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Post by wallace on Aug 3, 2008 19:38:51 GMT -5
What's the attire required? i.e., jeans, casual, business? There was nobody there taking notes on what we wore (I don't think), and I didn't run into the COSS there, so, I'd aim for comfort. As I recall, I wore khakis and a polo shirt. BTW pm, LOL - you crack me up! Oh - there is no spell check on those machines so be careful typing. |
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Post by okeydokey on Aug 3, 2008 21:31:10 GMT -5
I took the exam last time around.
I did not find the exam difficult, but it was not "easy", either. Generally, it seemed that it was not what you knew, but how you wrote that was the key.
As for attire. I disagree. I presumed that I was watched from the minute I walked in the door until the minute I walked out. I dressed casually, but not in jeans or a t-shirt. I may be paranoid, but ... If I was wrong, it did not matter. If I was right, I might have gotten a leg up. Most importantly, dress comfortably.
As for the computers. They were adequate. If I recall, the processor had a cut and paste option, which was critical to me. I do not recall a spell checker.
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Post by morgullord on Aug 4, 2008 5:57:18 GMT -5
The spell checker button may be removed from the tool bar; however, the F7 key will launch it.
***
08/05/2008 Forum Admin note: OPM WD laptops do not have spell check enabled as a matter of policy. Do not expect to have access to a spell checker during WD, period. Morgullord might have gotten the one defective laptop out of a thousand, but you're probably going to get the normal one. Plan accordingly.
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Post by lawyer1 on Aug 4, 2008 8:42:57 GMT -5
You have been given excellent advice. I just wanted to reinforce what Morgullord said about special dietary needs. The clerk administering the exam will tell you to step out if you need to get a snack. At first, I was hesitant, but since I did not eat much breakfast, by 10:00 I was beginning to crash (diabetic also). Not only was it fine to step out, I do not feel that I was pushed for time by going out to get a snack. I wish I had thought to take more snacks with me. I could have used one when I finished also.
BTW, I dressed for a law school exam. I figured comfort trumped good looks since I new I had a limited timespan to write my answer.
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Post by lawandorder on Aug 4, 2008 9:49:39 GMT -5
I know that somewhere it's been said that it is like a bar exam essay, but does the answer format has to be more like a court opinion or bar exam essay? A bar exam essay question takes no longer than an hour to answer. I understand that one is given five hours to answer. So I figure that it must be a lengthy essay question or is it not?
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Post by notajudgeyet on Aug 4, 2008 12:19:15 GMT -5
The spell checker button may be removed from the tool bar; however, the F7 key will launch it. This is not a tool bar issue. F7 will launch spell check if you have software that has spell check. The word processing program used does not have spell check. |
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Post by notajudgeyet on Aug 4, 2008 12:19:59 GMT -5
I know that somewhere it's been said that it is like a bar exam essay, but does the answer format has to be more like a court opinion or bar exam essay? A bar exam essay question takes no longer than an hour to answer. I understand that one is given five hours to answer. So I figure that it must be a lengthy essay question or is it not? It's a really long question. |
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Post by morgullord on Aug 4, 2008 12:36:43 GMT -5
My laptop had spell check on it. I do not kow about any others.
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Post by belgrade on Aug 4, 2008 15:10:12 GMT -5
Lawandorder, PLEASE do NOT bother yourself with the WD until you reach that stage. At this point, regrettably, it is still possible - though I sincerely hope it doesn't happen to you - that you will not have an opportunity to take it. If you do, you will take it like all of us did. It's not very hard and it's not apparently determinative for eventual ranking. In other words, it does count BUT the prevailing opinion is that it doesn't take precedent over the other parts of the exam. And no, it's not exactly like a bar (essay part) exam, at least that was not my impression at all considering the explicit task given at the WD which I can't discuss here due to confidentiality involved. It's not even very lengthy, considering the time given to complete the assignment but, of course, besides reading and thinking you need time to organize your thoughts and type a well-reasoned and written text - with no typos and misspelled words... Then save your work, both print it and copy it on the CD, and finally wait to have it accepted and processed by proctors. Then you are out there wondering whether it was good enough...
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Post by lawandorder on Aug 5, 2008 9:50:47 GMT -5
Thank you, Belgrade. You are absolutely right. It's better to wait until the first cut is made. In my case, however, my last ALJ application was submitted in August 1998, and OPM claimed that I lacked the seven year experience, when I actually had far beyond more experience than that. But I decided not to appeal and instead planned to wait another year to reapply. It never happened because of the Azdell litigation. Ten years have gone by and I have now broad litigation experience. If my application is rejected this second time around, I hope it's not on the basis of lack of experience. As to the WD, I thought that it would be good to have a slight idea of what lies ahead, in case we pass the initial muster. Anyway, your help is appreciated.
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Post by notajudgeyet on Aug 5, 2008 10:54:31 GMT -5
My laptop had spell check on it. I do not kow about any others. No one else had it. If you had it, you should probably inform OPM of the error because that would have given you an unfair advantage. |
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Post by morgullord on Aug 5, 2008 14:45:17 GMT -5
My recollection is that I had spell check. If you wish to file a complaint about it, feel free to do so if you can prove I made any spelling errors.
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Post by notajudgeyet on Aug 5, 2008 16:44:06 GMT -5
Not my burden.
You claim you had access to spell check which was not available to other applicants. Unless you recant your claim, it would appear that you have a moral and ethical burden to advise OPM that you had resources unavailable to other applicants.
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Post by ALJD on Aug 5, 2008 17:17:13 GMT -5
Folks,
If people have a problem with each other, please take it into private messages. The current discussion in this thread really is not helping anyone at this point, so I'm locking it before the quality goes down even more.
If someone wants to continue the discussion about the written exam itself instead of something that might or might not have happened and is not relevant to 99% of the people on this forum, please start a new thread.
Thanks.
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