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Post by dcasea on Nov 5, 2015 11:53:29 GMT -5
I'm testing the week of Oct 26, and hoping to fly back to the West Coast the evening of my SI day. From the instructions it appears that you find out when your SI is at the end of your LBMT/WD day. Do you have any control over the time of your SI? And even if you don't, there are enough slots that it's a fair gamble that you will get an earlier time, vs., like, 4pm, that would preclude a 5:30pm flight. Right? I would send an email to the ALJ help desk at OPM and explain your situation and ask for a morning interview. I did, and received a response that in order to ensure fairness to everyone, OPM will not make these kinds of arrangements for candidates. Thought I would pass that along for the good of the order. In the end, I lucked out, and received a time that allowed me to make the flight I wanted vs. spending an extra night in DC. Tested Wed-Th, Oct 28-29. Full room of ~30, relatively even male-female split, and a diverse group.
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Post by gary on Nov 5, 2015 12:00:53 GMT -5
Thanks for the intel dcasea.
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Post by Administrator ALJ on Nov 10, 2015 11:27:26 GMT -5
OPM will send you "an appointment reminder" a week before you test giving the information you need. Thanks aljwishful! That's helpful to know.
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Post by Administrator ALJ on Nov 10, 2015 11:28:28 GMT -5
When I took the test in October they asked for 2 picture IDs, so be prepared. Good to know. Thanks for the information!
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Post by yodapug on Nov 10, 2015 12:28:46 GMT -5
So as I understand it, on day 2, the interview will be at Embassy Suites? I guess I can drive there from my hotel and then take off for Baltimore airport from there. If you are driving to the SI, the valet at Embassy Suites wanted $40.00 when I called, but there is a small parking garage directly across the street that only charges $10.00, if there is an opening and you have a compact car.
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Post by christina on Nov 10, 2015 12:36:28 GMT -5
$10 beats $40 yikes...
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Post by tripper on Nov 10, 2015 15:09:56 GMT -5
Any reports on how many testing yesterday and today?
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Xman
Full Member
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Post by Xman on Nov 10, 2015 15:58:09 GMT -5
Let's hope it will be just a couple of months for the rest to get NORs.
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Post by keepsake on Nov 10, 2015 16:26:08 GMT -5
For those currently testing/just recently tested/about to test, I am afraid it might be a bit longer of a wait than January. I believe our Aug/Sept group got results so quickly because in comparison, we were quite small (guesstimates are 100 at most, and I think we had 18 in our session - not in the 30s like now). Plus, this current session is running much longer.
Given the Board collective input (I think) that OPM releases grades in batches by group and not rolling as they are completed, it might be sometime in March given historic info about how fast NORs come out after a big batch of testing and the fact that there is some speculation/rumor that OPM might open the register for a refresh no later than April.
I hope I am wrong for everyone's sake awaiting grading/release of scores, but I just don't see them getting these scores out so quickly, but there is always hope. I, for one, did not anticipate getting the NOR results once November started ticking by and thought it might have to wait until January. Glad I was wrong about that and would be glad to be wrong about this too.
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Post by sealaw90 on Nov 10, 2015 17:26:29 GMT -5
For those currently testing/just recently tested/about to test, I am afraid it might be a bit longer of a wait than January. I believe our Aug/Sept group got results so quickly because in comparison, we were quite small (guesstimates are 100 at most, and I think we had 18 in our session - not in the 30s like now). Plus, this current session is running much longer. Given the Board collective input (I think) that OPM releases grades in batches by group and not rolling as they are completed, it might be sometime in March given historic info about how fast NORs come out after a big batch of testing and the fact that there is some speculation/rumor that OPM might open the register for a refresh no later than April. I hope I am wrong for everyone's sake awaiting grading/release of scores, but I just don't see them getting these scores out so quickly, but there is always hope. I, for one, did not anticipate getting the NOR results once November started ticking by and thought it might have to wait until January. Glad I was wrong about that and would be glad to be wrong about this too. No, I think you are right about the second, larger group going thru testing now. Unless we hear some serious Intel from someone on the inside of OPM, scoring almost a thousand exams will take a few months. Here's hoping for a February/ March NOR email from OPM!
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Post by justamessenger on Nov 11, 2015 10:37:49 GMT -5
So as I understand it, on day 2, the interview will be at Embassy Suites? I guess I can drive there from my hotel and then take off for Baltimore airport from there. If you are driving to the SI, the valet at Embassy Suites wanted $40.00 when I called, but there is a small parking garage directly across the street that only charges $10.00, if there is an opening and you have a compact car. There was another garage just down the block, on the side the hotel restaurant was on (I forget the name of the street). I paid $10 there as well.
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Post by privateatty on Nov 11, 2015 10:54:20 GMT -5
I guess folks are driving because they either live close enough or flew into BWI and rented a car. Why they would do the latter must be for a cheaper fare. Driving in DC is the pits unless you know the area well. The traffic is terrible, navigating is difficult and as this demonstrates, parking is a pain. Use the Metro if you can--there's a stop at DCA (Reagan Airport).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2015 12:03:40 GMT -5
I guess folks are driving because they either live close enough or flew into BWI and rented a car. Why they would do the latter must be for a cheaper fare. Driving in DC is the pits unless you know the area well. The traffic is terrible, navigating is difficult and as this demonstrates, parking is a pain. Use the Metro if you can--there's a stop at DCA (Reagan Airport). I agree with privateatty, if you have been to DC and driven many times, then you are ok. I flew in and out of BWI, but I had to have my wife to help as I was on crutches with no weight bearing at all on my broken left leg (1 plate, 2 long screws, and 9 short screws). It was hundreds of dollars cheaper at the time and rented a car for the drive. Everything worked out fine, but didn't need to drive much at all due to my hotel location (right across the street from OPM). Happy Veteran's Day to everybody! Tiger
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Post by Malice Aforethought on Nov 11, 2015 12:55:17 GMT -5
In regards to parking options for Embassy Suites, there are many metered spots within a close distance. These are cheap, relatively easy options but require a bit of competitive spirit. I would be hesitant to use the Metro. The articles I read on this topic suggested the Metro wasn't always reliable (86% on time rate), which was too much risk for me, personally.
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Post by madmansdad on Nov 11, 2015 14:55:40 GMT -5
I loved using the Metro. For the DC testing, I stayed across the river in Arlington. It took 6 minutes by Metro to be in the Foggy Bottom Station, and then 15 minutes to walk the 5 blocks to OPM. For the SI, I took a cab to the Embassy Suites from the Foggy Bottom Station. Easy! And, Metro took me conveniently back and forth to DCA.
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Post by Serious, J. on Nov 11, 2015 20:30:33 GMT -5
For those currently testing/just recently tested/about to test, I am afraid it might be a bit longer of a wait than January. I believe our Aug/Sept group got results so quickly because in comparison, we were quite small (guesstimates are 100 at most, and I think we had 18 in our session - not in the 30s like now). Plus, this current session is running much longer. Given the Board collective input (I think) that OPM releases grades in batches by group and not rolling as they are completed, it might be sometime in March given historic info about how fast NORs come out after a big batch of testing and the fact that there is some speculation/rumor that OPM might open the register for a refresh no later than April. I hope I am wrong for everyone's sake awaiting grading/release of scores, but I just don't see them getting these scores out so quickly, but there is always hope. I, for one, did not anticipate getting the NOR results once November started ticking by and thought it might have to wait until January. Glad I was wrong about that and would be glad to be wrong about this too. No, I think you are right about the second, larger group going thru testing now. Unless we hear some serious Intel from someone on the inside of OPM, scoring almost a thousand exams will take a few months. Here's hoping for a February/ March NOR email from OPM! That's my guess as well; the group testing now is more likely to hear in March or later. On that subject, any guess as to why it takes so long? Can't they be grading as they go along and just release all the NORs at once? Seems to me our bar exams were graded in less time. Not complaining; I'm pleased to have made it this far. Of course, I'd be more pleased to learn of a good NOR, and even more pleased to be notified about a good NOR in February.
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Post by gary on Nov 11, 2015 20:43:19 GMT -5
I don't know how long it will take to grade the tests. March seems a conservative guess to me since it would be about as long as it took in 2013. They should be able to score them more quickly this time, but I don't know that they will.
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Post by christina on Nov 11, 2015 23:36:26 GMT -5
there is pressure to get more people on register fast. so i would not be surprised if they are grading as they go. im pulling for a Feb or march notification, hopefully not the see details tab kind of notification,
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Post by gary on Nov 11, 2015 23:48:28 GMT -5
There is also the anticipated refresh that they have to get testing started for by April.
Even if they aren't grading on a rolling basis (which they could do), there is less they have to do this time compared to 2013. Your Feb estimate might turn out to be pretty good.
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Post by cafeta on Nov 11, 2015 23:53:30 GMT -5
I think February is quite likely as the numbers of test takers dwindle in November. We're already seeing a reduction, I think the lowest was 11 or 12? So if this continues, and December has just a trickle, it would allow scoring to proceed more quickly. Also, there are 29 days this February, so adds to the odds for Feb also. Of course, if they wait for everyone to test and interview before starting the scoring, and there is one or two people testing on the last day possible, then I think March is highly likely.
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