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Pencil and paper at the test centre

 
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I have contacted two different test centres asking if I could have paper and pencil available for the exam. I explained that I didn't want to keep any notes, they could throw them away after, etc, etc. The answer I got, from both, was a categorical NO.

I was told Oracle does not allow candidates to use anything other than those dry pads.

Now I have used these dry pads before (when I sat my OCA), and they are appalling! There is no way I can work through the harder, more complex questions using them.

What should I do?? Has anyone who's done the test recently had a different experience?
 
T Vergilio
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no replies...

For example: let's say I'm not sure about a question. I want to be able to keep my notes/calculations for when I go back to it at the end of the test.

How do you guys do that with only a dry-erase board? Or do you go through all the thought processes again? Or do you solve everything in your heads?

 
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I am a bit worried about these pads as well. I am left handed and I am worried that I will be erasing half of what I write!

For the complex questions I would suggest leaving them until the end, do them once and double check it straight away. I found that worked better for me on the practice exams, such as examlab's.
 
T Vergilio
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That's an idea. The thing is, I used one of those pads before, and they are really really small. The markers they gave me were all dry, so I ended up not even using them. Believe me, they were unusable.

For the OCP, there's no way I could solve some of the questions without writing anything down.
 
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i am sure most of the question are solved easily..
only there are some complex questions in which you require paper or pen..
but if you dig your mind you can also solve them without the use of paper or pen.

 
T Vergilio
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Well.. I can't, I'm afraid.
 
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Hello. I am from buenos aires and i dont understand every thing that you post.
In the examen certification ¿they give not you blank paper?
Are you sure??
Thanks a lot.
 
T Vergilio
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Hello Martin. Yes, I am sure about that, these seem to be the Oracle rules. No paper, but a small dry-erase board and a felt-tip pen.

Some centres however seem quite reasonable and allow people to use paper, then throw it away. I haven't found one of those yet.

What I would like to know is whether this is a new rule, or has it always been like this? And what do other people do (those ones who, like me, need to write a lot)?
 
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If I were you, I would take a pen and some paper anyway, and then when you're at the center for your exam, ask them right there if you can use pen and paper. Through the phone you will only get the official answer.

You should find some way to prepare for the exam without the use of pen and paper, because you never know if they will allow it when you're there.
 
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Just curious....what kind of questions do you use pen and paper to solve?
 
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I took the exam 2 weeks ago and I had been preparing using several blank pieces of paper. However, I was not allowed to use such paper during the exam. After that, I required that they contact Oracle for confirmation otherwise I denied taking the exam. The administrator indeed contacted Pearson Vue and confirmed that I could only use a dry paper they provided. They also said that even that dry paper could have been not allowed. I was afraid that I would deal with difficulties with just a piece of dry paper because I was not prepared for it.
Eventually, I hardly used half of it's first side! The complexity of real exam was far less than mock exams and the total exam time very valuable to write down every simple thought.
To sum up, I suggest that you don't worry about it. It's just enough for the real exam and of course I passed.
 
martin sur
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Paul Anilprem wrote:Just curious....what kind of questions do you use pen and paper to solve?



For instance:

class Bird {
{ System.out.print("b1 "); }
public Bird() { System.out.print("b2 "); }
}
class Raptor extends Bird {
static { System.out.print("r1 "); }
public Raptor() { System.out.print("r2 "); }
{ System.out.print("r3 "); }
static { System.out.print("r4 "); }
}
class Hawk extends Raptor {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.print("pre ");
new Hawk();
System.out.println("hawk ");
}
}
 
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