A test-taker’s heaven (well, almost)
I was a bit anxious last spring about taking the SPHR exam in its new computer-based format. Although I didn’t enjoy the paper and pencil experience (as described in my previous entry), at least I was familiar with it. The first thing that won me over was my discovery that there was a computer testing center in the neighboring town; I would be spared the drive into the city. Also, I could schedule the exam for any day withing the two-month testing window and for a time that suited me, like after the sun had actually risen.
When I arrived at the testing facility, the test administrator smiled and welcomed me warmly. She checked my ID and verified which test I was taking, then she provided a locker for my personal belongings. No interrogation. No strip-search. As I was directed to a cubical in the testing room, I was happy to note that the room was fresh and clean and comfortable, with actual windows to the outside world. The chair was padded. And adjustable. Nice. I was given a white board and a marker for making notes or doing calculations. Although I could hear the occasional click of a mouse or tap of a keyboard, I couldn’t see any of the other test-takers. I relaxed into the chair and began the exam.
Upon completing the exam, I only had to wait a few (eternally-long) minutes before the computer displayed my exam results. The anxiety of those minutes is indescribable, but pails in comparison to the agony of waiting six weeks for the results, as with the paper and pencil exams of the past. The testing center administrator gave me printed exam results, hard evidence of my success there that day. I proudly displayed the results to my husband, who proclaimed that we should all go out to dinner to celebrate. And we did.
May 14th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
I wanted to comment here as I was just certified (or at least the computer said so) last Monday! That’s right…one week ago today. As I read your comments about the agony of waiting for the computer to deliver the results, I so concurred! This was my first attempt at taking the exam. No recertification required…first-timer and Lord knows that it was only He who guided my hand as I clicked away at those answers.
Once I clicked “Submit”, it was horrible to have to sit there and watch the screen blink before my eyes as I waited for the results. When I first saw the blinking, I thought that I had answered so many questions incorrectly that the machine was rebelling against me. “Did I break it?” I wondered.
Once the blinking stopped (the first time), I peered close to the screen. I was startled by the words that were there. I looked all over the screen for my score, but it was a survey. I was in no mood to take a survey, but I was worried about not taking it. “What if the survey is a part of the scoring process? What if I don’t take it and then I fail the exam?” I finished that daggone survey. Then there’s the blinking of the screen again. The screen blinks, I move closer. The screen blinks, I move close. THE SCREEN BLINKS…no more blinking.
I must have stared at the screen for what felt like another eternity (the eternity that followed the screen-blinking eternity) before I saw the results. I had no idea what to look for so when I read the word “PASS”, I was actually shocked. I think I was looking for a numerical score (something like 300 or so.)
My response? Tears. Oceans and oceans of tears. Normally I would have yelled, screamed or something, but I was at the testing center. So the next best thing was to simply cry. I didn’t want to leave the computer. I loved seeing that word on the screen. When I walked out and the Center attendant began trying to check me out, I had to apologize to her for not being able to answer her questions. I was jut too emotional! She lied and said that she understood. But she was rolling her eyes at me I AND FRANKLY MY DEAR, I DIDN’T GIVE A…FLIP! Then she handed me the paper that said I’D passed.
I called the world: my mother, my father, my son (well, he’s 17 so I actually sent him a text message), my boyfriend, my former boss, my best girlfriend…well, you get the idea.
My verification paper currently is on my refrigerator. I refuse to move it until the Certificate arrives. Or maybe I should hide it; they might just reevaluate the results and send a little Certification elf to my house to take it! OVER MY DEAD BODY!
May 14th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Recent Texas SPHR: Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your experience. I had the same reaction to the survey: “Are you kidding me? I have just completed a grueling 225 item exam and you want me to answer survey questions? How many hours did I study? I don’t remember. What study materials did I use? I don’t remember. What is my name? I don’t remember. Just give me the results. Please. It can’t possibly take this long to calculate. What if the computer crashes and loses my score and I have to do this all over again? Ahhhh!”
The really crazy thing? In two years I’ll be doing it again.