that they were provided pencils. Thus, I assume that paper was also provided. Am I correct?
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Post by Loopstok on Aug 13, 2013 8:34:25 GMT -5
I see that persons who have sat through the WD have reported that they were provided pencils. Thus, I assume that paper was also provided. Am I correct? I took the WD/LBMT last week, and as is noted above, tweaks have since been made to the process. But, when I was there ("back in MY day...."), you only got the pencils, and no scratch paper - any notes you want to take must be written directly onto your test booklets. Another word of advice to future test-takers, be sure to take 2 pencils out of the box. I didn't see any pencil sharpeners in the room, and I took enough notes to completely blunt my first pencil point about halfway through each test session. |
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 13, 2013 8:40:41 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip on the pencils loopstok.
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Post by papresqr on Aug 13, 2013 20:49:13 GMT -5
My WD/LBMT was today. No scratch paper was allowed. They automatically handed each of us 2 pencils when we signed in, although that may be a proctor's choice, so take 2 if they don't hand them to you.
The room was cold in the morning and even colder in the afternoon. Those who didn't bring sweaters or jackets regretted it.
I finished the LBMT within the 2 hours, but could have used an extra 5 or 10 minutes for the WD portion.
There were 29 people taking the exam today. Although I didn't speak to everyone, every person I spoke to was from either NY or NJ. Although I'm currently living in Florida, I was living in NJ when my Social Security card was issued. Based on that admittedly limited sampling, I'm speculating that the tests may have been scheduled by SSN.
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Post by crab on Aug 13, 2013 20:55:02 GMT -5
Now that's a curious factoid, papresqr! SSNs ... Congrats on surviving day one and thanks for the info! Good luck tomorrow!
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Post by ginger on Aug 13, 2013 20:56:58 GMT -5
Interesting observation papresqr. I know of three other people from my state going to dc the same dates as I am scheduled to go as well.
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Post by papresqr on Aug 13, 2013 20:58:25 GMT -5
Now that's a curious factoid, papresqr! SSNs ... Congrats on surviving day one and thanks for the info! Good luck tomorrow! Thank you! Glad it's almost over. |
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Post by ginger on Aug 13, 2013 21:00:54 GMT -5
Yep,I second crab. Congrats on making it past day one and best of luck for tomorrow. Hope you get a good night's rest!
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Post by papresqr on Aug 13, 2013 21:11:02 GMT -5
Yep,I second crab. Congrats on making it past day one and best of luck for tomorrow. Hope you get a good night's rest! Thanks, Ginger. Good luck to you, also. And allow me to send my good wishes back to Crab, which I neglected to do in my earlier response. Good luck, Crab! And good luck to everyone else who is still waiting. |
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Post by robespierre on Aug 13, 2013 21:29:34 GMT -5
Had my WD/LBMT Monday and my SI today, Tuesday 8/13. I don't really have much that hasn't been touched upon by others. Here are some random notes:
- Thank heaven for the Courtyard Marriott. I am NOT a morning person, and waking up just around the corner from OPM made the 7:30 am Monday morning report time a bit more bearable.
- As others have said, everything is clearly laid out and you'll always know where you're supposed to be and when. Don't get hung up on those details.
- A lot of folks on my particular days were government lawyers, but NOT at SSA. I ran into state ALJs and, at the federal level, folks from several different agencies. I didn't meet a single SSA insider (but of course I didn't speak with all ~25 people).
- For some reason, a lot of the males seemed to be in private practice and a lot of the females in government. Maybe that was just an anomaly.
- I was a little disappointed in how I did, and coupled with the fact that I'm neither a veteran nor an insider at any agency, I don't think I'll be getting the job ('though I may sneak onto the lower regions of the register).
- Bobby Flay's Burger Palace at 21st and K ... yum!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2013 21:56:29 GMT -5
As many of you know, I tested last week and while waiting for the SI, in the waiting room there were 9 of us I think. Five from NY, one from TX, One from California and two others from other states whose names seem to escape me but they were Midwest I believe.
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Post by crab on Aug 14, 2013 5:43:45 GMT -5
As many of you know, I tested last week and while waiting for the SI, in the waiting room there were 9 of us I think. Five from NY, one from TX, One from California and two others from other states whose names seem to escape me but they were Midwest I believe. Well there blows that fun theory ... unless they were actually all born on the east coast ...  robespierre, were the federal attorneys DC based or from different states? And thanks for the update! And don't judge how well you did by how you feel. I remember crying to mama after the first day of the Bar, knowing I'd failed, and, well, I didn't. Get that dang SI out of the way, go into it with the confidence that you knocked that stuff outta the park yesterday and then relax and try not to think about this till next year when we get the results.  |
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Post by mikeinthehills on Aug 14, 2013 6:54:09 GMT -5
I think the SSN theory may be correct. I tested last Tuesday and Wednesday (8/5/, 8/6). I came in from Connecticut. I spoke to many others over the two days and seven others testing had Connecticut roots, although only one other was still in Connecticut. Also, others I spoke to were from New Jersey and New York, although the New york person now resided in the Midwest. The SNN theory makes sense. It is an easy and efficient way to randomly select dates for us applicants. It's the best theory on scheduling I have heard yet.
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Post by sealaw90 on Aug 14, 2013 9:53:05 GMT -5
Here is today's trip report from DC. The WD/LBMT is complete! They seem to have fixed the AC issue in the room. It is definately air conditioned, but I never needed my sweater. Any person with a government ID can leave the building between tests, but under the threat that you may not be granted re-entry. I left the building and got right back in. I wouldn't try that with a visitor badge. The twins were not our proctors, but all of the OPM personnel were fantastic, especially the security guards who let me leave the building during the break! Lunch was fine, and they gave us plenty of time. I used every possible minute of the time allotted for each test. There were 25 of us, and there were a few no shows. The chairs were hard!!! I didn't see any candy munchers, noisy test takers, or any other weird habits. I didn't need my earplugs, but had them anyway. I had all sorts of stuff in my bag but never touched it, but it was good to have just in case. You may need those items, but I didn't. According to one of the Proctors, they made some adjustments after working out the kinks from last week's guinea pig test takers, so thank you to all of last week's test takers. If you have a question, feel free to ask, although I may not be able to answer (as you all know). Thanks for the trip report sealaw90. You say the chairs are hard, are they padded? Are the chairs like folding chairs? Are the chairs more like the kind you see for visitors in a federa office, like SSA or IRS? Please describe if you can? Sorry mpd, for some reason I did not get an email saying that someone quoted me, so I didn't know your question was out there! the padding has been worn down from many years being sat on. Basically they have outlived their life expectancy and should be thrown in the junk pile. My arm rest was broken, and I began to obsess on how this would impact my test... But in all honesty I didn't notice one thing during the test. FOCUS is the key, and none of the surrounding area matters. As my grandmother used to say, "I wouldn't have known if a bomb went off" I was so focused on the task at hand. |
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 14, 2013 10:02:32 GMT -5
Thanks for the trip report sealaw90. You say the chairs are hard, are they padded? Are the chairs like folding chairs? Are the chairs more like the kind you see for visitors in a federa office, like SSA or IRS? Please describe if you can? Sorry mpd, for some reason I did not get an email saying that someone quoted me, so I didn't know your question was out there! the padding has been worn down from many years being sat on. Basically they have outlived their life expectancy and should be thrown in the junk pile. My arm rest was broken, and I began to obsess on how this would impact my test... But in all honesty I didn't notice one thing during the test. FOCUS is the key, and none of the surrounding area matters. As my grandmother used to say, "I wouldn't have known if a bomb went off" I was so focused on the task at hand. Thanks for the response sealaw90. I can't explain why you didn't get a notice of my quote on the Board. I appreciate you finding my question and answering it. I guess just ring up the bad chairs as an experience that is there, but do not let it overwhelm your concentration. |
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Post by sealaw90 on Aug 14, 2013 10:04:08 GMT -5
Agreed sealaw, very appreciated. Now...tell me more about this lil break you were able to take between tests and go outside.... Funky, I found out that another applicant went out and had lunch outside of the OPM cafeteria!! And she was a state ALJ, so no federal ID!!
However, most of us ate at OPM, including me. I just happened to finish up my processing/review quickly. I took exjag's advice and did not read the final product - in the 3 seconds my eyes hit the paper I saw a minor typo and I figured it would only go down from there!
So, the proctor told me that I could leave the room. I left and my feet just kept walking..walking..down the stairs and out the door! It was a beautiful day. Then I had the most magnificent cigarette of my life!  I HATE to say that because this is the year I am going to quit, but definitely NOT during the WD/LBMT/SI portion!
So, unless they crack down on renegade applicants who abuse the system (why folks do that I'll never know) I think you will be okay to leave. Let's see how the next few weeks progress to see if others were allowed out. Maybe it depends on the proctors?? |
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Post by funkyodar on Aug 14, 2013 10:34:43 GMT -5
Agreed sealaw, very appreciated. Now...tell me more about this lil break you were able to take between tests and go outside.... Funky, I found out that another applicant went out and had lunch outside of the OPM cafeteria!! And she was a state ALJ, so no federal ID!!
However, most of us ate at OPM, including me. I just happened to finish up my processing/review quickly. I took exjag's advice and did not read the final product - in the 3 seconds my eyes hit the paper I saw a minor typo and I figured it would only go down from there!
So, the proctor told me that I could leave the room. I left and my feet just kept walking..walking..down the stairs and out the door! It was a beautiful day. Then I had the most magnificent cigarette of my life! I HATE to say that because this is the year I am going to quit, but definitely NOT during the WD/LBMT/SI portion!
So, unless they crack down on renegade applicants who abuse the system (why folks do that I'll never know) I think you will be okay to leave. Let's see how the next few weeks progress to see if others were allowed out. Maybe it depends on the proctors??Just made my day sealaw. If i could just sneak one smoke between tests i think i would be fine. And i have the govt issued ID. And i never eat lunch on "performance days"  |
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Post by crab on Aug 14, 2013 10:47:22 GMT -5
Has anyone reported a rough estimate of what time day 1 ended?
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I HATE to say that because this is the year I am going to quit, but definitely NOT during the WD/LBMT/SI portion!