Online Test Debacle
Hi NCARB,
I was signed up to take my first ARE test this morning. My test setup is dialed: I have a stable fast hardline internet connection, a good external webcam, a good laptop, a clean empty well-lit test taking area, and I had repeatedly tested Prometric's software on my laptop to make sure it was going to work.
I am in the fifth hour since the test was supposed to begin, and have spent less than one hour of that actually taking the test. The rest of that time has been spent:
-Waiting for an online proctor to show up. After each disconnect, I waited 15-30 minutes for an online proctor to arrive.
-Contacting Prometric's tech support, as advised by the proctors.
-After multiple disconnects, the proctor told me they could no longer reconnect me to the test. They gave me Prometric's phone number and NCARB's phone number, and advised me to call both.
-Thirty minutes on the phone with Prometric. They let me know that they could put in a reschedule request, but would not let me continue taking the test today, and that the reschedule request would have to go through NCARB. They said they could neither issue a refund nor let me resume the test.
-NCARB is, of course, closed for the day. I have sent multiple emails.
One time I got probably about forty minutes of test-taking in before the software crashed. I had two other sessions of about five minutes before the software crashed. No error messages. No explanations. As you can imagine, taking this test in five minute chunks is probably less than ideal.
So, I not only shelled out money for a test that I'm unable to take (due to problems entirely on Prometric's or NCARB's end), but I've given up a day's worth of work and wages. On top of that, I don't know WHEN I'll be able to finish the test, or if I'll have to start over. Moreover, if the test process fell apart this spectacularly once, what assurances do I have that it won't happen repeatedly? Between test fees and lost wages, it seems like this is a great way to get deep in debt without anything to show for it.
I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed, or more furious at the flagrant disregard for my time.
This is unacceptable.
Please contact me at your earliest convenience, NCARB. I'd love to hash this out and get it resolved.
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Hi NCARB, and anyone else dealing with a similar garbage online test situation,
Just wanted to update you:
Not only has NO ONE contacted me with any sort of resolution, or even an acknowledgement that things have gone seriously sideways, after submitting multiple help requests... BUT, NCARB just posted test results for a test I wasn't able to take. Spoiler alert: it was a fail. It really makes me feel listened to and heard that NCARB has so far failed to offer any resolution for their wildly inadequate testing services, has kept my money, but then took the time to fail me for a test they didn't let me take. I got warm and fuzzies about this, seriously.
Oh, and I also got a Survey Monkey link asking what I think of NCARB's Customer Service. I guess I'll have to let you know what I think of your Customer Service after I get some (if I ever get some), but I'm not holding my breath. I haven't taken the survey yet, but my NCARB customer service experience so far has been, I dunno, whatever the lowest rating is.
Please reply, NCARB. The radio silence is not comforting.
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Paul I experienced your exact situation today and provided a scathing review in this thread. My online exam was an absolute joke and extremely frustrating. Let’s not forget about the mental stress these issues give you for the next exam. How can the testing experience be so bad for something so important to people’s lives?
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I didn't have your exact situation when they had to eventually reschedule my test because of their software issues, but the lack of communication you're experiencing aligns with my experience too.
But apparently we're the minority. A few days ago NCARB proudly sent out their data stating only 8% of online test takers have reported technical difficulties. A few hours later they had to acknowledge that was a mistake, the real number is 20% and even that seems low. The means of reporting technical issues is not made clear, they just refer you to the Contact page...
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Hi all, thanks for sharing your experiences and I am sorry for the frustration you each have experienced. I'm afraid I join the pack - i just reached the 2.5 hour disconnect mark. I experienced a single disconnect after returning from my break and was never able to regain access. I messaged with several reasonably helpful prometric individuals but with entirely unhelpful results - my test was deemed corrupt and unable to be reaccessed, even after a whole series of diagnostics and systems checks which didnt point to any particular issue. They've offered to coordinate rescheduling (with hesitation based on your experiences above) but I am also in a unique position because I got to about Q85/100. Given the cut scores, I want to understand and weigh out the pros/cons of trying to get my test scored as is before I commit to rescheduling and throwing the time spent testing/away from work out the window. I've reached out to NCARB by call and email but absolutely agree with the general sense of frustration and disappointment that these issues are causing to those of us who are unable/unwilling to risk taking exams in person.
I will echo Paul's message for NCARB to please improve the communication here and not leave us in the dark. Help us understand our options and expedite the path forward. -
Please fill out the Independent survey about the new ARE 5.0 Exam YoungArchitect.com/NCARBsurvey
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Hi Alex, and Everyone,
I have rescheduled my exam, but I will be taking it in-person. It is simply not worth the risk that I will miss another day of work for the online test to crap out on me (and, if you can believe NCARB, the risk is something like 1 in 4 people will have an online testing experience that prevents them from... taking the test. Not great odds).
Similar to your experience, Alex, I had taken a pretty big chunk of the test and was on the way to passing it (as my partial results showed afterwards), when I was booted out. NCARB added a big fat 'fail' to my record, and they will not remove it, per some nonsensical policy. "If the timer starts, it's pass fail," even if the timer only runs for thirty seconds. So, I've got a 'fail' on my record, even though NCARB and ProMetric are the ones who failed.
While NCARB did refund me for the test, I'm still out a day's work and still need to take off another day, to retake the same test that I shoulda been able to take in the first place. I'm also still waiting on my $50 reimbursement/cash card for the web cam. Getting an email response takes weeks, half the time their phones are down - I don't know what they're doing over there, but whatever it is, it's not working.
It's almost funny? Except, it's whatever the opposite of "funny" is.
I guess NCARB's handling of this has been "laughable," though I'm not sure that counts for much.
(And Michael, don't worry, I filled out the survey - thanks for putting that together, I'd love to see the results when it's complete)
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Just came here to share the same experience I just had this past Friday.
I took my PPD exam at 4:00pm. It was an online proctored exam. Prior to starting the exam, I scheduled a test run in case I had to make any changes to my testing area. Everything was fine. Once it came time for the actual exam, everything passed again. About an hour and a half into the exam, I was disconnected. Not a big deal, this happened several times the last time I took PPD at the testing center in person. So I reconnected, passed the security check-in, and kept taking the exam. 45 minutes later, I disconnect again. Again, not an issue that really rattles me. Happens literally all the time (at the testing center).
So I reconnect, but this time I get an agent doing the check-in who is just very suspicious from the get-go; he had me walk up to a smoke detector on the ceiling and zoom the camera in on it at one point. Eventually, I let him know I have my laptop connected to an external monitor, with the laptop screen closed. Just like I let the last 3 agents know. I understand we are not to have any advantage over the testing center, so obviously having 1 monitor is the only way to test. I can guarantee he misunderstood, starts going off about how "we only allow dual monitors for 1 exam that I know of" and "I checked with my supervisor". At this point I am going back and forth with him for 10 minutes. Eventually he gives me a number to call for a "special accommodation", while I try to explain to him it's not a special accommodation, it's the rules. He still advises me to log off and disconnect everything, then log back in. At this point I just want to finish. So after removing my whole setup and getting back on my laptop, I reconnect and am told by the next agent that 1 - I was right about the monitor setup and 2 - since I've disconnected 3 times, I'm not allowed to reconnect anymore. He gave me a number for their 24/7 support line. He was actually very apologetic, and so was the next person (to the company's credit).
By this time it's been 5+ hours since the exam started, and the support agent offers to reschedule the exam free of charge. I accept that. I typically don't stress during these exams but even I didn't want to try to finish that evening after everything that had happened. I stress to him I don't want the exam to show up as a fail. I felt prepared and would rather retake this exam as soon as possible. He guaranteed it wouldn't, but I knew he had no real control over that.
Now I see I have a FAIL on my score report for that exam. I definitely don't see why I have to wait the 2 whole months to retake this. It also doesn't help that we have such a disconnect between NCARB and the test administrators. Now that I just finished typing this story out to NCARB (on a separate support message), I have to spend my morning on the phone with someone from ProProctoring and explain the same exact thing, and hope they do honor their free reschedule. I'm sure even if they do, I will be sent back here to clear up the 2 month wait time. I get that outsourcing this type of stuff is cheaper, I've worked at call centers myself. It's just evident it creates a very large disconnect. There needs to be an "elevated" customer support for situations just like these. Even the call centers I worked for had that. And I won't even speak to the Digital Whiteboard.
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