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[Test Center Review] Northern Virginia CC, Annandale, VA, USA
lm125108
Member
Proctors:
We had three, older, women proctors. We started out with two, and there must have been an extra proctor floating around the building because while the directions were being read, two women came into the room—one announcing she had another proctor for us and showed the third proctor into the room.
I was not a fan of these proctors at all. While they were cheerful and tried to be careful with assigned seating, that's about where their good professional aspects end. They were incredibly disorganized and they were the sole cause of all the distractions during the administration of the test. I'll go in more detail under "irregularities."
Facilities:
The facilities were nice and decently clean. Once you were in the building where the test was administered, there was plenty of signage directing you to your assigned room. And at every hallway junction, there was a proctor or some other staff member with a clipboard with room assignments who was able to direct you to where you were supposed to go. I and others found that very helpful. However, it was unclear when you walked into the building if you were supposed to check in before you go to your classroom, or if you check in for the first and only time upon entering the room. I think that would be helpful information for the LSAC to include on the admission tickets.
The hallways were crowded with everyone waiting to get into their rooms, but once you were in, the classrooms were clean and an adequate temperature. The bathrooms were convenient, but could have been cleaner. I think I saw vending machines with food and drinks on the first floor, which is nice if you forgot to bring a snack.
What kind of room:
We were in a fairly large classroom, but it felt comfortable. It was big enough to accommodate everybody but also not an auditorium. It was all level (there were no stairs within the room) and the room temperature was neither too hot nor too cold. There was adequate light—all fluorescent and no windows— and there was a clock in the back of the room, so definitely bring a watch if you test here.
How many in the room:
At least 100, possibly 125, plus the three proctors. There were 10–15 rows that were 10–15 desks deep. Not every chair was filled, but most of them were. It definitely didn't feel like there were that many people in the room though. For the most part, everyone was quiet and respectful, and the layout of the room made it feel smaller/more intimate than it actually was. We had assigned seats, which slowed us down in getting started, but otherwise, I didn't mind.
Desks:
The desks were what you would typically find in any high school classroom—hard metal/plexiglass-plastic-type desks with the basket underneath the seat and desk top attached to the chair on the right-hand side. They didn't flip up like you might find in a lot of college/some high school classrooms. The actual work surface was smaller than I would have liked—I almost pushed my extra pencils off and almost dropped my answer sheet a couple times—but it wasn't too small. If you didn't have your pencils vertically aligned on your desk they would roll off, which was annoying. The desks were clean and seemed fairly new. They were stable and didn't rock. I was in the front row, but it seemed like some of the desks behind me were not spaced out very well and if you had someone in front of you who leaned back during the test, they definitely would have been over your work space, which I'm sure would have been annoying and distracting.
Left-handed accommodation:
I wasn't aware of anyone who was left-handed in the room, but I also did not see left-handed desks, so I imagine if there were any left-handed test takers, it is unlikely they were accommodated.
Noise levels:
Minimal. Thankfully! The walls were thick, plus it's a small community college, so there was no noise coming from outside in the halls. The lack of windows prevented any noise/distractions from outside as well. Almost everyone taking the test was very considerate and did their best to be silent. No beeping watches. Hardly any sniffling/coughing. The only noise was from the proctors, which I'll get to in the irregularities.
Parking:
There was PLENTY of free parking, which was great. And it was a short walk to the building where we took the test. However, I am very glad I read my admission ticket carefully and examined Google Maps and a campus map in the week before the test because there was NO signage indicating where to park or how to get to the correct building.
Time elapsed from arrival to test:
We definitely did not start on time. There were lines outside of all the classroom doors past 9 a.m. The proctors didn't start letting people into the rooms until just before 9 a.m. They checked each person's ID and ticket and directed them to their assigned seat. As you might imagine, the assigned seating slowed us down. I didn't have my watch set for the actual time (rather, I had the hour hand set at 7 to help me better visualize how much time I had left during the test), so I'm not sure what time we actually started, but we did not leave the testing room until 2 p.m. and our break was 11:35–11:50 a.m. I guess through deduction, we started around 10 a.m.
There were two students who showed up 20 minutes late, which is puzzling, but that certainly didn't help us get started on time since they had to be directed to their assigned seats and the proctors had already put the seating chart away.
Irregularities or mishaps:
Yikes. Where do I begin? I'm sure this isn't the worst horror story you'll read, but it definitely wasn't pleasant. I have no complaints about the actual facility or other test takers, only the proctors.
First, we were assigned seats in the classroom, which I assumed was to help the proctors stay organized when collecting books, answer sheets, IDs, and tickets. If that was the reason, it failed spectacularly. One proctor was in charge of reading the directions while the other two collected IDs and tickets. The two collecting IDs and tickets, did so with no methodology that would allow them to quickly and easily hand them back out when it was time. This came back to haunt them immediately because they collected our tickets while the head proctor was reading us the directions to fill out our biographical information on the answer sheet—which includes filling out your LSAC account number. All the tickets had been collected before we got to that part, so at least 20 minutes was wasted while the proctors had to hand the tickets back out because no one knew their account number. And then re-collect them. I'm assuming in an attempt to try to make up for that lost time, the head proctor asked us approximately every 15 seconds if we were done filling out the answer sheets, when clearly, we weren't. But, I was willing to look past these minor annoyances figuring I was just being Type-A and overly critical.
The head proctor struggled to read the directions coherently, so I'm glad I had listened to them with 7sage a couple times before the actual test. And once we got started, the proctor distractions continued. During one section, the head proctor was tearing pages out of something—and not doing so quietly. This went on for several minutes at multiple times throughout the section. Additionally, one of the other proctor's phone kept vibrating. I doubt that the people in the back of the room could hear it, but since I was right up front, it was distracting for me. Later in the exam, her phone even audibly rang. It made it all the way through to voicemail before the proctor was able to get to her phone to turn it off. It then made another audible noise indicating a voicemail or other message.
When it was time for the break, the proctors struggled to pass out our IDs in a timely fashion (again suffering from the disorganization). Not even half of the test-takers had their IDs back when the head proctor announced the time we had to be back from break, and reminded us not to leave before we had our IDs. I and a couple other test takers made sure she wasn't going to hold us to the time she originally announced because half of us didn't have our IDs yet, so we couldn't leave and therefore wouldn't get the full 15-minute break. She did end up conceding and waited to start the break when everyone had their IDs in-hand.
When we returned, the proctors again struggled to pass our test booklets and answer sheets out in a timely and organized manner after having not collected them in a way that would facilitate that happening.
Lastly, during the second half-of the exam, the head proctor announced we only had five minutes left in the section we were working on. She was incorrect—we had 15 minutes left. This prompted me and one other test taker to rebut that we should have 15 minutes left. The proctor didn't understand at first and then called the other test taker up to the front and then out into the hall. When she re-entered, she announced to the room she was wrong and we had 15 minutes left (at that point it was more like 12). But that was an incredible distraction and it took me a minute to get my stress level back in check after panicking for thinking I had not well-managed my time.
Other comments:
I ended up writing to the LSAC to complain about the proctors.
Would you take the test here again?
I am taking the test there again in December in an attempt to reduce nerves. Having a sense of familiarity will be helpful for me, but I am crossing my fingers that they have some better proctors. Otherwise, I would be indifferent about taking the LSAT there again.
Date[s] of Exam[s]:
Sept 24., 2016
We had three, older, women proctors. We started out with two, and there must have been an extra proctor floating around the building because while the directions were being read, two women came into the room—one announcing she had another proctor for us and showed the third proctor into the room.
I was not a fan of these proctors at all. While they were cheerful and tried to be careful with assigned seating, that's about where their good professional aspects end. They were incredibly disorganized and they were the sole cause of all the distractions during the administration of the test. I'll go in more detail under "irregularities."
Facilities:
The facilities were nice and decently clean. Once you were in the building where the test was administered, there was plenty of signage directing you to your assigned room. And at every hallway junction, there was a proctor or some other staff member with a clipboard with room assignments who was able to direct you to where you were supposed to go. I and others found that very helpful. However, it was unclear when you walked into the building if you were supposed to check in before you go to your classroom, or if you check in for the first and only time upon entering the room. I think that would be helpful information for the LSAC to include on the admission tickets.
The hallways were crowded with everyone waiting to get into their rooms, but once you were in, the classrooms were clean and an adequate temperature. The bathrooms were convenient, but could have been cleaner. I think I saw vending machines with food and drinks on the first floor, which is nice if you forgot to bring a snack.
What kind of room:
We were in a fairly large classroom, but it felt comfortable. It was big enough to accommodate everybody but also not an auditorium. It was all level (there were no stairs within the room) and the room temperature was neither too hot nor too cold. There was adequate light—all fluorescent and no windows— and there was a clock in the back of the room, so definitely bring a watch if you test here.
How many in the room:
At least 100, possibly 125, plus the three proctors. There were 10–15 rows that were 10–15 desks deep. Not every chair was filled, but most of them were. It definitely didn't feel like there were that many people in the room though. For the most part, everyone was quiet and respectful, and the layout of the room made it feel smaller/more intimate than it actually was. We had assigned seats, which slowed us down in getting started, but otherwise, I didn't mind.
Desks:
The desks were what you would typically find in any high school classroom—hard metal/plexiglass-plastic-type desks with the basket underneath the seat and desk top attached to the chair on the right-hand side. They didn't flip up like you might find in a lot of college/some high school classrooms. The actual work surface was smaller than I would have liked—I almost pushed my extra pencils off and almost dropped my answer sheet a couple times—but it wasn't too small. If you didn't have your pencils vertically aligned on your desk they would roll off, which was annoying. The desks were clean and seemed fairly new. They were stable and didn't rock. I was in the front row, but it seemed like some of the desks behind me were not spaced out very well and if you had someone in front of you who leaned back during the test, they definitely would have been over your work space, which I'm sure would have been annoying and distracting.
Left-handed accommodation:
I wasn't aware of anyone who was left-handed in the room, but I also did not see left-handed desks, so I imagine if there were any left-handed test takers, it is unlikely they were accommodated.
Noise levels:
Minimal. Thankfully! The walls were thick, plus it's a small community college, so there was no noise coming from outside in the halls. The lack of windows prevented any noise/distractions from outside as well. Almost everyone taking the test was very considerate and did their best to be silent. No beeping watches. Hardly any sniffling/coughing. The only noise was from the proctors, which I'll get to in the irregularities.
Parking:
There was PLENTY of free parking, which was great. And it was a short walk to the building where we took the test. However, I am very glad I read my admission ticket carefully and examined Google Maps and a campus map in the week before the test because there was NO signage indicating where to park or how to get to the correct building.
Time elapsed from arrival to test:
We definitely did not start on time. There were lines outside of all the classroom doors past 9 a.m. The proctors didn't start letting people into the rooms until just before 9 a.m. They checked each person's ID and ticket and directed them to their assigned seat. As you might imagine, the assigned seating slowed us down. I didn't have my watch set for the actual time (rather, I had the hour hand set at 7 to help me better visualize how much time I had left during the test), so I'm not sure what time we actually started, but we did not leave the testing room until 2 p.m. and our break was 11:35–11:50 a.m. I guess through deduction, we started around 10 a.m.
There were two students who showed up 20 minutes late, which is puzzling, but that certainly didn't help us get started on time since they had to be directed to their assigned seats and the proctors had already put the seating chart away.
Irregularities or mishaps:
Yikes. Where do I begin? I'm sure this isn't the worst horror story you'll read, but it definitely wasn't pleasant. I have no complaints about the actual facility or other test takers, only the proctors.
First, we were assigned seats in the classroom, which I assumed was to help the proctors stay organized when collecting books, answer sheets, IDs, and tickets. If that was the reason, it failed spectacularly. One proctor was in charge of reading the directions while the other two collected IDs and tickets. The two collecting IDs and tickets, did so with no methodology that would allow them to quickly and easily hand them back out when it was time. This came back to haunt them immediately because they collected our tickets while the head proctor was reading us the directions to fill out our biographical information on the answer sheet—which includes filling out your LSAC account number. All the tickets had been collected before we got to that part, so at least 20 minutes was wasted while the proctors had to hand the tickets back out because no one knew their account number. And then re-collect them. I'm assuming in an attempt to try to make up for that lost time, the head proctor asked us approximately every 15 seconds if we were done filling out the answer sheets, when clearly, we weren't. But, I was willing to look past these minor annoyances figuring I was just being Type-A and overly critical.
The head proctor struggled to read the directions coherently, so I'm glad I had listened to them with 7sage a couple times before the actual test. And once we got started, the proctor distractions continued. During one section, the head proctor was tearing pages out of something—and not doing so quietly. This went on for several minutes at multiple times throughout the section. Additionally, one of the other proctor's phone kept vibrating. I doubt that the people in the back of the room could hear it, but since I was right up front, it was distracting for me. Later in the exam, her phone even audibly rang. It made it all the way through to voicemail before the proctor was able to get to her phone to turn it off. It then made another audible noise indicating a voicemail or other message.
When it was time for the break, the proctors struggled to pass out our IDs in a timely fashion (again suffering from the disorganization). Not even half of the test-takers had their IDs back when the head proctor announced the time we had to be back from break, and reminded us not to leave before we had our IDs. I and a couple other test takers made sure she wasn't going to hold us to the time she originally announced because half of us didn't have our IDs yet, so we couldn't leave and therefore wouldn't get the full 15-minute break. She did end up conceding and waited to start the break when everyone had their IDs in-hand.
When we returned, the proctors again struggled to pass our test booklets and answer sheets out in a timely and organized manner after having not collected them in a way that would facilitate that happening.
Lastly, during the second half-of the exam, the head proctor announced we only had five minutes left in the section we were working on. She was incorrect—we had 15 minutes left. This prompted me and one other test taker to rebut that we should have 15 minutes left. The proctor didn't understand at first and then called the other test taker up to the front and then out into the hall. When she re-entered, she announced to the room she was wrong and we had 15 minutes left (at that point it was more like 12). But that was an incredible distraction and it took me a minute to get my stress level back in check after panicking for thinking I had not well-managed my time.
Other comments:
I ended up writing to the LSAC to complain about the proctors.
Would you take the test here again?
I am taking the test there again in December in an attempt to reduce nerves. Having a sense of familiarity will be helpful for me, but I am crossing my fingers that they have some better proctors. Otherwise, I would be indifferent about taking the LSAT there again.
Date[s] of Exam[s]:
Sept 24., 2016
Comments
@lm125108 I know it was awhile back but was the second time you took it better than the first?