"Cheating" during the CFA® Exam
It looks like I might have violated the CFA® code of ethics...
So I woke up early, and drove to the CFA® testing center. The parking lot that the CFA® exam was using was cash only, so I had to drive around to find an ATM. Got to the test center seconds before the doors closed.
I did well on the official mock exam, but my nerves were pretty much shattered for this. The fellow next to me smelled like he hadn't showered for a while, and the entire test was a disaster. and I'm not sure that I passed, 50/50 maybe.
The proctor called time, so I just guessed on the last few. After the test and answer sheets were collected, I got bored while waiting, so I drew an angry face and wrote "cfa®
sucks" on the small 1 x 2 inch sticker that says our seat number.
One of the proctors started collecting the stickers. He threw away the rest of the stickers but kept mine. He then walked around and showed the sticker to 8-9 proctors, asking if he should report it as a violation. I know it was stupid of me to do, but I just wasn't thinking straight.
I have a bad feeling this counts as cheating or some sort of violation since the proctor asked so many other proctors. I know that criticizing the CFA® isn't a violation (it was in the prep materials), but this might count as cheating or maybe an ethics violation since this was while I was in the exam room (albeit after the test was over).
They might be noting your indiscretion just in case you're borderline pass/fail. It seems silly for them to even care about a dumb sticker, but you never know.
That is really dumb if they think that's cheating.
you're fine
Yea, by using CFA as a noun, you violated the CFA Standards of Professional Conduct. You will get reprimanded for that.
The guy probably thought it was funny and showed it to his friends or something
I know nothing about the CFA, but how would something like that be considered cheating?
and actually, i wrote something a little more profane, thinking that no one would care about the sticker, but the spirit of what i wrote is "cfa sucks"
maybe i'm just being neurotic but the proctor seemed pretty pissed and was showing it to a lot of people. the proctors aren't cfa charterholders, are they?
voicing a negative opinion of the CFA is not a violation. I remember reading an ethics question where someone was bad mouthing the CFA on a forum, and it was not a violation.
Piss on them. You studied your ass off while your friends had fun. The CFA absolutely does suck.
LOL good for you buddy to be honest CFA institute is quite anal about "violation" and "cheating". I took the exam last December and i felt like I was in a boot camp.
I think you'll be fine though!
The proctor's don't even know about the CFA Institute, codes and standards, et al. At least at my testing center, this year and last, they appear to be little more than hourly-wage proletarian.
True story, I'm waiting to use the restroom today and I SWEAR the guy in the first stall was jacking off. Pants down, shitting position, leg vibrating ferociously. From the shadow all you could see was that he appeared to be wrapping toilet paper around his hand. Possibly for an "exit opportunity". Dear God, the test isn't that important.
It could be a violation because they tell you not to write anywhere but on the exam booklet itself, but if they were to consider your case a violation it'll be a little over the top.
But you'll be fine because if the proctors were going to report it they would have given it you in writing.
Yeah the proctors don't know shit about the CFA. I actually was walking from a bathroom break, and some random guy from off the street was walking by, saw all the proctors sitting around, and asks "what does 'CFA' stand for?" The proctors respond, "I dunno, something like "Financial" or something."
So yeah man, not only do most proctors not know the CFA rules, but they probably don't even know what "CFA" stands for in the first place. I wouldn't sweat it.
Woah you really think the CFAI is dumb ehhh? Your talking about the CIA here bud.
The proctors are hand chosen from other graduate schools, my friend a dental school student last year was a proctor for Level 3. On purpose the proctors have no financial background or any assoication with the test, the CFAI wants drones. They are given specific examples and rules to follow to get paid from the actual CFA stuff that run the exam rooms, you know the anal old dude. They are told to be extemeley anal and to report any rule infractions. Once they see a rule infraction they take to one of the actual CFA stuff and write up the exam writer.
OP will be getting a letter from the CFAI in a couple months, there is 95% OP will have to write a letter explaining what the infraction was and if he choses to fight it. At that point there is 99% that if OP choses to fight he will be banned for 1 year, OP is then best to plead guilty and re-write in December or next June.
Check analystforum, threads by the great JoeyD. OP your screwed bud sorry to tell you. But when they say Pencils down, they mean Pencils down.,.....
Yeah, I wouldn't sweat it. They're really anal about writing on the exam answer sheet and your ticket, but I wouldn't worry about the sticker.
One proctor followed me into the bathroom during the AM session and monitored my taking a piss. Seriously, he just stood there with his arms crossed, and while leaning against the wall with his head tilted back, he starred at me. No cheating. Serious stuff.
listen. 1/3 of the exam is based on ethics. you're screwed man.
I know someone who wrote on his ticket - by accident - during the exam as rough scratch paper, but didn't have time to erase it after. He got a letter from CFAI and he explained his way out of it. That said, it wasn't 'CFA Sucks'. I think you'll be fine for the most part... but if they want to be super anal and follow up on it, they can very well send you a letter, and it'll be tough to explain that one...
Your friend wrote during the "exam". OP wrote after time was "up". Just my point if your friend wrote during the exam and still got the letter, OP is toast.
i'm also calling bull on your claim that proctors are grad students. i had some seriously middle aged and ghetto looking grad students.
in any case, i think i'll just call the cfa institute. if they cancel my test for writing a "bad word" on a sticker after the exam booklets were collected, i'm not going down without a fight although i admit it was stupid of me.
Kanon, do you mind elaborating? I know someone who accidently wrote marks on his exam ticket as to tally the number of questions he was not confident in answering. He did it in the last few minutes and by the time he realized what he had done, the exam had ended and he did not want to be seen erasing anything after time was called. Do you think the CFA Institure will void his results for these types of meaningless marks on the ticket?
Absolutely. The institute makes it very clear that any sort of writing on the ticket will result in a 0.
That's true. But they don't know whether he wrote it after the exam or during. Unless the proctor(s) saw him write on the sticker, the OP can very well say 'I wrote it right before the exam was done out of frustration' or something along those lines.
CFA is heavy on ethics; if you pull a Miliken / Madoff, they will strip you of the charter. That said, it would be ridiculous if this was considered a serious enough ethical / professional violation to void your scores. If I was chartered and found your note, I'd probably be like "Yes, this test does fucking suck."
I doubt they will fail you for 'cheating,' but you may have failed for other reasons b/c in the ethics section it clearly states you are allowed to express your own opinion of the CFA program and institute. Standard VII-A: Conduct as Members and Candidates in the CFA Program - "This Standard does not prevent the free expression of opinions (i.e. criticism) regarding the CFA Institute or the CFA examination process."
Well according to Kanon, at least one person did the same thing, recieved a letter from the CFA and was able to explain his way out of it. Plus my friend immediately informed the exam room proctors and they said he was good to go. So how would CFAI even find out?
^^ bakerh334, I don't think they will automatically void their marks. My friend did something similar (use the ticket as scratch paper and forgot to erase it at the end). He got an email, he explained his mistake and that he tried to tell proctors after the exam, and he was just told to be careful next time.
In such a scenario, CFAI will likely send you a letter/email telling you that you violated the rule and asks for an explanation. When you think about it, it's very unlikely you'll be able to cheat with via writing on the ticket because the proctors check it before you go into the exam. I think it's more to prevent helping someone cheat (re: the person sitting next to you). As for how they find out - they keep the papers and check afterwards. Some places look like they just chuck them out after though...
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