Leslie Ford is the “voice of NCIDQ.” If you call our office, chances are better than average that you’ll be talking to Leslie. In her six years with NCIDQ, she’s heard a lot of questions and given a lot of answers in her usual friendly and knowledgeable way. She patiently walks callers through the NCIDQ vocabulary maze. We asked her to help us define some of the terms that confuse exam candidates the most.
At NCIDQ, we have a lot of policies and procedures. I’ve worked here more than six years, and in the beginning, I thought I’d never understand the difference in all of our processes and terms. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way. Our Web site explains all of these things in a lot more detail. I know it’s a lot to read through, but reading the information here and online might save you time, possibly save you some money and will definitely save you some anxiety along the way.
Educate yourself on the process.
Almost everything we do involves a process, some paperwork, a deadline or a fee—sometimes all of these things! I know you probably don’t want to read a lot of information, but you can save yourself a lot of stress around application deadlines and exam time if you do. There’s a lot of information on our Web site and in our Registration Guide and Exam Update e-newsletters that we send to exam candidates, and I can’t stress how important it is to read it all.
Here’s a true story: A couple of years ago, an exam candidate called our office in a panic on exam day. “My test center is locked up and dark!” he told me. I asked him what location was given in his admission letter, and he read me a completely different location for the test center in his city than where he was. I asked him why he didn’t go to the location given in his admission letter. My heart nearly broke when he told me his friends all told him to go to what was actually the wrong location, because that’s where they had taken the exam the year before. He never even read his admission letter until the day he called our office, and by that time, it was too late. You can’t enter the testing center late, so he lost several hundred dollars in registration fees.
I know it’s not the most interesting reading you’ll ever do, but it’s really important.
Understand the vocabulary
We try to keep our jargon in check, but in the regulatory world, it’s difficult. Here are some key terms you need to know about the examination process.
Control number: We assign this number when you apply online. Keep it handy. You’ll need it all the time. If you call us, it’s the first thing we will ask you.
Application: This is a one-time process where we see if you are eligible to take the exam. You apply and pay online and mail in your supporting documents for review. Deadlines are June 1 for the fall exam and December 1 for the spring exam. We automatically make you eligible for whatever exam cycle is coming up.
If you are made eligible, we will send you an e-mail telling you it’s time to register, so always keep your e-mail up to date!
Registration: This is when you tell us which exam sections you want to take, choose which city you want to test in and pay for the section(s). You have to register each time you want to take the exam. Registration happens after the grades from the previous exam have been released. You usually have about a month to register, so don’t delay. Above all, don’t forget to pay! You’re only registered once we have processed your payment.
Late Registration: There is a two-week window after regular registration closes where you can still register. However, there is an additional fee for late registration.
Defer: You have the option during registration to not take the upcoming exam. You can choose to “defer” until the next exam administration. There is a fee for this, though. Deferring keeps you on our active exam candidate list, so you will always get exam information from us. Did I mention you should keep your e-mail updated?
Always pay to register for an exam section or defer. Do not simply do nothing. If we do not hear from you, we make you inactive. When that happens, you’re still eligible for the exam, but then you have to go though another process (and pay more fees).
Reactivation: This is the process required to bring your inactive exam record back to life. You don’t have to submit any more documentation, but you do have to pay a fee.
Special Accommodations: If you have a condition that is covered under disabilities guidelines, we offer accommodations. Like everything else we do, there’s a process that involves forms and documentation and deadlines, so make sure to understand it all if this applies to you.
Courtesy Accommodations: If you have a condition that is not covered under disabilities guidelines but requires some sort of accommodation such as for pregnancy, diabetes, injury, etc., we can help you. And of course, there’s a process and deadline for that, too!
Cancellation: We know that circumstances come up and you can’t take the exam. There is a window during which you can cancel your exam registration for any reason and receive a refund (minus a cancellation fee) after the exam is administered. If you decide not to take the exam, cancel your registration! If you just don’t show up on test day, we consider that a no-show, and you won’t get a refund.
Emergency Cancellation: We know that sometimes emergencies happen. If a personal medical or family medical emergency happens before the test but after the cancellation deadline, we allow for that. You have to submit documentation and pay the cancellation fee, but you will get a refund for the difference. (For the record, work deadlines, your sister’s wedding and traffic on the way to the exam site are not considered reasons for emergency cancellations. Trust me, we’ve heard some pretty creative stories.)
Now… you’ve sorted out the process, read all the stuff we’ve sent you, you’ve scoured the Web site and you still have questions. Call our Customer Service team at 202-721-0220. We answer calls between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time, and we don’t have an automated phone system. So when you call during that time, an actual live person will pick up the phone! It might be me, so tell me you know me from the blog!
Good luck on your journey to professionalism.
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