The USPTO, Alexandria, Virginia
Didn't pass the exam the first time?
Questions and answers from the USPTO Exam are currently only published by the Office for exams given in 2003 and earlier years. There are only 2 ways to see the more recent exam questions in the current question pool. The first method is to take the actual exam. The second method is to visit the USPTO and inspect the questions which you missed on the exam.
When you take the actual exam, you will see 100 questions and a sum total of 500 answers in 6 hours. You will be under the pressure of the exam and your primary goal is to pass the test. At the exam review, the situation is different. You will have 2 1/2 hours without any exam pressure. You will have less questions, at least 28, but hopefully, not too many more. You will have the correct answers with descriptions. Your only task is to study the questions and memorize the answers.
Time & cost
From most major metropolitan areas in the continental US, you can complete an exam review and miss only a single work day or school day. With careful planning and a little luck, the total cost can be as low as $300 from the west coast and as low as $200 from the east coast. In spite of the charges for other Patent Office services it's unbelievable that the USPTO does not charge for an exam review. For some reason, it's absolutely free.
At the USPTO
Your exam review takes place in James Madison West. The Madison Building is the centerpiece of the USPTO campus with a huge glass atrium. In the photo above, the west building is to the right of the glass atrium. The Madison Building atrium is public space, just walk in. The lobby has 2 levels. On the west side of the upper level is a small, patent museum. There is a coffee shop on the lower level. Behind the coffee shop are the public restrooms, the cafeteria and access to the west tower.
About 15 minutes prior to your appointment time, proceed to the security entrance for the west building. Tell the guard you have an appointment in OED for an exam review. The guard will hold your drivers licence or other ID in exchange for a visitors ID badge. You will go through airport style security, then take the elevator to the 8th floor. There is a reception area just off the elevator lobby where you will be instructed to wait until your proctor arrives. 
At your scheduled appointment time, your exam review proctor will take you to a conference room directly behind the reception area. It is here that you will be handed the golden booty, a manila file folder with your name and test date on it. You will sit at the conference table. One wall of the room has a bookcase with a dictionary and various versions of the MPEP which you may utilize, if desired. There is a clock on the far wall which you can use to plan your review time. You will have 2 1/2 hours. No cell phone use, no writing, a proctor stays with you for the entire session; usually working on a PC in the corner of the room.
Inside your folder are paper copies of each of the questions which you missed on your test center exam. Each question will have the complete test question with the 5 answer choices. The incorrect answer that you chose and the correct answer are both indicated. The answer choices are followed by the model answer, usually containing a fairly complete description and rational for each answer. If there were a few questions on your exam that you were wondering about that are not in your folder, you either selected the correct answer during the exam or the question was a beta question. The 10 beta questions do not count and are not reviewed.
When your time is up, take the elevator back down to the lobby and retrieve your ID from security. Then you can sit in a corner of the cafeteria for a brain dump. Write down everything you can while it's fresh in your mind. After you have spent 2 1/2 hours reviewing the same questions you my feel that you don't need to write them down. Don't make that mistake. What you write down, you can study and it will not be confused later.
Making Plans
To set up your exam review appointment contact the OED at 571-272-4097. There is a morning or an afternoon appointment time each weekday. If you're not planning to stay overnight, the afternoon appointment 1:00 PM is probably the safest choice. You may wish to schedule your review within a week of your next exam attempt so that the questions from the review will be fresh in your mind. Check all the date requirements on your post exam letter and in the General Requirements Bulletin to be sure. Business casual dress is appropriate at the USPTO.
It may take a few days to reach someone at the USPTO who can schedule an appointment. Check your flight options before you make your appointment. Mid-week flights, especially Wednesdays, usually have the cheapest fares. The earlier you make you flight reservations the less expensive they are likely to be. You can reschedule your exam review appointment time without penalty, but changing flights can be expensive.
Getting there
The USPTO is located in Alexandria, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. Unless you happen to be within a 4 hour drive from DC, it's probably both cheaper and easier to fly. 3 major airports serve the DC area, Dulles International Airport (IAD), Reagan Washington National (DCA) and Baltimore Washington International (BWI). After you arrive, the DC area has a good subway system called "The Metro" which serves the USPTO.
Reagan Washington National (DCA) is the best airport choice, however, it is usually the most expensive. It's on the Blue and the Yellow Metro line and only a few miles from either the USPTO or "The National Mall", the main tourist center of Washington. Travel from the airport to the USPTO takes about 10 minutes on the Metro and cost $1.80. U.S. Air is a major carrier from this airport.
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) Located about 30 miles northeast of DC, this will likely be the best choice for travelers located near major metropolitan areas east of the Mississippi. East coast residents can often book flights during off-peak travel times for as low as $59 each way on Southwest if you book more than 14 days in advance. The Marc Train offers rail service from the airport to Union station in DC. The fare is about $6 each way or $5 for students. The train runs about every hour. Check the schedule for specific times. From DC you can take the Metro to the USPTO. The Metro fare is $2.85. Allow about 1/2 hour for travel time from DC to the USPTO Madison building.
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is located in Chantilly, VA 26 miles from downtown Washington, DC. The largest of the 3 DC airports, IAD is a United hub. The Washington Flyer bus runs frequently and will take you to the West Falls Church metro station (on the Orange Line) for $18 round trip. The Metro bus 5A is much cheaper ($3.10 each way) and brings you to Rosslyn Station which is on the Blue line, closer to the USPTO.
From the Metro
The USPTO is served by 2 Metro stops. King St. station on both the Blue and Yellow lines and EisenhowerAve. on the Yellow line.
Exit the King Street station toward the parking lot onto Diagonal Road. Turn to the right in front of the Embassy Suites hotel, walking slightly uphill. The first major intersection is Duke St, about 1/2 block from the station. You will see The Motley Fool building across the street. Cross over or under Duke St onto Dulany between the two lion statues. From here, you will see the USPTO Madison building straight ahead.
From the Eisenhower Ave. Metro station exit onto Eisenhower Ave. and turn right. Look for the glass atrium of the USPTO Madison building about 2 1/2 blocks ahead, on the right side of the street.
Further directions are posted on the USPTO website.
  
View of the USPTO Madison Building approaching from Eisenhower Ave. Metro Station
The USPTO cafeteria
The cafeteria is your friend. It is here that you will sit and madly type or scribble everything you can remember from your exam review. Many topics and the correct answers will be fresh in your mind now. Some of the alternative answers will fade quickly. I used earplugs as I sat recording my questions for 30 minutes. An angry practitioner in a dark business suit was sitting nearby screaming into his cell phone about some papers not being done.
You will find the cafeteria on the lower level of the atrium lobby. Walk between the coffee shop/cafe and the auditorium and turn right. The cafeteria is open to the public. The seating areas on the left are open anytime. You can find the food service hours and weekly menu listed under Roundhouse cafe.
Traveling cheap
When traveling from the west coast, it's usually cheapest to take a red eye flight. Mid-week flights, (Tues. or Wed.) are usually not too crowded and offer the lowest fares. If you take the red eye, you won't need a hotel room and you can accomplish everything in one business day. You may even have a few hours in the morning for some quick sightseeing. Expect to be exhausted when your done. From the east coast, try Southwest into BWI with a more than 2 week advance booking. Southwest doesn't use the big travel sites like Expedia, so you will have to use the Southwest website directly.
If you do decide to stay over, hotels tend to be expensive in the DC area. One traveler used Hotwire to book a hotel and ended up staying at the Crowne Plaza in Alexandria for $60. The Red Roof Inn near the Baltimore Airport can also be inexpensive.
Rental cars in the DC area tend to be more expensive than at most other major airports. Traffic during rush hours can delay you for hours and parking can be difficult. You may wish to use the metro to go into DC even if you rent a car. If you do need a car and are under 25 years of age, try Enterprise or Budget. At the USPTO, you can park in either the east or west parking garage for $10.
USPTO lower atrium lobby, Madison Building. The "S" marks the security entrance to the West building.
When you return from your exam review
When your finished, please take a few minutes to share your questions with other future test takers. Submit them on the contact page.
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