SAN ANTONIO -- It's the U.S. Census Bureau's final push for this year's count: a massive three-day testing session at the Alamodome, where as many as 6,000 residents could find some part-time work earning as much as $17 an hour with the average job lasting 10 weeks. That drew in the applicants all afternoon.

"I just decided this morning that I'd come down and do it and my husband said I was crazy," said Suzanne Cobb, who works for a mortgage company and is deciding whether to move ahead in that career field. "I wouldn't mind something temporary, short-term to do."

"Just looking for some extra money, not doing anything right now," said James Cupp, who is retired.

The only real requirements are a a passport or valid photo ID along with a social security card or birth certificate and a 28-question test. People who took the test said it wasn't the toughest they ever took.

"It wasn't bad," said Cobb. "If you didn't pay attention it could be a little tricky."

"It's the details in it," Cupp said. "Of course, they're looking for detail-oriented people."

Ten years ago, 27,000 residents were not counted in San Antonio and Bexar County. That cost the county over $80 million in federal funds.

"If we don't have an accurate count, for every one person not counted, 10 people, 100 people, 1,000 people not counted, that number really starts adding up on funds missing out on," said Efren Salinas of the U.S. Census Bureau's Dallas office.

"Then you realize how important it really is that everybody fill out their census, get it in and how important this job could be because a lot of funding that the city or county may get, or state, is dependent on the census," added Cobb.

Some of the people hired will go door-to-door to residents that did not return their census form. In 2000, San Antonio had a response rate of 72 percent, a bit higher than the Texas average of 67 percent.

"I can understand how people get caught up and forget about it," said Cupp, who said he always fills out his form once he receives it. "There's always a few that think the government's looking for stuff they don't need."

The testing will continue on Wednesday and Thursday at the Alamodome from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. both days and parking is free.

While your score on the test is the main factor in whether the Census Bureau will offer you a job, Salinas said that disabled veterans with qualifying test scores will move to the top of the list.