PE Exam Registration Troubles

[atran]

I just wanted to share my experience with the new PE registration process through NCEES:

I am registered to take the CA PE Exam, my first time taking it on Oct 29th 2010. I registered with NCEES and submitted the CA application form by registration deadline (July 19 2010). I received confirmation through post cards from the CA board that I was met all criteria to take the exam in October and to wait for an authorization form to be mailed 2-3 weeks prior to the examination date. That was great so I meantime have been studying for all 3 exams the 8-hour and 2 state-specific exams.

However, I was contacted by the CA board in Mid-September notifying that I had not registered with NCEES for the CA State specific exams through the NCEES website, and therefore would not be allowed to take them. To my knowledge at the time, NCEES took care of national exams. Without clear instructions in the CA board website to register for both the 8-hour PE and CA state-specific exams, I had not added state-specific exams on my list of exams on the NCEES website. Both CA board and NCEES each informed me to contact one another to resolve the issue. This runaround produced no results and I was left accepting not being able to take the 2 California state-specific exams. This was extremely frustrating for me because for they could have at least contacted me prior to the NCEES deadline on September 12. Nonetheless, I accepted the added time and cost to get my PE and have been focused on studying only the 8-hour exam.

I printed the Authorization Form on the NCEES website to bring to the 8-hour exam and am all ready next week for it. Then on Thursday evening October 21, 2010 I received a letter from the CA board with 2 forms titled “Supplemental Exam Authorization” with instructions, times, and location to report to the California Engineering Surveying and California Seismic Principal Exams (state-specific). These forms are similar to the form I printed off the NCEES website for the 8-hour exam. With their furloughs on almost every Friday, I wouldn't even be able to contact them until Monday October 25 to find out why I was suddenly sent these authorization notices. So on Monday, four days before the state specific exams, I will know if I should start studying for exams they told me I wasn't allowed to.

 

[HerrKaLeun]

this really sucks.

is the state of CA administering the exam? In WI a private company does the exams. I kind of had to sign up with them the same time I submitted my paperwork to the state. (in case the state would have denied me, they would have reimbursed the fee).

On the state website they also said I need to sign up with them.

Before I could sign up for the test they requested the NCEES registration number. so there was never any confusion (besides that dealing with 3 parties for one test is confusing itself)

Obviously they should handled the 2 additional CA tests the same way.

 

[atran]

this really sucks.
is the state of CA administering the exam? In WI a private company does the exams. I kind of had to sign up with them the same time I submitted my paperwork to the state. (in case the state would have denied me, they would have reimbursed the fee).

On the state website they also said I need to sign up with them.

Before I could sign up for the test they requested the NCEES registration number. so there was never any confusion (besides that dealing with 3 parties for one test is confusing itself)

Obviously they should handled the 2 additional CA tests the same way.

Yeah am pretty sure the CA state administers the exams here. The CA board did require a print out of the NCEES registration page to be sent along with the application. However regardless of you signed up for the just 8-hour only or the state-specific exams as well, they will notify you that you are simply approved. But then when its too late they may inform you otherwise. Since this was the first time CA went through NCEES for registration, I figured they would make some exceptions in case there was confusion or mix ups. But nope. No help from either party...

 

[HerrKaLeun]

the root of the problem is that states are involved. Ideally there was a national PE license (and states could attach their specific requirements to operate as PE in their state like the Alaska Pema classes, or CA seismic tests) and NCEES would approve candidates AND perform the tests. That way you sign up with them and it will be a clear yes or no.

The current system inevitably causes confusion and sends people from one agency to the other and back.

 

[atran]

I agree if NCEES was the only governing board, there would be less problems.

So I got off the phone with the CA Board earlier, and YES I am allowed to take the CA Supplemental Exams. I vented to the Exam Manager on the board and he was very understanding. He said that they have been battling with NCEES to allow registrants like myself to take the state-specific exams, however have not been successful. He said they in the end decided themselves to allow applicants to take the CA state specific exams even if they aren't registered on the NCEES website. Even though the notices went out only a week before the exam date, at least it gave a chance for people like myself to take a shot at it.

So only 4 days to study for both the Surveying and Seismic Exams. I need to get off the forums now and start cracking open them books!