Do I have a valid case to complain about the test center?

Dear Sir / Madam,

My name is XXX, candidate ID XXX. Today I just took the GMAT exam and I'm writing to share my GMAT experience with you. This is the second time I took the GMAT. Last time I took it in August 2010 in California and the experience was above expectation.

First of all, I want to assure that this is not a blame for my low GMAT score. I took the test as everyone else did, and got an unexpected score, but this is not the reason I write this email, because I think there are other variables that come into play. I write this email with the hope to improve the testing condition of future test takers who will do the test at the only Pearson authorized center in Ho Chi Minh City.

My test was schedule at 8AM. I came at 7.30, was checked in at 7.45 and all was good. The check-in process was very straight-forward and properly done although the palm scanner sometimes could not read our palm. The delivery manager was extremely nice and helpful. She provided us all the help we need in a timely manner. She monitored on her screen outside the test room and knew exactly what we needed before we asked for it. A++ for this department.

Then it came the nightmare, not just for me, but for all of us - the 3 test takers. After the AWA session, and around 45 minutes after the Quant session, the power was suddenly cut off. All the electrical devices were off. Our PCs that are used for testing were still on because they have UPS power supply. The whole room was confused and the delivery manager asked 2 of the other test takers to stop the test and leave the room. I didn't notice because I thought the test can not be resumed and and continued to do the math in the dark, using the light from the monitor (luckily the background of the question is white, so it provided me readable light to do the calculations). Unfortunately for us, the UPS power supply on lasted for about 10 minutes before the test console froze there was nothing we could do but to stop the test in the middle.

The delivery manager said that there was a fire around the corner so they had to cut the power off, and that the waiting time was around 1 hour. 1 hour for you to wait to resume the unfinished test! People left the room, chatting, getting to know each other! Around 45 minutes later, the power got back on and we were able to continue our test. I wondered myself if this is really happening! I was able to finish the Quant session on time, but was not sure how the software calculated the remaining time though.

The hassle did not end here. In the Verbal session, I could hear every hammer smash banging on the wall in the testing room from outside. There must have been some sort of construction going on out there, and although we were all given the headset for noise reduction, it was very hard to focus on the test in such a noisy condition. I finished the test on time, and I could not believe in my eye the score on the screen, as it was even lower compared to the first time I took the diagnostic test, without any knowledge about the GMAT.

I have a few concerns:

- Since it is an authorized test center of Pearson VUE, there must be a power generator. In any case, the test takers should not be bothered with any technical issue during the test. The test should work like normal without any interruption.

- Security concern: I was amazed when I see that the test console is just a file on the computer desktop (running Windows XP). There are network accesses to the server, and one could just copy the .exe file and the network content for the real test. Although logging in is required, decoding the whole thing is not impossible.

- Noise problem: The testing room should be as quiet as possible, if not absolute. The wall and door should be noise-cancellation. The noise from people walking in and out, chatting with each other outside, walking up and down the stairs, or even drinking water from the fountain... should not be heard from inside the testing room. This is not to mention the noise of the construction. If there is a construction going on, the test center should not allow people to schedule their test.

- When I resumed the test from the power cut off, I was not sure whether all the answers I ticked before that period were saved. But I hope the testing software was written well enough to handle this case.

I was careful enough to come to the test center and checked out the testing room 1 day before the test day. But there are others things mentioned above that come into play on the test day. My test day was delay 1 time last month due to power issue. Clearly, this is not up to bar with what I experienced before in California. Pearson should look very carefully into authorization process for any test center. What is done is done, but with all respects I experienced from the first time, I have to say this is probably the worst testing experience I've ever had in my life. Not on bar with TOEFL, IELTS, CFA, or other standardized tests I know.

9 hours after the test, I still can not believe this is how GMAT is administrated in Vietnam.

Best regards,

XXX