Thoughts on Recent CA Survey Exam and Review Course

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jijir83

jijir83

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Hello all!

Has anyone taken the CA Survey exam recently and took a review course prior to taking it? By recently I mean between Spring 2015 until now. 

I'm still trying to decide which review course to take. Everyone I know recommends one course/instructor or his workbook. I think it's probably good but they all took it prior to 2015 and talked about how the questions on the exam were like the ones from their workbooks with different numbers. I could care less that the questions are the same, but I do want something that will help me with gaining speed. From personal experience recently, those questions were nothing like those workbooks (i.e., One line questions followed by multiple choices. They were more like paragraphs upon paragraphs. And then there were all the legal and equipment stuff).

There's one course that has CBT exams for practice that I'm tempted to take but looks like it's all online and I'd rather some in-person interaction. The other one which has been recommended might be just fine for concept but if the practice material doesn't exist or isn't suited to today's test format, I'm worried that I won't learn to gain the speed that I need.

Thanks!

 
In my experience, I seem to gain speed when I solve practice tests after I have studied the material and practiced solving some problems. So, I need both... workbook to solve problems and mock tests for practice. If you are happy with your knowledge of the basic stuff, then go with the practice tests. If you can afford, then take both but like I said, practice or mock tests are my first preference.

Good luck.

 
jijir83 said:
Hello all!

Has anyone taken the CA Survey exam recently and took a review course prior to taking it? By recently I mean between Spring 2015 until now. 

I'm still trying to decide which review course to take. Everyone I know recommends one course/instructor or his workbook. I think it's probably good but they all took it prior to 2015 and talked about how the questions on the exam were like the ones from their workbooks with different numbers. I could care less that the questions are the same, but I do want something that will help me with gaining speed. From personal experience recently, those questions were nothing like those workbooks (i.e., One line questions followed by multiple choices. They were more like paragraphs upon paragraphs. And then there were all the legal and equipment stuff).

There's one course that has CBT exams for practice that I'm tempted to take but looks like it's all online and I'd rather some in-person interaction. The other one which has been recommended might be just fine for concept but if the practice material doesn't exist or isn't suited to today's test format, I'm worried that I won't learn to gain the speed that I need.

Thanks!
Click to expand...


jiji,

I believe EET is working on adding a CA-Survey class to their roster.  But, if you can't wait for that, I'd recommend the Civil Surveying Workshop.  But I am still convinced you can do it on your own with no class if you so choose.  Also, I wouldn't dwell on "recent" so much.  The current state exam outline has been the same for at least  four years now.  Just study/practice the topics on the exam outline and you'll be fine.  You'll get it this next time no matter what you decide, I know it. 

 
ptatohed said:
jiji,

I believe EET is working on adding a CA-Survey class to their roster.  But, if you can't wait for that, I'd recommend the Civil Surveying Workshop.  But I am still convinced you can do it on your own with no class if you so choose.  Also, I wouldn't dwell on "recent" so much.  The current state exam outline has been the same for at least  four years now.  Just study/practice the topics on the exam outline and you'll be fine.  You'll get it this next time no matter what you decide, I know it. 
Click to expand...
I want to take both seismic and survey in October and get them over with. I don't see date for EET survey on their site. It's probably not ready for this cycle. I'm currently taking their Seismic review in-person and I think that's what I needed. It helps to have a structure for problem solving and exams even though I hate that I have no free weekends until November. So far, nothing I didn't know or couldn't do (it's only been the fundamentals though). I'm looking forward to the code stuff next week that I really need to get on.

If EET had a survey class, I'd take it. The seismic instructor seems committed. I've gone through the material you've sent me. Most of it is good stuff so I've definitely been using them for review on my own. I could actually take the test and score better but I don't trust "the curve". I'd feel more comfortable in a structure where I can go through problems and get even more exercises and blow past the passing grade. It also doesn't hurt that work has now agreed to pick up the tab on review courses. I might take @Maji's advice and go for the one with the problems and CBTs.  The Civil Surveying Workshop is the other one I'm considering and was recommended. The instructor was really nice and even went through the trouble of calling me. However, I'm worried I'll get loads of fundamentals and not what I need in practice and practice volume/diversity. I want this to be like the 8-hr where I can confidently build up the speed to do the test in half the time. Alright... I'm exaggerating but not by much. Still, I didn't stress about studying for the 8-hr on my own because I was able to find and do hundreds of problems since I didn't have much fundamentals to learn.

Mmmm... still thorn with a couple of weeks to decide :/

 
jijir83 said:
I want to take both seismic and survey in October and get them over with. I don't see date for EET survey on their site. It's probably not ready for this cycle. I'm currently taking their Seismic review in-person and I think that's what I needed. It helps to have a structure for problem solving and exams even though I hate that I have no free weekends until November. So far, nothing I didn't know or couldn't do (it's only been the fundamentals though). I'm looking forward to the code stuff next week that I really need to get on.

If EET had a survey class, I'd take it. The seismic instructor seems committed. I've gone through the material you've sent me. Most of it is good stuff so I've definitely been using them for review on my own. I could actually take the test and score better but I don't trust "the curve". I'd feel more comfortable in a structure where I can go through problems and get even more exercises and blow past the passing grade. It also doesn't hurt that work has now agreed to pick up the tab on review courses. I might take @Maji's advice and go for the one with the problems and CBTs.  The Civil Surveying Workshop is the other one I'm considering and was recommended. The instructor was really nice and even went through the trouble of calling me. However, I'm worried I'll get loads of fundamentals and not what I need in practice and practice volume/diversity. I want this to be like the 8-hr where I can confidently build up the speed to do the test in half the time. Alright... I'm exaggerating but not by much. Still, I didn't stress about studying for the 8-hr on my own because I was able to find and do hundreds of problems since I didn't have much fundamentals to learn.

Mmmm... still thorn with a couple of weeks to decide :/
Click to expand...
So which survey course did you take? 

 
haha! Still haven't bought one. I just added to my to-do list to do that today.

I finished bugging the CPESR guys with questions and I think I'm going with that one. I talked to someone who teaches other review courses. Their advice was to take Surveying Workshop class if I want more concept/fundamentals or take CESPR if I have the fundamentals. CESPR has those CBT practices I think I'll benefit more from. Plus, I'm spending every Saturday in seismic now. It'd be nice to not spend every Sunday in class as well :/ Still conflicted but I'm pulling the trigger this week. I need to start surveying by end of September and my exam date is set for Nov 7.

 
ptatohed said:
For all I know CPESR is great.  I just remember this mixed review thread:  http://engineerboards.com/index.php?/topic/25272-cpesr-surving-course/Also, I could be totally wrong about this, but does the OP's (Awni) post smell a little bit like a fake review? 
Click to expand...
Yeah... I checked all the reviews I could find on review courses, that one included. Rain4Cali's comment rang more fake to me though. But then it could be a few fellow awkward engineers writing them. Who knows. But hopefully I'll be smart enough to take from it enough of what I need. At this point it's more about practice and confidence so it should work out.

Sent from my SURTAB-722-3G-HD-1S using Tapatalk

 
jijir83 said:
Yeah... I checked all the reviews I could find on review courses, that one included. Rain4Cali's comment rang more fake to me though. But then it could be a few fellow awkward engineers writing them. Who knows. But hopefully I'll be smart enough to take from it enough of what I need. At this point it's more about practice and confidence so it should work out.

Sent from my SURTAB-722-3G-HD-1S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Looking forward to your review! 

 
I am sure if anyone email me contact for details will be confident to pass the exam. 

 
ndolap said:
I am not kidding, if you still not pass the exam I can help.
Click to expand...
I guess I won't need your Top Secret services.

So... why should people email you outside of here rather than send you a private message through this board? I'm just curious. 

 
jijir83 said:
I guess I won't need your Top Secret services.

So... why should people email you outside of here rather than send you a private message through this board? I'm just curious. 
Click to expand...
It is hard for me to spend time typing in here since if you want my help then I call you when I get your email with your number. My secret is to help you get done problem in survey in only 1 minute so can save for hard question. The key for surveying exam is time to save each problem so you can finish most the question exam. Good Luck jijir83

 
ndolap said:
It is hard for me to spend time typing in here since if you want my help then I call you when I get your email with your number. My secret is to help you get done problem in survey in only 1 minute so can save for hard question. The key for surveying exam is time to save each problem so you can finish most the question exam. Good Luck jijir83
Click to expand...
Thanks! I passed.

 

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