This past week we had a member who was asked to leave after looking at their notes during the break and another member last month had their score canceled for turning their cell phone on. These are very painful moments for everyone but these are GMAC's rules and it is important to know them and not to break them as the test administrator has their job to do. Make sure you know these.
Be Careful!
Testing aids, such as calculators, notes, or study guides, are not allowed at any time in the test center. This means - you cannot even bring them to the test center!
Personal items, such as cell phones, backpacks, wallets, purses, or handbags (see What to Bring to the Test Center) are not permitted in the testing room
Access to Telephones, cellular (mobile) phones, or other communication devices, Notes, Scratch paper, Calculators or watch calculators, Watches, stop watches, or watch alarms, Personal data assistants (PDAs), Beepers or pagers, Photographic devices, Stereos or radios, Any other electronic devices that could aid testing, Books or pamphlets, Dictionaries, translators, or thesauri, Pens or any other writing utensils, Rulers or any other measuring devices will not be permitted at any time while you are in the test center, during the test session or during breaks. I read this that you can use them before or after the exam but not after you check in and before you check out.
You will not be permitted to leave the testing room without the test administrator’s permission
You will not be allowed to eat, drink, or use tobacco while in the testing room, but may do so during scheduled breaks
If you want to go outside during a break, you must inform the test administrator where you are going, and you must remain in the immediate vicinity of the test center. Interesting - you actually can leave the testing area! But remember, you only have 8 min break
You must arrive at the Test Center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled GMAT appointment. But then GMAC states also that "If you arrive more than 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment time, you may not be admitted"... so I guess anywhere between 30 mins before and 15 mins after.
And finally, just in case Weapons, including but not limited to firearms, knives, or any object that could be used as a weapon, are prohibited from the test center. These items are not allowed on the premises and may not be stored in the provided lockers. This policy includes off-duty law enforcement officers and persons with conceal and carry permits
Thanks a ton, bb for this post. This is what I needed as I have my GMAT on this saturday and it's great that I know precisely what NOT to do during the test administration . Otherwise, I had hardly bothered about knowing the rules.
openbox1
Re: 8 Things Not to Do at the Test Center [#permalink]
When I took the GMAT I brought my laptop with me into the testing center before taking the test. I used it too look up the essay guide for the GMAT on the GMAT Club forums (I think I had saved the page to the harddrive), then I wrote down some of the mainpoints on the yellow notepad, beforehand. This was all the preparation I did for the essay part of the gmat. I got a 6.0 on the essays and a 760 on the GMAT. They didn't mind this, so I might want to disagree with these faux-pas.
When I took the GMAT I brought my laptop with me into the testing center before taking the test. I used it too look up the essay guide for the GMAT on the GMAT Club forums (I think I had saved the page to the harddrive), then I wrote down some of the mainpoints on the yellow notepad, beforehand. This was all the preparation I did for the essay part of the gmat. I got a 6.0 on the essays and a 760 on the GMAT. They didn't mind this, so I might want to disagree with these faux-pas.
Thanks! That's very interesting to hear. Were you allowed to bring the notepad with you to the test room?
On second thought, I cant remember if I did actually write the points down in the wait hall, while waiting to be let into the testing room. When I think about the memory, I remember sitting in the wait hall in the test center with my laptop in my lap, writing down the points from the essay guide on the yellow pad. I then put the laptop with everything else in the locker. But it is possible that I just memorized the points from the GMATclub essayguide and then wrote them down immedietally when I sat down at the computer, in order to not forget them. Either way, I am 100% sure that I had them written down on my notepad and that I kept checking them off as I wrote the essay.
Edit: I skimmed through the rules, and it appears there is nothing there saying you are not allowed to bring a laptop with you in to the test center and use it while you wait to be let into the testing room. Knowing myself, Im pretty sure I read the rules carefully (dont want to screw up the GMAT because of such a minor thing) and realized that I was allowed to bring the laptop with me inside to waiting room in the center before the test.
Otherwise, my "technique" for writing the essays was just relaxing and writing my opinions, trying to make a little fun even, as if I was writing any argumentative essay or opinion that I might otherwise write on an internet forum. Before I took the GMAT I never felt like I had time to practice the essay part, and I figured it was less important than the other parts; I counted and expected on getting a 4.0. So I was very pleasently surprised to get a 6.0.
Edit: I skimmed through the rules, and it appears there is nothing there saying you are not allowed to bring a laptop with you in to the test center and use it while you wait to be let into the testing room. Knowing myself, Im pretty sure I read the rules carefully (dont want to screw up the GMAT because of such a minor thing) and realized that I was allowed to bring the laptop with me inside to waiting room in the center before the test.
It is funny - i agree, it does not say anything about the computer/laptop It does say you are not supposed to use the guides/notes/etc during the test (after you check in but before you check out, such as on a break), and I think that's where the most people get burned. It is OK to use it before or after, so why not on a break, right? I feel the rule is not helpful. one should be OK to use anything they want to on a break (unless they are copying questions to sell them or smth like that)
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Weapons, including but not limited to firearms, knives, or any object that could be used as a weapon, are prohibited from the test center. These items are not allowed on the premises and may not be stored in the provided lockers. This policy includes off-duty law enforcement officers and persons with conceal and carry permits
+1 for you. 
