Auditioning for Season 8 / Primtime this Weekend!

Hi Guys,

I just got back from my Millionaire audition today and thought I would share the experience in case anyone else plans on attending one of the road auditions.

First and foremost, I did not pass the test. They stated numerous times that "there is a passing score, but we do not tell you what it is." I was told by someone who sat next to me (who has auditioned several times) that the passing score is determined by the amount of people taking the test and a passing score are the people somewhere in the top 10-20%, and not a specific number.

There were about 350-something people at this audition, which was the first one of the day. When I arrived roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes before the test was scheduled to begin, I was the 93rd person in line. They shuffled us all into the testing room which was setup like any hotel conference room, long rows of chairs and explained to us that we could be picked for either the 8th season of the show or for the primetime anniversary edition, then had some time-killing contests like "who can tell me one of the other cities we are having road auditions for?" or "who looks like a celebrity?" or "who can do the best animal impression?". People who participated were thrown a Millionaire T-Shirt.

A good chunk of the people taking the test weren't from the area. One woman who I met (who was very friendly and supportive) was from Texas and flew in just to take the audition - I guess people are willing to travel across the country to take these tests! One person was from Pennsylvania as well! (This audition was taken in Nashville, TN).

Of all of these people, around 20-25 people were announced as having passing scores and were told to hang around to be assigned a call-back time for an interview, and the rest of us were herded out of the room and hotel.

The test was 30 multiple choice questions (marked using a ScanTron sheet -- break out the old school #2 pencils!) with a strict 10 minute time limit. The test moderator would give a 5 minute, and 60 second warning. The questions (to me) seemed to be of slightly increasing difficulty, but the majority of the questions I would say were in the $25,000+ category if they were used on the show.

They were very strict about personal belongings and writing anything down, so I tried to memorize as many questions as I could with the time remaining on the test after I had finished with all of my answers. Below are the questions (paraphrased) that I could recall, in no particular order.

"In the TV Game show title 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire,' which word is the pronoun?"

"'I'm not really a waitress' by OLO is a type of what?"

"What is the northernmost world capital?"

"What was the first country to free themselves from communism?"

"In the Harry Potter book series, the title character is a member of which house in Hogwarts?"

"The statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center in New York City is holding what in it's right hand?"

"___???___ is a type of goggles that were first used for what event?" (Note: I chose 'nuclear bomb test' as the answer and I don't remember the name of the goggles)

"Which of the famous composer names listed below is shared with the name of the lead singer of the 1980's rock band 'Skid Row?'"

"Which of these countries declined to be an official state of the United States of America?"


Those are all of the questions I can remember offhand of the 30 that were asked. Sorry, I don't remember all of the choices. I've been told that they sometimes use the same test when they travel on road auditions, so if you plan on attending one, perhaps knowing the answer to these questions will give you a jump start!

A few people asked about it while they were grading the tests and it wasn't anything we haven't already heard. They just said it was for 11 nights, the ending date (aug 23rd I think?) and that fastest finger was going to be used (that statement caused moans and groans in the room)

Because not many people like the fastest finger process.

I can actually see why these people are mad that there is going to be FF. I'm guessing it's because they all ready passed the audition test and then they still have to win FF?!? That hardly seems fair. Hopefully, if they don't win FF, then they'll be put back into the contestant pool?

Americans are different than Brits. The typical American is so rushed that they like everything fast and quick. Because society is so rushed in everything, it just makes people think that they are entitled to everything and that it is all about them and that they are the only person that matters and they want everything done their own way, which is quick to get the job done. I completly disagree with this lifestyle; I think people should just slow down and take a deep breath once in a while.

I agree with you khicks. The only reason why I said what I said is because of a bunch of different people I have asked in the past about it. I really miss the FF part of the game!

Wha!!?? Either they used different scan tron sheets for you guys or a lot of us made a huge mistake! I don't remember now since it's been a few months but I could have sworn ours were top to bottom. If they weren't then... that might be why I didn't pass? They certainly made no mention of it to anyone though, and I'd like to think I would have picked up on something like that.

From what I hear about the "passing score" that "exists but they aren't allowed to tell you," is that it's the top scoring percentage of applicants. In general meaning that if they only want the top 5%, then out of 350 people, only the top 17 or so will pass and chances are they scored perfectly if they are keeping it on that tight of a leash.

That's just what I heard while I Was at the audition from some of the "veterans" and I have no way to back it up.