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Post by phoenixrakkasan on Oct 10, 2015 23:45:04 GMT -5
For those staying at the Embassy Suites Georgetown (site of the SI), you will find that every room has a microwave and mini fridge. The hotel has a complimentary breakfast and evening manager's reception every day. The breakfast is pretty amazing - omelettes made to order, oatmeal, cold cereal, bagels and cream cheese, fruit, etc. The manager's reception was peanuts, Chex mix, and carrots and celery sticks with ranch dressing. I had the celery and carrots for the vegetable factor and then had an Amy's bowl from the frozen food section at the local Walgreens (which I microwaved in my room). There is a Walgreens a short one block walk from the Embassy Suites. I also loaded up on inexpensive bottled water at Walgreens which I conveniently stashed in the mini frig in my room. I'm sure there are cheaper places to stay than the Embassy Suites, but I wanted the convenience of staying right in the same hotel as the SI. The best rate I could find was the AAA rate (same as the AARP rate) and the rate included a 2:00pm checkout, which gave me plenty of time to go back to the room, change out of the suit, and pack the suitcase after the SI and then head to the airport. This place is awful. Give me the situational bourbon at the Ritz. If you are going to go, go with a smile.
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Xman
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Post by Xman on Oct 11, 2015 13:14:03 GMT -5
SWAG Alert: So in crunching the numbers with a max of 32 for each class and reducing each month by 15%, the number of testers is likely around 1000. This would get about 600-650 new people on the register. With that many new faces, along with our esteemed colleagues already on the register, SSA will have a great pool to hire the projected 250 ALJs this FY and the estimated 600-700 for the next two years. I think this is a good place to remind everyone that it is a good time to be on (or soon to be on) the register! Have a great 3 day weekend to all!
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Xman
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Post by Xman on Oct 11, 2015 13:22:17 GMT -5
So in crunching the numbers with a max of 32 for each class and reducing each month by 15%, the number of testers is likely around 1000. I'm wondering if it is perhaps lower.
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Post by gary on Oct 11, 2015 13:31:47 GMT -5
So in crunching the numbers with a max of 32 for each class and reducing each month by 15%, the number of testers is likely around 1000. Ok. Question for the new testers. I took the test 2/3 Sept. Hope to have my results back by the end of this month, next month at the latest. I'm a disabled vet, so I can file anytime and put in my request last May. There were approximately 25-30 people testing on my date. Only 2 of us were DVs, and the rest were people who had blown off the second phase of the 2013 test and were recently contacted by OPM and given the chance to test. I assumed this number was relatively small. There has been no new OPM ALJ vacancy announcement since 2013 (not to my knowledge) so I didn't think there would be many people testing. The posts here calculate 800-1000, so where did they come from? I'm wondering if that total is far lower, and the testing date zone was not filled every day with testers. What am I missing? Thanks and good luck to all. In addition to the vets and the folks who missed out on going to DC when they should have in 2013 who tested in DC when you did, OPM is now testing another group. OPM is now testing the next highest scoring subgroup of 2013 online testees. I believe your group will get results in the timeframe you suggest. The current DC partygoers won't complete testing until December at the earliest, and my guess is their results will come out in the March to May 2016 period.
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Post by lawmom90 on Oct 11, 2015 14:45:57 GMT -5
So in crunching the numbers with a max of 32 for each class and reducing each month by 15%, the number of testers is likely around 1000. Ok. Question for the new testers. I took the test 2/3 Sept. Hope to have my results back by the end of this month, next month at the latest. I'm a disabled vet, so I can file anytime and put in my request last May. There were approximately 25-30 people testing on my date. Only 2 of us were DVs, and the rest were people who had blown off the second phase of the 2013 test and were recently contacted by OPM and given the chance to test. I assumed this number was relatively small. There has been no new OPM ALJ vacancy announcement since 2013 (not to my knowledge) so I didn't think there would be many people testing. The posts here calculate 800-1000, so where did they come from? I'm wondering if that total is far lower, and the testing date zone was not filled every day with testers. What am I missing? Thanks and good luck to all. In addition to the vets and the folks who missed out on going to DC when they should have in 2013 who tested in DC when you did, OPM is now testing another group. OPM is now testing the next highest scoring subgroup of 2013 online testees. I believe your group will get results in the timeframe you suggest. The current DC partygoers won't complete testing until December at the earliest, and my guess is their results will come out in the March to May 2016 period. Yes, that is correct; I am part of the "you are now eligible" group that did online testing in 2013 and got NOR of IMSJ (whatever that means). OPM sent out an email through what I believe is a contract group or subpart of OPM called aljtesting@panpowered-dot-com. In that email, I was advised that my previous results were negated and I could self-schedule to test between October and December. I scheduled mine for last week and completed it on Thursday afternoon. I signed all the appropriate CAs and therefore am very careful about what I say here. Ever since signing those CAs I have wondered whether I can actually confirm or deny that I am a female licensed to practice law. :-) Carry on and enjoy this beautiful weekend weather. Cheers!
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Post by 71stretch on Oct 11, 2015 15:50:27 GMT -5
Subway works! . But thanks all, good info! And whole foods usually has some excellent hot food to go selections! Since I had a full kitchen, Whole Foods was my within walking distance go to place for food, except for the fabulous Italian dinner with Board friend chinook!
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Xman
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Post by Xman on Oct 11, 2015 17:11:52 GMT -5
In addition to the vets and the folks who missed out on going to DC when they should have in 2013 who tested in DC when you did, OPM is now testing another group. OPM is now testing the next highest scoring subgroup of 2013 online testees. I believe your group will get results in the timeframe you suggest. The current DC partygoers won't complete testing until December at the earliest, and my guess is their results will come out in the March to May 2016 period. Yes, that is correct; I am part of the "you are now eligible" group that did online testing in 2013 and got NOR of IMSJ (whatever that means). OPM sent out an email through what I believe is a contract group or subpart of OPM called aljtesting@panpowered-dot-com. In that email, I was advised that my previous results were negated and I could self-schedule to test between October and December. I scheduled mine for last week and completed it on Thursday afternoon. I signed all the appropriate CAs and therefore am very careful about what I say here. Ever since signing those CAs I have wondered whether I can actually confirm or deny that I am a female licensed to practice law. :-) Carry on and enjoy this beautiful weekend weather. Cheers! I made my GAL pretty broad. I know GAO doesn't want us to change our GAL, but let's hope they give us a chance sometime.
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Post by gary on Oct 11, 2015 17:45:27 GMT -5
Yes, that is correct; I am part of the "you are now eligible" group that did online testing in 2013 and got NOR of IMSJ (whatever that means). OPM sent out an email through what I believe is a contract group or subpart of OPM called aljtesting@panpowered-dot-com. In that email, I was advised that my previous results were negated and I could self-schedule to test between October and December. I scheduled mine for last week and completed it on Thursday afternoon. I signed all the appropriate CAs and therefore am very careful about what I say here. Ever since signing those CAs I have wondered whether I can actually confirm or deny that I am a female licensed to practice law. :-) Carry on and enjoy this beautiful weekend weather. Cheers! Thanks guys. I hope most of us make it. Another question regarding GAL. I made mine pretty broad for the East Coast, but I have recently moved to Miami and want to narrow it to FL and the DC area. I know the mysterious Oracle at GAO doesn't want us to change our GAL, but is there a good way of asking them that might result in a change. As a DAV, I could reapply and give another more narrow GAL, but I want to see first if I made the list. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks. It depends on whether the places you want in your narrower GAL are already in your current GAL. If they are, and you make any certs, the hiring agency (at least this is how SSA does it) will ask if you are still interested in the locations. At that time you can get out of any unwanted locations. If you would need to add locations to obtain your new and improved GAL, that is more problematic. You would have to wait for OPM to either refresh the register or allow a GAL modification for folks on the register. You might want to check with OPM to see if as a disabled vet there is any other option available to you. BTW: There has been thinking that OPM may allow a GAL modification in the near future (keeping in mind OPM time is like geological time). I do not believe anyone has heard this directly from OPM.
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Post by quesera on Oct 11, 2015 20:00:18 GMT -5
The only real issue was that we didn't break untill 1:15 and the cafeteria closed at 1:30. This put everyone to the little deli...." YMMV I was there Monday 10/5 and faced with the closing cafeteria and ran down there anyway but it was open until 2! Had the place to myself but got real food. I was unprepared for the testing seat setup. There were folding plastic tables with folding padded metal chairs. The laptop and external keyboard and mouse were on the table but about 3-4 inches above my usual typing level, an ergonomic nightmare. I understand the table setup, but was expecting adjustable chairs and would probably have requested a reasonable accommodation in hindsight.
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Post by lawmom90 on Oct 11, 2015 21:25:55 GMT -5
A follow-up thought is that the current register will be around for a number of years. At a minimum two in my opinion based on hiring goals. Have a good weekend fellow Board Members and Lurkers. May you continue to dream! Thanks to you both! I am hoping to keep the dream alive! I travel cross-country on Sunday, spend my holiday I DC chilling and mentally prepping for testing Tuesday and SI Wednesday. I hope to send data updates, but don't know what my internet access will be. I chose The Funkyodar place, the State Plaza, and I am hoping to have in room wifi! If not, and it is in the lobby, then the timeliness of my postings will be commensurate with my fatigue/exhaustion. And that is Tuesday, Wednesday I will be heading straight to the airport if I have an SI later in the day! Postscript: I can't recall the advice here earlier, cab to and from National (Reagan) the best option? I used the Shuttle service that was a blue Ford van decent, safe and affordable. $26 plus tip round trip from Reagan to Hampton Inn and back I was pleased
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Post by cafeta on Oct 11, 2015 23:09:04 GMT -5
State Plaza gets a great review from me so far (just checked in an hour or two ago). Fantastic burger place on I street and 21st, about three blocks away, one of the best burgers I've had in a while. Lindy's Lion, I think was the name. Got in too late to get groceries for my lovely kitchenette, but will hit that tomorrow. Breakfast included in room rate, so I will check that out tomorrow as well. Now, to get adjusted to the three hour time difference so it doesn't feel like I am testing at 5 in the morning! Exhausted, so that's a good start!
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Post by cafeta on Oct 11, 2015 23:11:36 GMT -5
Thanks to you both! I am hoping to keep the dream alive! I travel cross-country on Sunday, spend my holiday I DC chilling and mentally prepping for testing Tuesday and SI Wednesday. I hope to send data updates, but don't know what my internet access will be. I chose The Funkyodar place, the State Plaza, and I am hoping to have in room wifi! If not, and it is in the lobby, then the timeliness of my postings will be commensurate with my fatigue/exhaustion. And that is Tuesday, Wednesday I will be heading straight to the airport if I have an SI later in the day! Postscript: I can't recall the advice here earlier, cab to and from National (Reagan) the best option? I used the Shuttle service that was a blue Ford van decent, safe and affordable. $26 plus tip round trip from Reagan to Hampton Inn and back I was pleased I got in at ten, so took a cab, $13.50, so comparable. Rates I can live with after hotel and flight costs! Ouch!
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Post by cafeta on Oct 11, 2015 23:23:42 GMT -5
[quote author=" lawmom90" [edited by cafeta];I signed all the appropriate CAs and therefore am very careful about what I say here. Ever since signing those CAs I have wondered whether I can actually confirm or deny that I am a female licensed to practice law. :-) Carry on and enjoy this beautiful weekend weather. Cheers![/quote] I look forward to joining this infamous CA club, but mainly cuz that means I'm done with this phase! But hopefully still in the game, I still remember too clearly my last tbnt letter!
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Post by lawmom90 on Oct 12, 2015 5:40:04 GMT -5
State Plaza gets a great review from me so far (just checked in an hour or two ago). Fantastic burger place on I street and 21st, about three blocks away, one of the best burgers I've had in a while. Lindy's Lion, I think was the name. Got in too late to get groceries for my lovely kitchenette, but will hit that tomorrow. Breakfast included in room rate, so I will check that out tomorrow as well. Now, to get adjusted to the three hour time difference so it doesn't feel like I am testing at 5 in the morning! Exhausted, so that's a good start! Best of luck to you :-)
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Post by cafeta on Oct 12, 2015 7:35:11 GMT -5
Thanks lawmom90!
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Post by mamaru on Oct 12, 2015 12:19:57 GMT -5
There were approximately 25-30 people testing on my date. Only 2 of us were DVs, and the rest were people who had blown off the second phase of the 2013 test and were recently contacted by OPM and given the chance to test. I think if you check out various threads on the Board you will find that the people you tested with did not "blow off" the second phase of testing. They were not notified by OPM that they qualified for the second phase of testing. That's not the same.
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Post by privateatty on Oct 12, 2015 13:11:52 GMT -5
If you like Japanese food (including sushi) Matsutake at Reagan (DCA) before you go through security is top notch. Splurge a little with a sushi platter, miso soup and a Kirin, secure in the knowledge that you killed these exams. Otherwise, head to Legal Sea Foods and something more to your liking. Traveling with domestic carrier's food on board is always disappointing.
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Post by cafeta on Oct 12, 2015 13:55:39 GMT -5
If you like Japanese food (including sushi) Matsutake at Reagan (DCA) before you go through security is top notch. Splurge a little with a sushi platter, miso soup and a Kirin, secure in the knowledge that you killed these exams. Otherwise, head to Legal Sea Foods and something more to your liking. Traveling with domestic carrier's food on board is always disappointing. Thanks for this privateattorney, if my SI is early enough in the day to allow it, I will definitely try it. I don't usually do sushi on the road, without specific recommendations, which you have just done. . Because I do love me some good sushi!
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Post by bac on Oct 12, 2015 20:52:36 GMT -5
On my way tomorrow will see some others there. Be glad to do this
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Post by christina on Oct 13, 2015 6:10:03 GMT -5
good luck!!
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