Help needed - Issue with prometric - Result didn't display or print for PMP exam

 Hi,

I attended my PMP exam on Monday - Aug/06/2012 at Prometric - Fairlawn - NJ, and completed answering all 200 questions and spent all 4 hours, and at the end of the 4 hours the screen went blank (which is expected) , but the survey never came up, result never displayed nor it printed.  So I don't know weather I cleared my exam or not.

Prometric center called their global tech help desk, and tried to bring the survey back (assuming if I complete the survey it will print the result),  but they never succeded.  The tech help desk confirmed to promteric center that all my results are saved, but they can't see the final result.  They gave me a letter confirming that I attended the test , mentioned that PMI only can tell my result. 

I called PMI and they mentioned it takes up to 3 business days to receive the result from Prometric.  But when I called the Promotric customer support today (this is different from tech help desk), they mentioned that the status of my exam says 'Terminated due to technical error'.  He says they generally send the results to PMI immediately and in any case with in 48 hours.

Now I'm confused and worried that if my test is even submitted / saved for PMI to verify and give my result. 

Can some one please advise whan else I can do on this issue and if this is a commin issue with Prometric ? Any information on this will be really appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Venkat

admin's picture

Never heard about this, but you will have to follow up with Prometric, and PMI.

Thank you for your response.  PMI Updated my result with 'Below Proficieny' in all categories which indicates soemthing must have gone wrong between Prometric and PMI.  I studies for 4 months , and got more than 85% most of teh mock tests I too.  Also the actual PMI exam also was easy for me, and many of the questions are sure shots.


I mailed to PMI dispute resolution group certappeals@pmi.org  and waiting to hear back.


 


Thanks,


Venkat

Since I have been associated with PMP since long time, I know that in the PMP exam the answers are saved to the data base on each click i.e. your answer are stored in the data base immediately after you choose the answer for any question. I am not positive the infrastructure could be the reason for your failure.


Since you have received BP in all 5 Process Group, I am sure, the certappeal will not give you any happy response.


Please do not take my words discouraging. I am just taking honestly with my experience.


There are many incidences where I have seen people securing 80% or above in most of the recommended test and failing in the PMP exam. PMP exam does not give you result verdict based on the overall percentage result that you see from mock test across. They have a different result calculation technique like each process review, psychometric analysis etc.


Make a lesson learnt and better prepare and try the next time, you will pass. Don’t worry much, success and failure is all part of life. ---> this apply once you hear back from the certappeal. :)
 


Saket, PMP

Thank you for your kind response. 


The reason I beleive there is an issue with Infrastructure is, after the original issue (i.e No result or print out),  Prometric started my test with hope that they can retrive my original answers and I can complete the survey and that will offocially print teh result.


But each time they opened the test, it showed none of my orginal answers, it just started a fresh test each time.  First time they asked me not to asnwer any question and terminated it. Second time they opened the test again and asked me just to answer 3 questions, and then terminated again (as it didn't resolve the issue).


So it's my view that PMI might have received the latest copy of my result (i.e. answered 3 quesions only) instead of my oroginal paper where I answered 200 questions. 

 I had the same issue recently. I prepared well since from last 6 months and confident on the all knoweledge areas. I answered 200 Q's in 4 hours. At the end screen was totally for longer period. I did not get survey also. When i was waiting at the test machine, PROMETRIC guy called and asked me if i am done with exam. He said he will get the print in 5 minutes and asked me to wait outside. After 5 minutes he said he was not able to access my exam details or see results and failed to get print. He said there is internet issue and unable to get the exam result and asked me to call PROMETRIC Call Center to know the result. But i argued with them and demanded for result immediatly. They said they will try it again. After some time they came and asked me to take another test machine and finish survey. New Machine is showing up Survey when i look at machine screen. So i gave my survey and clicked on End Button and then after few minutes i saw below proficient in all knowledge areas. I was shocked after seeing result. I did well and atleast it should show moderately proficient in few knowledge areas but not happend so. 

After speaking to some of PMP certified managers regarding this issue, they clearly said they opened new exam and ended exam immediatly and taken to Survey screen which lead to BP in all knowledge areas.

I reported this issue to PMI and waiting for their response. PROMETRIC should not do like this. Because we will loose $450 if something goes wrong at PROMETRIC and again paying 275$ for retaking exam.

If you have any suggestions please advise.

 

Thanks,

Anand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, can you please advise on how long it might take for certappeal to respond back to our appeals ?

Upto 5 working days. I am so sad to see issues with Prometric. It really feels very bad when something goes wrong with infrastructure issue. Please write all these to PMI.


Saket, PMP


 

Thank you Saket for the response, I'm still waiting from PMI regarding my appeal, hopefully they will respond soon as it's 5 working days already that I appealed. 


All I'm hoping is a realistic result from them, whether Pass Or Fail, but not all BP because of the technical error on Prometric side.


I'll post this group as soon as I get a response from them. 


 


Thanks,


Venkat

Hi Saket / All,


I'm happy to Inform that after investigation by PMI , prometric retrieved my original answers and reevaluated, and I cleared my PMP with below proficiencies:


---------------------------------------------------------------------


Initiating the Project -- Moderately Proficient


Planning the Project -- Proficient


Executing the project -- Proficient


Monitoring and Controlling the Project -- Proficient


Closing the project -- Moderately Proficient.


--------------------------------------------------------------------- 


Thank you all for your help on this.


 


Thanks,


Venkat

@@@ Venkat


Excellent news to start a weekend. I am really happy to hear this. It was actually a test of patience and right time and you won that!


Every dark night ends up with a romantic sunrise. I wish you good luck for your project management career, make sure your confidence level is same throughout your journey of professional project management.


Saket, PMP

Congrats Venkat!

And kudos for hanging in there. Persistence seldom fails.

~ Diba

Thank you Saket / Diba

 Hi Venkat,

I had a similar issue with my PMP exam and I wanted to take your guidance, would be great if you can share your phone no or email id with me. Its urgent, I'd like to know the right approach. I took the exam in Hyderabad, India.


Thanks,

 I clicked End Test.  It asked if I wanted to do the survey.  I did the survey.  Completed everything but no results displayed.  Test center tried restarting to no avail.  Called Prometric -- they show the test as Scheduled.  I sure hope I have a happy ending as well.  I certainly don't want to pay to take the test again since this is a user interface problem!

 

Since I took my exam yesterday, I also have an issue that I would like to share with fellow aspirants.


My prometric location had two labs. Lab A and Lab B. My appointment was for 8 AM. People in A were been send in pretty quickly. But B had some problem with the GRE exam and they were talking to tech support. Finally, I was send in 30 mins late. I started my exam - all was fine.


At Q 175, I could read the question, but the sketch was missing. I could see this small box with a red cross. It looked like the sketch didn't download. The test administrator told me to mark it and come back. I was dreading that the test might have lost connection with the main server and I might have to cancel my tests if it doesn't move forward. Then Q 176, same thing ! After that I crossed my fingers and continued. I realized that it had something to do with the sketches and the exam was still ON. Don't know if the test download's on to the machine, or we stay online taking the test on the main server. I had 25 more questions to go and knew that there are no more sketches to see. Then on Q 186, same thing. But luckily, it was just these 3 questions (175, 176, 186). I had guessed on them, but without the sketch, it was "little" difficult to guess (hahaha). Considering the fact that these 3 questions were answered blindly, I assumed that the choices that I had guessed were incorrect. But then, 3 out of 200 would hopefully be not the make or break issue.


I think one question had a control chart and asking for the problem. One had a Network diagram and asking the critical path. And the third had SPI and CPI for 3 projects and asking which one needs most to be fixed first. Assuming, the sketches didn't have anything weirdly trickily, i would have had not problem with them.


The test did finish. I got the survey. And then when I came out, the admistrator printed the PASS document (4P and 1MP).


Just hope that PMI doesn't call me and tell me to retake the test ! The administrator had called Prometric Support. She said that the test would be graded based on whatever I had marked for these three questions and for the other 197 questions.

 Hi Venkat,Congrats on a success decision to your hell of experience in the exam.

I appeared for the exam in Dec2012.Just wanted to enquire one thing...

Once u complete 200 questions and then end the exam using end button,the screen goes completely blank.U have to wait for say around 1-2min and then a survey pops up.Then after filling up the survey the result is displayed.Is this correct.Just wanted to verify since this is completely different from the simulation exams wherein u have a status bar as well as a submit button once u finish all 200 sample questions.At least ur sure ur data is there and the system is live. 

In my case,the above steps happened and then I was declared below proficient for all process groups even when Im sure that I did quite well.Actually Im quite surprised that the screen goes fully blank(as if all data is being cleaned or reset) and then ur not sure if it even calculates correctly.

I have anyways resubmitted to appear for the exam this week but atleast want to be aware of any system flaws.Today while random search I saw ur message which seems quite similar to my case.If u visit this page or anyone else in the forum(Saket or other experts),

please do suggest.I will be attending the exam in Prometric Singapore.

 

Raj

 

 

Hi Ujjval, Venkat & Raj,

I took my exam at Prometric Detroit Downtown center yesterday. I went back and forth, used previous, next, marked and unmarker button frequently. Not with the intention to crash the applications. I completed my exam about 30 minutes ahead of scheduled 4 hours exam. I took a 5 minutes restroom break, came back, I reviewed few incomplete ones, then i reviewed the marked ones. While i was clicking through i experienced several glichtes, since everything came back after every glitch i didn't raise the issue. I was waiting for the exam to time out. Which it did. And then a survey window popped up. I said no to survey. When i got my result back. I Failed, and below pro efficient in all 5 domains. It didn't make sense to me. I studied for the exam for almost 1 year. Took my 35 Hours training through recognised institution, paid 3K for it. I was very confident before the exam, as scored 92% on the last practice exam. If i am failing i would expect to see at least one domain above "below pro efficient" level. I truly believe it doesn't reflect my true performance.

I raised the issue with Prometric after analysing my result. They gave me a ticket number with Prometric, and i also spoke with PMI, and forwarded the complaint to them. They are investigating. Any tip/suggestion would be helpful. I have worked very hard, i don't want all my efforts to go down the drain. The fact is employers want you certified, they don't only rely on your experience to give you a job. 

Thanks,

 

Update:
I had quite few a email exchanged with PMI ever since. They said, PMI exam success rate is 100%, recheck is not necessary, however they did check my selections, and no issue was found. The exam result stands. I asked if PMI can forward me my exam transcript so i can check myself? They said, it's against PMI policy. Finally, i asked if you can waive reexamination fee, they said no.
I paid 3K to Professional Development Center at Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI through my corporate educational funds. I am the only person among my corporate group who took the exam. I studied passively ever since i completed my training back in July 2016, and didn't take the exam until May 2017, with vigorous study in the last two months. I have 10 years of IT background working as analyst, developer, and lead. I didn't schedule the exam till i knew i am ready to pass it. When i discussed my failed result with my trainee he took a mock test in the middle of our conversation, and he said it is surprising you failed it, there might be a glitch.
What was the probability of this issue in the first place? probably less than 99.996%, but can PMI assure me it will not happen the second time, when they are completely denying it the first time? PMI doesn't live up to its own standard let alone teaching them to others. To me they have done a fraud without trace. This is where I find ordinary person completely helpful before the system.