Taking the IRS Registered Tax Return Preparer Test video

[FEDUKE404]

This video is quite interesting, not so much for the "test" issues but rather what the Prometric house rules are.

These include no addition/removal of clothing, emptying your pockets of all contents (and proof of such by pulling your pockets inside-out), putting all of your worldly belongings into a secured locker, getting a TSA-type wand search, and other goodies.

I also thought the ear protectors were a nice touch....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5FbshBloCw

FE

[Koss]

Prometric

Prometric also administers the enrolled agent exams. I took the EA exams back in 2008.

Apparently there are a few new procedures that have been implemented since then. For example, I was not searched with a wand, and I did not have to turn my pockets inside out. But the rules were the same. We were told to put everything in a locker.

The video says that you may only leave the test room to use the bathroom. When I took the test, I think we were told that during a break, we could have access to our locker in order to get to food, a beverage, or medication. The building had a water fountain near the bathroom, but many people brought bottled water, or something such as a candy bar, and I think we were allowed to get to it during the breaks. The lockers were in full view of the staff, so there was some degree of monitoring to make sure that people were not using phones or reference materials.

But the bathroom was down the hall, outside of Prometric's space. It was a common restroom for the office building, and Prometric was not the only tenant. We were in fact told not to leave the testing center. But that obviously did not apply to the bathroom. It was understood that we could not leave the building. But if someone had wanted to use a different exit to go to their car and cheat, they probably could have. Prometric did not have surveillance cameras in the common areas of the building.

I'm certainly not encouraging anyone to try to cheat. On the RTRP exam, you get to use 1040 instructions and a Pub. 17 anyway. I'm telling my tale because I think what you're seeing in that video may represent an ideal, that is implemented in varying degrees at each test center.

Even the part about clothing was different when I took the test. We were told that we could remove a sweater or sweatshirt, but that it had to remain in our lap. It could not be draped on the back of the chair, or put on the floor.

Someone who has genuine special needs due to a medical condition can always make advance arrangements. But a lot of people take medication, and they may not think to call ahead about something that simple. I'm pretty sure that they will allow access to the locker for medication during the exam, and that this doesn't require special arrangements before the test day. You might have to tell the proctor so they can watch you get into the locker.

Overall, I found the entire experience to be very comfortable and reasonable. Prometric publishes an official bulletin with details about the EA exam, and it contained all these rules. So there were no surprises.

I don't remember being vetted by a second agent. That must be something new. It's probably just a quality control function. It's meant to reduce human error, such as cases where you get seated at the PC, and then have to go back out to the administrator and say, "That's not my exam. I don't want to be a physical therapist."

Prometric administers a lot of tests. It is almost a certainty that other people in the room will be taking different exams.

BMK

[taxea]

This video is quite interesting, not so much for the "test" issues but rather what the Prometric house rules are.

These include no addition/removal of clothing, emptying your pockets of all contents (and proof of such by pulling your pockets inside-out), putting all of your worldly belongings into a secured locker, getting a TSA-type wand search, and other goodies.

I also thought the ear protectors were a nice touch....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5FbshBloCw

FE

This is the same as when taking the EA test. Only difference is they also didn't allow calculators or access to any reference material...of course I took the test it was before the test was given on a computer.

[Gary2]

When I took part 1 of the EA test a few months ago, they provided a nice hand-held calculator, larger (and thus easier to read) than the one shown in the video. This is along with the one on the computer.

Also, as the video shows without mentioning it, they provided scratch paper and pencil. This was the most important item for me.

Either the part about removing clothing is new, or I missed it back in Sep. I'm planning on schedule part 3 for late Feb., so I suppose I'll have to remember to remove any layered outer shirts. This may mess up my usual, non-office winter style (flannel or rugby over presentable t-shirt). I don't understand what possible difference it could make between putting an item of clothing in your lap or on the back of the chair.

There certainly was a second agent for me, pretty much as shown: outer office, inner office, and exam room.

One thing that doesn't come across in the video, but for which I was most appreciative, was the upbeat, very friendly attitude of the office staff.