Anyone passed with using pencil in AM

Was all set to use pencil at the test center – had practiced using onlly pencils. Had called CFA ahead of time and confirmed it was allowed, and they also said that proctors all knew it was okay.
On test day, proctors said no pencils. So i asked to speak to a senior proctor who showed me the offical CFA written guidlines. Those guidlines confirmed that only pens were allowed.
I decided to favor the written guidlines and went with a pen. Didn’t want to chance it.
 
Hank Moody wrote:
Was all set to use pencil at the test center – had practiced using onlly pencils. Had called CFA ahead of time and confirmed it was allowed, and they also said that proctors all knew it was okay.
On test day, proctors said no pencils. So i asked to speak to a senior proctor who showed me the offical CFA written guidlines. Those guidlines confirmed that only pens were allowed.
I decided to favor the written guidlines and went with a pen. Didn’t want to chance it.
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CFAI is so inconsistent, I swear. They confirm pencils are OK and thus grade pencil, but then the guidelines say no?
They say past exams are rarely a good resource for preparing for the exam, yet use that as a selling point for the sample exams (i.e., includes actual previous exam questions).
Same thing with the “charter pending” issue. Shown on the web site when you login and a few employees say it’s acceptable, but it’s actually not.
Get it together, CFAI…
 
I used the magic, microwave sensitive erasable pen. But I warn you: one of my essay sets was in <50% category. I suspect it was exposed to radiation and hence the writing was lost.
 
Hank Moody wrote:
Was all set to use pencil at the test center – had practiced using onlly pencils. Had called CFA ahead of time and confirmed it was allowed, and they also said that proctors all knew it was okay.
On test day, proctors said no pencils. So i asked to speak to a senior proctor who showed me the offical CFA written guidlines. Those guidlines confirmed that only pens were allowed.
I decided to favor the written guidlines and went with a pen. Didn’t want to chance it.
Click to expand...
I witnessed proctors arguing over that as well.
CFAI’s written rules should be compatible with CFAI’s actual rules. This is pretty obvious, and yet this may be an issue again next year.
 
shootingstar wrote:
I used the magic, microwave sensitive erasable pen. But I warn you: one of my essay sets was in <50% category. I suspect it was exposed to radiation and hence the writing was lost.
Click to expand...
perhaps that question was graded by someone that didn’t understand English phrases and lingo!?!? just a thought, courtesy of monk.
 
I agree with a lot of the comments above, I would just make sure to be extra careful before answering in the Templates.
I remember one answer where I literally wrote on the bottom line in size 3 font because I scrated out my prior answer. I’m pretty sure I got that one wrong…
 
Passed using a mechanical pencil for AM. Used it because I’ve always been most comfortable writing with a mechanical pencil. It was helpful for when I wrote a full answer with one response, and later decided to change it altogether.
 
I think even if you have to cross out on the template, it should be fine. There was one question where I circled something and then realized I wanted to change it. I squiggled out the original circle and then re-circled and added arrows all around with text bubbles saying “THIS IS MY ANSWER!!!” I’m pretty sure the graders were understanding.
 
dean99 wrote:
I literally spent over an hour in a stationary store testing pens, and bought the brightest blue pen I can find.
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What brand?
 
I passed with erasable pen for AM. My AM scores were not that great though. I have a feeling that my AM performance had nothing to do with my writing utensil. :-)
 
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