Tales of Examinations

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Driven to Distraction
By Arthur J. Schwartz 

Thanks to all of you who responded to my request for your CAS Exam true stories and anecdotes. The editorial staff will select stories from time to time for publication in this new column, called "Tales of Examinations." 

He was taking the last exam needed to become an Associate. It was the end of the line, a long road for him. He felt confident going into the exam room. Knowing John* as we did, we all felt confident that he  would ace the exam. In fact, we were planning where we would hold a celebratory party.

John would be taking the exam at a test center where he had never been before. Driving over early on the morning of the exam, it was raining, so naturally our hero turned on his headlights. He parked in the visitor parking lot, and strode briskly into the building to find the exam room. All went well, at first. He glanced over all the questions before answering any, and felt even more confident. Then he began answering them.

About halfway into the exam, a security guard came into the exam room and asked if anyone had license plates QVR 973. Our hero raised his hand. "Your lights are on." Our hero left the exam room, exited the maze of hallways to the parking lot, found his car, and extinguished the lights. Returning to the exam room, he had lost fifteen minutes. In a tough, competitive exam, fifteen minutes can make all the difference. Plus he had to settle in again.

Flash forward to a few months later. Grades are out. Our hero got a five! We made him pay to take all of us out to lunch! And his wife scolded him: "From now on, no leaving the exam room ahead of time—not even if there's an earthquake!"

* Names have been changed to protect the innocent!