PEN vs PENCIL

[igor555]

you are allowed to use a pencil on the AM portion.
good luck all

 

[gringo_bob]

It seems that you’re no longer allowed to use pencil in the morning paper of level 3

Completing Your Essay Book
Essay Answers for Level III AM Session
It is your responsibility to complete the essay book correctly to ensure all information is accurately recorded during grading and your results are correctly reported back to you. When completing your essay book:

• Use blue or black ink. You must bring your own pen on exam day. Testing personnel will not provide writing instruments to candidates.
• Write your CFA Institute ID and seat number on the front cover of your exam book.
• Sign the candidate pledge inside the front cover. Do not remove the candidate pledge card.
• Essay answers must be written in English.
• Each essay question consists of one or more parts (A, B, C, etc.). Some parts direct you to write your answer in a template. Instructions in bold print immediately following the question direct you to the page number of each template. Answer all other questions on the lined page(s) following the question. For these questions, label each part of your answer clearly (A, B, C, or i, ii, iii, etc.).
• Answers on question pages will not be graded. You may make marks and notes on the question pages.

 

[itera]

^ The exam instructions have ALWAYS said use blue/black ink. Why do you think people always ask pen/pencil?

 

[JBrowntown]

I used pencil last year.

 

[gringo_bob]

The policy says use blue or black ink so I’m going to use blue or black ink.

 

[edupristine]

You should used either Blue or black pen during the essay portion of the exam .

 

[tribeca_regent]

methinks igor was pulling a fast one to screw w l3 candidates. after all, pass rate is close to 50%.

 

[gringo_bob]

^thats what I thought as well

 

[Greenman72]

edupristine wrote:
You should used either Blue or black pen during the essay portion of the exam .

Here’s another gem.

 

[SafetyFirstRoy]

If you’re thinking about using pencil because you anticipate having to erase and re-write, you will be given a ton of space to fill in your answer. I used a pen (Uni-Ball Jetstream black, fine 0.7), had to cross out at times whole paragraphs and still had a ton of space left over. I never came remotely close to using all the given space for a problem.
If the instructions say pen, why would you even consider using pencil? I realize lots of people have used pencil in the past and pass no problem, but do you really want to make a call on what rules CFAI will enforce and which they’ll ignore on gameday after all your work?

 

[igor555]

plenty of folk emailed cfai and they replied that pencil is fine also. just a public service announcemnet

 

[bizval4]

USE. A. PEN.
My paper looked like garbage after all the marks, cross-outs, etc I made. Graders expect it. Just make sure you’re clear in your answer, even if it looks like your pen had diarrhea on your paper.
Also, you can write faster with a pen vs. pencil. Time will be a critical factor.

 

[igor555]

i am not recommending to use pencil over pen. this thread pops up closer to the exam and folk dont know fi they are allowed to use pencil. i was just saying that cfai lets you used pencil and you answers will be graded even if you use pencil.