Engineering, surveying April 2011

[EnvEngineer]

In october the pass rate was 40% but they dont publish the cut score any longer, the last cut score is shown below

Tested2592 Passed1143 Pass %44.10%F ailed1449 Fail %55.90% Cutscore30 Possible46 (April 2009) 69%

Tested2555 Pass833 Pass %32.60% Fail1722 Fail %67.40% Cutscore183 Possible294 (Oct 2008) 62%

So you need 31 to 35 correct,

 

[simpatique]

It was an intense test. My target was to get at least 45 questions right. But that did not happen. Some problems that I left to work at the end did not get done. I guessed 7 questions. I hope I passed but only God knows. However, the CA board should change the name of the test from Engineering Surveying to " California Transportation and Land Development Engineering Test". Please Board stop misleading and misrepresenting about the test!!!!

i agree !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[simpatique]

listen you jack ass ! Unless you have a constructive thing to say , I suggest you keep it to yourslef . You know nothing about me so maybe you should sustain from making ass- umptions and stick to what you know ~

Why are you so rude, simpatique?! I took PE 3 times, and last time, thinking to be prepared very well, didn't know some of the answers. It doesn't make me to be that rude to these who said that this past test was easy. It was too hard for me. You have to keep your temper to yourself, it just a discussion board. Hdancingnaughty:

hey, I was being attacked. I studied hard for the test . I really did not appreciate someone I do not know questioning my competence . I am sure you would not like it either.

I was not attacking you at all. You said it was obvious that you only got to 30. I was merely pointing out that, no, it is not obvious to us unless you tell us. How would we know you only got to 30 unless you tell us? There is still a good chance you did o.k. No one can get to all 50 given the time restraints. When I passed, I "felt good" about 32 of the 50, "felt o.k." about another 9 or so and guessed the rest. If you look at the historic passing score (back when the state used to post them), the passing score was about a 60%. Good luck.

sorry i missread you

 

[simpatique]

In october the pass rate was 40% but they dont publish the cut score any longer, the last cut score is shown below
Tested2592 Passed1143 Pass %44.10%F ailed1449 Fail %55.90% Cutscore30 Possible46 (April 2009) 69%

Tested2555 Pass833 Pass %32.60% Fail1722 Fail %67.40% Cutscore183 Possible294 (Oct 2008) 62%

So you need 31 to 35 correct,

I spent 4 hours a day for the last 6months on the surveying alone .. I ve attended the semianr and worked all the problems of Reza's book .. I solved all Cuomo and most of the surveying practice tests available on the market . I also solved all the problems on Crawford both books and Kavanagh .... I even downloaded books fom england . I dont know what m0re I could be done more ??

 

[simpatique]

I spent 4 hours a day for the last 6months on the surveying alone .. I ve attended 4 weekends seminar of Reza and worked all problems of his book ( most of the surveying problems the exam come from his book in one form or another ) .. I also solved all Cuomo and Lew and most of the surveying practice tests available on the market . Finally , I solved all the problems on Crawford both books and Kavanagh .... I even downloaded books fom england . I dont know what m0re I could have done to be more prepared . Quantum physics ?

 

[simpatique]

This was a tough survey exam, no two ways about it, once again I think I did good but no way to tell. I really had a hard time understanding some of the questions and that hurt me time wise. Seemel like more calculation problems this test as well so time was a real issue.
Good luck everyone.

specially the surveying law part ... Next time I am going to bring my attorney to decode theses questions

 

[simpatique]

Finally , I work as engineer for Caltrans ... Just in case they blame my lack of knowledge on my lack experience !

 

[dastuff]

In october the pass rate was 40% but they dont publish the cut score any longer, the last cut score is shown below
Tested2592 Passed1143 Pass %44.10%F ailed1449 Fail %55.90% Cutscore30 Possible46 (April 2009) 69%

Tested2555 Pass833 Pass %32.60% Fail1722 Fail %67.40% Cutscore183 Possible294 (Oct 2008) 62%

So you need 31 to 35 correct,

This question is asked often so I thought it would be interesting to compile old pass rates and see what the averages are (I did from 2000 to 2010).

I did that here: PE Pass Rates

To sum it up, the average % you had to get correct (back when they posted results) was 51% for seismic and 58% for surveying. The average pass rates for the two were 39% for seismic and 38% for surveying.

 

[simpatique]

In october the pass rate was 40% but they dont publish the cut score any longer, the last cut score is shown below
Tested2592 Passed1143 Pass %44.10%F ailed1449 Fail %55.90% Cutscore30 Possible46 (April 2009) 69%

Tested2555 Pass833 Pass %32.60% Fail1722 Fail %67.40% Cutscore183 Possible294 (Oct 2008) 62%

So you need 31 to 35 correct,

This question is asked often so I thought it would be interesting to compile old pass rates and see what the averages are (I did from 2000 to 2010).

I did that here: PE Pass Rates

To sum it up, the average % you had to get correct (back when they posted results) was 51% for seismic and 58% for surveying. The average pass rates for the two were 39% for seismic and 38% for surveying.

thanks for the info .I guess it is up to luck for now

 

[simpatique]

In october the pass rate was 40% but they dont publish the cut score any longer, the last cut score is shown below
Tested2592 Passed1143 Pass %44.10%F ailed1449 Fail %55.90% Cutscore30 Possible46 (April 2009) 69%

Tested2555 Pass833 Pass %32.60% Fail1722 Fail %67.40% Cutscore183 Possible294 (Oct 2008) 62%

So you need 31 to 35 correct,

This question is asked often so I thought it would be interesting to compile old pass rates and see what the averages are (I did from 2000 to 2010).

I did that here: PE Pass Rates

To sum it up, the average % you had to get correct (back when they posted results) was 51% for seismic and 58% for surveying. The average pass rates for the two were 39% for seismic and 38% for surveying.

thanks for the info .I guess it is up to luck for now

 

[TESTY]

I had to take the Surveying test twice, passed the second time. Both times there seemed to be a problem that you couldn't get the correct answer. I think it was one of those "control" problems they throw out. Anyway, its real easy to spend too much time on 'em. I also found surveying really easy to make "dumb" mistakes, meaning you know how to do the problem, you just, for example wrote NE instead of SE etc. Everybody I've talk to ran out of time and had to guess 5-10 problems, which can make your passing score up to luck, you could need a few correct guesses to get over 33 correct.

 

[htoresk]

in reality, there is no course available to really prepare you for the Ca. surveying boards. You need to really know the material by heart, even thought is an open book examination we have no time to look for any references.

The board could pre-evaluate the questions for correct technical writing, even though the questions may make perfect sence to the ones whom prepare and submit the question, in may not make any sence to the next person in line.

so the board would really help us all by reviewing the questions for correct technical writing and clarity. After all I presume the board would be concernned mostly to ensure that we are competent in the application of surveying, not how well I may be able to understand the person whom contributes to the pool of questions for the examination in the first place.

no offence to anybody, but this is my humble opinion and evaluation of an examination that should not be that difficult in the first place, because surveying is relatively a simple and straigth forward subject matter. As an engineer working in several roadway projects, we hire professional surveyors to layout our control points and do most of the surveying work, so I do not think that in reality I would find myself doing any surveying other that checking on elevations and other minor questions that construction workers may have in the field, or being able to comunicate effectively with the surveyors doing the actual work.

good luck to all.

 

[ptatohed]

in reality, there is no course available to really prepare you for the Ca. surveying boards. You need to really know the material by heart, even thought is an open book examination we have no time to look for any references.

The board could pre-evaluate the questions for correct technical writing, even though the questions may make perfect sence to the ones whom prepare and submit the question, in may not make any sence to the next person in line.

so the board would really help us all by reviewing the questions for correct technical writing and clarity. After all I presume the board would be concernned mostly to ensure that we are competent in the application of surveying, not how well I may be able to understand the person whom contributes to the pool of questions for the examination in the first place.

no offence to anybody, but this is my humble opinion and evaluation of an examination that should not be that difficult in the first place, because surveying is relatively a simple and straigth forward subject matter. As an engineer working in several roadway projects, we hire professional surveyors to layout our control points and do most of the surveying work, so I do not think that in reality I would find myself doing any surveying other that checking on elevations and other minor questions that construction workers may have in the field, or being able to comunicate effectively with the surveyors doing the actual work.

good luck to all.

Not sure why you bumped this 6 month old thread. ?

I agree, you need to know (most of) the exam material/concepts by heart.

I didn't know there was a problem with the technical writing of the CA-Survey exam questions. I didn't notice a problem. I haven't heard anyone else say this.

I'm a little torn on your third point (that knowing Surveying shouldn't be a requirement for PE licensure). [in fact I feel this way 100% about the CA-Seismic but that could be another thread all by itself]. But Surveying is a little different. It is the foundation for any civil project. Maybe some of it doesn't play a daily role for an office CE but there is a lot of it that does. For the most part, much of what we need to study to pass the CA-Survey is (in my opinion) core concepts any engineer should know anyway.