BAII For Finance?

[sirjake]

I've read several threads on this and still don't feel like I have a firm grasp of what's allowed. (See here for more on it).

Here's what the bulletin currently says:

Page 3:

The use of nonprogrammable calculators (four basic
functions only), slide rules, scratch paper and/or other
materials is permitted for some of the tests. Refer to
the section entitled Auxiliary Testing Materials on
page 9 for specific information.

Then on the referenced Page 9:

Calculators are allowed only for the exams listed in the chart below. For these exams, the only calculators that may be used, NO EXCEPTIONS, are commercially-produced handheld calculators that are battery or solar operated, silent, nonprogrammable, and do not have either a full alphabetic keyboard or graphical display.

Given that page 3 references page 9 for specific information, and that page 9 does not reference "basic four functions" AT ALL, my conclusion is that the four function stuff is essentially misinformation or a typo. It doesn't make any sense to me to prohibit something on one page with cursory information and then not prohibit it on the page with specific information.

Given that the BAII seems to cleanly fall into the allowable features on page 9, has anyone ran into trouble in trying to use it on the Principles of Finance DSST? I don't think my testing center has a clue on it, but I'm curious if anyone else has actually been denied based on it.

[MISin08]

I got to use mine. Mind you I did not ask "Is this calculator OK?" but I did pull it out in plain sight of the proctor and I was the last one to finish that day so she could not have missed it.

The BAII is a fine calculator and a worthwhile investment btw.

Phillip

[FinancialWorld]

Yeah, I hope I can use mine. I just got my BA II Plus financial calculator. Taking the test this month. I contacted my testing center and the proctor said I can bring a "non-programmable calculator". Guess we'll see.

[FenderNed]

I emailed the DSST team to clarify. I specifically asked them if the BAII was an approved calculator. All I got back was an excerpt from the general guidelines.

I then took their response and sent a message to my proctor directly. She allowed me to use the calculator.

On the day of the exam, I took a printed copy of the approval email, just in case...

[sirjake]

I emailed the DSST team to clarify. I specifically asked them if the BAII was an approved calculator. All I got back was an excerpt from the general guidelines.

I then took their response and sent a message to my proctor directly. She allowed me to use the calculator.

On the day of the exam, I took a printed copy of the approval email, just in case...

That's hilarious. Gotta love bureaucracies.

Thanks, all. I'm going to assume that I can use it and prepare accordingly. If not allowed on test day, I'll reevaluate and figure it out.

[Levi]

At first, my proctor said that I was NOT allowed to use my financial calculator on DSST Business Math. He then provided me with a standard 4-function calculator. I believe that one reason I failed this test was that I did not have an appropriate calculator.

When I took Business Math the second time, I showed the proctor the official DSST rules and explained that my HP financial calc was a non-programmable calc. He was fine with that and let me use it. So I passed.

Proctors apparently don't always know all the rules, and he has been proctoring for nearly 30 years.

[FinancialWorld]

I emailed the DSST team to clarify. I specifically asked them if the BAII was an approved calculator. All I got back was an excerpt from the general guidelines.

I then took their response and sent a message to my proctor directly. She allowed me to use the calculator.

On the day of the exam, I took a printed copy of the approval email, just in case...

@FenderNed. Could you PM me the email from DSST. I'm taking this exam next week. I really love my calculator (BAII) and want to use on the exam I just want to be extra careful. If you could do that for me, it'd awesome.

Thanks

[FinancialWorld]

OK so I took the test today WITH the BAII calculator. I had talked with my proctor beforehand about using it. She didn't say anything today about it, but she was a little FRAZZLED because the computer wouldn't work. I had to wait 2 hours before she got it up and running (hay I could use a little extra study time =) ). Passed with a 432!! Very happy.

It was a refreshed exam, so I wasn't sure if very much of the content was changed up at all. Couldn't remember all the formulas, but with the help of my awesome calculator I was able to figure out most of the stuff.

All in all, I don't think I could've done it without the my calculator. IT REALLY HELPED!

Hope this helps someone

[sirjake]

Took Principles of Finance today myself and had no issues using my BAII Plus. I even mentioned it to my proctor.

That said... Honestly, I don't think it would have been a big deal if they hadn't let me. I think I only needed it on maybe 5 of the 104 questions and the tables WERE available. Still, it was nice to not have to worry about it.