Lilliabeth
Technical User
Anybody had any experiences with Prometric or new Prometric centers?
Lilliabeth
-Why use a big word when a diminutive one will do?-
Lilliabeth
-Why use a big word when a diminutive one will do?-
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How's Prometric Doing So Far?
- Thread starter Lilliabeth
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I took the Citrix CCA exam at a Prometric center. It compared evenly to the VUE center I've been using to attain my MCSA: Messaging. I have 70-293 at a Prometric center in 3 weeks, so I'll be able to compare more accurately.
So far my only complaints (petty):
1. It seems harder to register on Prometric.
2. I called their support for a reprint of a score sheet. They never sent one.
Dan
CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
So far my only complaints (petty):
1. It seems harder to register on Prometric.
2. I called their support for a reprint of a score sheet. They never sent one.
Dan
CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
I took a test this weekend at one in Fort Myers, FL. I won't use that center again; I hope the problems are just local to that site.
1. The directions from Prometric's website were wrong. For example, they said "take Exit 122 for Colonial Blvd", which is really at exit 136. That's 14 miles away. Then it said to go approximately 7 miles to a cross street, which was really under 5 miles. Finally, they neglect to mention that the test center is in a building shared with a college, and there were no Prometrics signs anywhere to be seen.
2. The tutorial at the beginning crashed.
3. From the time I finished until I saw my score was (dead serious) over 5 minutes. That's a LONG time to wait, and wonder if you'd have to retake it if it crashed.
4. It took over 15 minutes to get a printed copy of my score results.
5. Dry erase boards stink. I'd prefer scratch paper and a pencil. Kind of hard to do subnet calculations with a dry erase marker with a big tip.
I'll try one in Tampa next.
Dan
CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
293 - passed
1. The directions from Prometric's website were wrong. For example, they said "take Exit 122 for Colonial Blvd", which is really at exit 136. That's 14 miles away. Then it said to go approximately 7 miles to a cross street, which was really under 5 miles. Finally, they neglect to mention that the test center is in a building shared with a college, and there were no Prometrics signs anywhere to be seen.
2. The tutorial at the beginning crashed.
3. From the time I finished until I saw my score was (dead serious) over 5 minutes. That's a LONG time to wait, and wonder if you'd have to retake it if it crashed.
4. It took over 15 minutes to get a printed copy of my score results.
5. Dry erase boards stink. I'd prefer scratch paper and a pencil. Kind of hard to do subnet calculations with a dry erase marker with a big tip.
I'll try one in Tampa next.
Dan
CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
293 - passed
Yes, it takes A LOT longer with Prometric.
Whilst in the middle of Sec+, all of our computers kept hanging intermittently, until inevitably, they crashed altogether. We had wait for about 40 mins before the problem was sorted out, we went back, and they crashed again 5 minutes later.
The instructors at the centre were also livid with Prometric for many reasons, they were missing Vue terribly!
I just finished up a MS test 2 days ago and the screen refresh was slow, the torture of a wait to see if I had passed was longer then I had expected as well (bout a minute) I almost passed out I swear 
The people were friendly, easy to work with and straight to the point. I also liked the fact they gave me ear muffs to wear haha
Cory
The people were friendly, easy to work with and straight to the point. I also liked the fact they gave me ear muffs to wear hahaCory
I went to a new Prometric site. It is small, only one PC. The system worked well for the most part. It crashed once at question 22 of 42, but after a reset it picked up right where it left off.
It's very close to work, so I'll test there for my final MCSE test.
Dan
CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
293 - passed
It's very close to work, so I'll test there for my final MCSE test.
Dan
CCA Citrix 4.0
MCSA: Messaging 2003
293 - passed
Haven't done any exams with Prometric for a while but I'm livid about the change.
I live in Glasgow, UK. Before the change there were 3 VUE centres within easy distance and one Prometric that never has any slots. I think they have one testing station available which they make available to public once a week or so.
Now the nearest Prometric place with slots is in Edinburgh over 50 miles away. Expensive and time-consuming with UK fuel prices or train fares.
I live in Glasgow, UK. Before the change there were 3 VUE centres within easy distance and one Prometric that never has any slots. I think they have one testing station available which they make available to public once a week or so.
Now the nearest Prometric place with slots is in Edinburgh over 50 miles away. Expensive and time-consuming with UK fuel prices or train fares.
I hear ya man, its not just your side of the pond that has an extreme lack of availability. Minnesota went from a total of like 10 testing centers to, at least for the 291 I scheduled to 2 centers.. Considering they collectively are like 300+ (guess) miles apart (Evelyth and Edina), the pain of having to drive hours on end to get to either is about more then I can bear. Of course time slots on potential Saturdays get filled up faster then Hannah Montana concerts.
Cory
Cory
I wonder what bozo in MS thought that this would be a good idea.
Maybe they should have used MS maps, superimposed all the VUE and Prometric centres in each country then removed the VUE and gone, "Well that would be stupid, look at the big gaps in coverage!". :-D
Some of the universities and colleges here must really feel shafted, most had VUE centres for testing students doing MS full-time and part time courses, plus public testing of course. Now they are really screwed unless they can switch to Prometric.
I note that Prometric are offering 'free' exams for running testing centres though, i.e. Run 50 exams get 5 free exams so maybe that'll be an incentive.
Maybe they should have used MS maps, superimposed all the VUE and Prometric centres in each country then removed the VUE and gone, "Well that would be stupid, look at the big gaps in coverage!". :-D
Some of the universities and colleges here must really feel shafted, most had VUE centres for testing students doing MS full-time and part time courses, plus public testing of course. Now they are really screwed unless they can switch to Prometric.
I note that Prometric are offering 'free' exams for running testing centres though, i.e. Run 50 exams get 5 free exams so maybe that'll be an incentive.
Prometric Sucks!!! I know i am not being professional. however, registration is an issue, talking to the phone person is like talking to a wall. I tried calling 3 times to get some tests signed up. They tell me they cannot charge more than one test at a time.
Supervisors are a joke- they are rude and will not explain.
You ask for discounts, the phone person has no idea what you are talking about. VUE was the best
sorry for my rant
Supervisors are a joke- they are rude and will not explain.
You ask for discounts, the phone person has no idea what you are talking about. VUE was the best
sorry for my rant
Well I've taken it up with the woman who manages the Technet program in the UK and asked her to forward it to whoever thought this was a good idea.
Not going to get anywhere of course but having an e-mail moan did make me feel better.
She did at least e-mail me back to say she was taking it up internally which is more than you'd get with most companies.
Played on the fact that it's a marvelous disincentive to doing any of their certifications.
Neill
Not going to get anywhere of course but having an e-mail moan did make me feel better.
She did at least e-mail me back to say she was taking it up internally which is more than you'd get with most companies.
Played on the fact that it's a marvelous disincentive to doing any of their certifications.
Neill
Well I got some news directly from Prometric about testing in Glasgow, UK who had been contacted by the UK Technet rep. I also suggested to her (the MS rep) that they at least mention the problems in the technet newsletters and what they are doing to address it.
They have got the only test centre that remained in the city to add spaces and days, I think they had only being using it for internal testing before so nobody could actually use it.
They have got a company that tests in Edinburgh to also do testing in Glasgow and are adding another 3 testing centres soon including one of the Universities. Probably because they get 1 free test for every 10 they proctor.
So some small progress at least.
Neill
They have got the only test centre that remained in the city to add spaces and days, I think they had only being using it for internal testing before so nobody could actually use it.
They have got a company that tests in Edinburgh to also do testing in Glasgow and are adding another 3 testing centres soon including one of the Universities. Probably because they get 1 free test for every 10 they proctor.
So some small progress at least.
Neill
Interesting posts about the Prometric switch. I haven't had to do a Prometric exam yet, but in Central Ohio there are multiple testing centers that are both Vue and Prometric. I got my first MS exam (70-270) done before the end of the year, so I could still do that with Vue. I have an exam scheduled through Prometric for this coming Friday. Hopefully there won't be any issues. I will be going to the same testing facility that I have used for my previous 6 tests (all Vue) but they have different systems for Prometric testing.
I will say that the online registration is more of a hassle through Prometric.
I will say that the online registration is more of a hassle through Prometric.
Just took 291 at the Prometric testing center in Baton Rouge and it was not very impressive. The computer was probably from the 90's, the keyboard and mouse were once white but now yellow. The mouse was a ball mouse and i had to clean it because it was not rolling well. It took about 30 seconds to load each question from the time i hit Next and at the end it took a while before the results were processed. Staff wasnt very professional either...I got there 10 minutes early and the secretary was on the phone, obviously on a personal call, and when it came time to take my test i had to interupt her and tell her that it was time and she did the annoying "hold on, I'll have to call you back after i get this tester in the room". Anyway, it is the only testing center within 60 miles of me so..guess ill have to put up with it.
The Vue testing center here is so nice too. I took my first 2 Microsoft tests there and i must say i am upset they took that away from me. rant finished.
-drew
The Vue testing center here is so nice too. I took my first 2 Microsoft tests there and i must say i am upset they took that away from me. rant finished.
-drew
When you say "Prometric testing center" or "Vue testing center", are you talking about a testing center that is owned and maintained by Prometric/Vue, or are you referring to a third-party center that administers tests for Prometric/Vue? I ask because here in Columbus there is a Vue owned/maintained center, and then multiple third-party training companies that also administer the tests.
Anyone know of the appropriate people at Microsoft to communicate with about issues? It seems like the Prometric-only has been a problem, and I would hope that if enough people make enough noise they will either force them to clean up their act or give us another option.
Anyone know of the appropriate people at Microsoft to communicate with about issues? It seems like the Prometric-only has been a problem, and I would hope that if enough people make enough noise they will either force them to clean up their act or give us another option.
sorry about that, i should have specified. The Vue testing center in Baton Rouge is an actual Pearson/Vue Owned center and the Prometric testing center was a crappy third party training center. If someone figures out who to make a stink to about this i will certainly try to help the cause.
-drew
-drew
Prometric brought another testing centre in Glasgow on-line at Pitman training.
Very handy for me since it is 2 minutes walk from the train station. And it is pretty quiet at the moment since not a lot of people know about it. I've taken 5 tests there so far since December and other PC has only been occupied twice.
They only have 2 testing PC's and the screens are only 15". VERY small room, and rather noisy but the staff are very good.
I took 70-293 last week and it crashed on me half way through, thankfully they were able to bring it up again on the other testing PC where I left off.
However that test was also VERY slow in going forward and back to a couple of the questions. I sat there for 90 seconds each time wondering whether to report a crash before it finally sorted itself out.
Neill
Very handy for me since it is 2 minutes walk from the train station. And it is pretty quiet at the moment since not a lot of people know about it. I've taken 5 tests there so far since December and other PC has only been occupied twice.
They only have 2 testing PC's and the screens are only 15". VERY small room, and rather noisy but the staff are very good.
I took 70-293 last week and it crashed on me half way through, thankfully they were able to bring it up again on the other testing PC where I left off.
However that test was also VERY slow in going forward and back to a couple of the questions. I sat there for 90 seconds each time wondering whether to report a crash before it finally sorted itself out.
Neill
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