AuthorTopic: Got a notice of inquiry-what should I do?
rsarah
@2007-07-03 09:49:51
After the Level 2 June2007 exam I got a notice of inquiry. According to the CFA institute, the proctor claims to have seen me looking at my neighbour's answer sheets. I have no idea how he came to that. I would never ever study 300 hours and then risk to cheat. What can I do now? Has anyone gotten something like this before? I would be so happy if you could give me feedback, I am really despaired. And trust me-cheating is the very last thing I would have thought of during the exam.

Best

Sarah (Germany)
0is4eva
@2007-07-04 07:08:46
No, I have no experience from that.

But I saw people being reported for not surrendering their scantron sheet the minute when the proctor told them to do so and for filling in a few more "scantron bulbs" in the very last minute. Doesn't sound like much but thereby they were potentially earning some 10-20 more points.... Before the test started I even saw people trying to get into the exam hall with non-authorised programmable calculators, to no avail of course. I'm not surprised that the rules are hard, and have to be.

I would assume that a notice of inquiry is exactly what it says: 'inquiry'. They want to hear your side of the story. If you're confident you didn't do anything to that extent, why not ask some friend with legal training to help you draft your reply, assuming that an inquiry is simply about them wanting to hear your version of the story? It is a difficult case, though, because it's not like you could produce any witnesses and I would assume that simply saying "I didn't do it" is not enough, nor is arguing about the likelihood of your not cheating (everybody would say that). I recall the proctor initially reading out loud some text about not glancing at each others sheets "or giving the appearance of doing so". I.e. even "giving the appearance of doing so" is not allowed and merely by being addressed with this inquiry is proof that you have, to the proctor at least, "given the appearance of doing so".

The most important thing for you, I believe, is to secure the possibility to take the exam again next June. You might have failed anyway, simply by not scoring enough points, and that happens to a lot of good and ambitious test takers. The second most important thing for you is not to be put down or to become bitter about what has happened, but simply address the task again with a clean slate and bearing in mind what risks you are taking by simply looking around in the exam room, or by politely answering someone's careless chit-chat during the exam. Next time: bring ear plugs, don't mind being "rude" by not replying to someone addressing you inside the exam hall; keep your head down and concentrate on the sheet before you and if you're finished early simply close your eyes and meditate for the rest of the session.... or leave when it's 31 minutes left (they lock the doors at 30 minutes left).
frwd
@2007-07-11 07:49:32
2 rsarah:

Got simillar problems did u find out any solution

CFA Discussion Topic: Got a notice of inquiry-what should I do?

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Edward Liu

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