Well, that was easy.

I got to the test site half an hour early and they let me start the test immediately.  I probably should have gone to the bathroom first – I had drunk two cups of coffee just before coming in to guarantee I wouldn’t fade too much towards the end of the test.  The test monitor, who should have been there the whole time, was not.  I decided to do all the multiple choice sections (reading & math) and then take a break.  Actually, “scheduled breaks” were supposed to happen, but they never did.

I finished the multiple-choice, and still no monitors.  It had been two hours.  I moved on to the two writing assignments, periodically waving into the camera on the wall in case someone was watching.  No one was watching.  I finished my first essay in a little over an hour.  It was at that point that a monitor person finally came in, talking on his cell phone (very rude to those of us taking the test!).  I got up, he said “bathroom?” and I nodded.  He let me out.  The second essay felt less rushed, though I did this one in just over an hour as well.  It took me 4.25 hours to take the CBST.

When I got to my car, I realized that I had no way to pay for the parking.  The test center doesn’t allow anything (paper, pencils, phones, wallets), so I had left everything but my driver’s license at home.  Fortunately, there was a guard at the exit who allowed me to leave for free (saving me $17. – thanks!).

The preliminary results showed that I was proficient in reading, and not too bad in math (I should have done better).  With the written portion yet to be graded, I currently sit one point away from passing the exam; in other words, I passed the exam based on 2 of 3 sections.

Band practice this evening was a lot of fun.  Jeffrey is getting better on bass, and because he is on bass so often, I’m getting better at electric.

Jeffrey has also decided to learn how to play harmonica so he can do the solo in “There is no rock like our God,” a very challenging harmonica solo.  I wish him luck.