<p>Hi everyone. Sorry if this is a dumb question; I just wanted to make sure.</p>
<p>Today, on the AP Calc MC section, I accidentally used a No. 2.5 pencil instead of a No. 2 pencil (argh...they look exactly the same...) when filling out the bubbles. Is the machine going to pick up my answers, or did I just waste $85? Thanks!</p>
<p>It'll be fine. Last year my friend had a whole box of no. 3 pencils and gave them to the whole class to use on the AP exam...everyone's scores came out fine in the end. I think the number of the pencil is just how dark it is and 2.5 is darker than 2 so it might actually come out better :)</p>
<p>I have heard you can use pens on scantrons. It's based off of light reflecting, so anything dark will do. What kind of crap is it when they say "no mechanical pencils"??? Puh-lease, I have used mech. on loads of exams with no problems.</p>
<p>The should say "don't use the erasers on the back of pencils"</p>
<p>^ That story is hilarious. What did they do to him once they found out?</p>
<p>dr/owned, you heard wrong.</p>
<p>I think the theory with mechanical pencils is that they won't make dark enough marks.</p>
<p>But, I've used them on the SAT and on AP tests, so...</p>
<p>oh yea they let us use mechanical pencils on the AP calc mc today... it is a load of b.s. i hate how we have to write sat stuff in normal pencils, especially the essay section....</p>
<p>Thanks for responding, guys. :) I called CB a moment ago just to be safe, and a CS rep told me that I should, most likely, be all right if I darkened in the bubbles enough. He also said I should ask my AP coordinator to file a report, and I've contacted her about doing so. Hopefully, it'll turn out okay.</p>
<p>One of these days I'll try using a Sharpie on a Scantron :)</p>
<p>I always used mechanical pencils even though they say not to. I've used them on the APs, SATs, SAT IIs, ACTs, Regents, etc. Never had a problem because the lead is the same if you're using mechanical or a wooden pencil.</p>
<p>The only benefit to not using a mech is because the lead is so small it takes a fraction of a second longer to bubble stuff. I use wood on the scantron stuff just to save like 30 seconds of bublbing over the entire test.</p>
<p>The no.2 pencil thing was because of the old way scantrons used to work, demanding a certain shade/darkness, I'm pretty sure.</p>
<p>i didnt even know there was such thing as a 2.5 pencil -_-</p>