# Transition to computer based exam?!



## engineer123 (Sep 22, 2018)

0Hi All,

I want to apply for the April 2019 PE Exam and I am just getting started with my application. I checked to see when the deadline is and I come across this paragraph from the NYS website:


NCEES Principles and Practice (PE) Examinations (April 2019 paper and pencil &amp; computer based exams):



With the ongoing conversion of the NCEES exams from paper and pencil to a computer based format, where the exams are offered year round, the NYS exam application deadline has been eliminated. Applications will be reviewed in the order received and notification of the results sent to the applicant via email or mail. We strongly encourage applicants to submit their applications at the earliest possible date



Based on this statement, I guess the PE can be taken any month now (no longer April &amp; October). And there seems to be no deadline either. This seems too good to be true but can anyone confirm this? If this is true, then that's great because I really want to take my time in preparing the application. Thank you in advance! P.S. has anyone taken the computer based PE exam yet? Just wondering if only certain states are offering this option at this time.


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## engineer123 (Sep 22, 2018)

By the way, I plan on taking the PE Environmental. 

I just did some research and found out that each discipline will eventually become CBT. Here is the tentative schedule:

https://ncees.org/exams/cbt/

Since the environmental discipline will transition to CBT next year, does that mean the paper/pencil format is completely eliminated? I heard the CBT format are not open book, meaning you can only use the supplied pdf reference manual? Can someone clarify if I'm allowed to bring notes, textbooks, etc?


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## RBHeadge PE (Sep 24, 2018)

There is only one more opportunity to sit for the pencil/paper Environmental PPE:  and it's this October. For all intents and purposes, you have missed the deadline to take that exam in NYS.

NYS is waaayyyy behind in processing applications (for everything), so get your application in now to take the CBT Envr PPE in 2019.

CBT exams are not open book in the same way that pencil/paper tests are open book - where the examinee can bring almost whatever they want. Instead NCEES will supply you with a pre-approved reference material in a PDF, and it will be on on the computer which you are taking the test. You can download the PDF prior to the exam to aid in studying.


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## In/PE/Out (Oct 18, 2018)

RBHeadge PE said:


> CBT exams are not open book in the same way that pencil/paper tests are open book - where the examinee can bring almost whatever they want. Instead NCEES will supply you with a pre-approved reference material in a PDF, and it will be on on the computer which you are taking the test. You can download the PDF prior to the exam to aid in studying.


That’s why I’m taking the “last-ever” paper and pencil administration of the Enviro PE exam while I can. I’ve heard anecdotally, and thru members on this forum, that the NCEES PE Env manual contains numerous errors. I wouldn’t want an inaccurate reference, especially if it’s the only one I’m allowed to use. Though, it may skew the cut score...


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## txjennah PE (Oct 18, 2018)

In/PE/Out said:


> That’s why I’m taking the “last-ever” paper and pencil administration of the Enviro PE exam while I can. I’ve heard anecdotally, and thru members on this forum, that the NCEES PE Env manual contains numerous errors. I wouldn’t want an inaccurate reference, especially if it’s the only one I’m allowed to use. Though, it may skew the cut score...


Have you been taking the practice exams in the Schneiter book? It seems most of the solutions are referring to the manual.  I'm wondering if, with the transition to CBT next April, if this exam will be similar...


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## In/PE/Out (Oct 18, 2018)

Yeah, I have been studying from the new Schneiter book. I have been limiting my reliance on the NCEES reference manual and instead opting to use my lineup of references. 

If the October 2018 exam is written in a “transitional” way,  i.e., it’d be similar to the future CBTs (and Schneiter’s practice exams) and “reward” anyone who thought to bring the NCEES reference, then I feel like I’m in pretty good shape. But I’m not counting on it. Gotta be prepared for anything


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## RBHeadge PE (Oct 19, 2018)

In/PE/Out said:


> I’ve heard anecdotally, and thru members on this forum, that the NCEES PE Env manual contains numerous errors. I wouldn’t want an inaccurate reference, especially if it’s the only one I’m allowed to use. Though, it may skew the cut score...


I don't know if the hard copy NCEES PE Env manual is the same refrence (PDF) that will be provided on the CBT? For Chem and Nuke, they prepared a new reference; The NCEES dashboard provides a document titled "PE Environmental Reference Manual Version 1.0". If it's not the same publication as the one you referenced, you should consider looking at it, printing it out, and taking it with you to the test next week.

I'm not sure that it will skew the cut score. If they determine that the provided reference yields the wrong answer, and with so many EnvE takers they will through statistical analysis, they would score the _wrong_ answer as correct as well.



In/PE/Out said:


> If the October 2018 exam is written in a “transitional” way,  i.e., it’d be similar to the future CBTs (and Schneiter’s practice exams) and “reward” anyone who thought to bring the NCEES reference, then I feel like I’m in pretty good shape. But I’m not counting on it. Gotta be prepared for anything


You've got the right approach.

I thought it was strange that they would redo the pencil/paper exam a year before transition to CBT. Way too much work on their part to have to redo it again in a year. Through game theory, you'd expect the questions on the April and Oct 2018 to be very similar what is will be asked on the CBT. These pencil/paper tests may be the "beta testing" for the test moving forward. But hey, people do stupid things all the time so it may not be related.

@vee043324@txjennah


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## engineer123 (Nov 30, 2018)

@RBHeadge PE @In/PE/Out @txjennah

Hey guys - I need some clarification on the cbt registration process for PE Enviro!

With the transition to cbt, do the registration windows still apply? For NY state,  although it says there is no longer an application deadline,  it still mentions in the following paragraph that after approval,  you must register anytime November 26 2018 to Feb 7 2019 to reserve a seat for the exam. Im not sure if this rule only applies to written exams? I assumed if the test is offered year round that we could register anytime as well. If not,  when would be the next registration window?


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## RBHeadge PE (Nov 30, 2018)

I have no clue, you should contact the NYS board.

I mean it sounds like something prepared for the semi-annual written exams, but you'd *think* they would have updated it for the Chemcial CBT too?


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## txjennah PE (Dec 1, 2018)

engineer123 said:


> @RBHeadge PE @In/PE/Out @txjennah
> 
> Hey guys - I need some clarification on the cbt registration process for PE Enviro!
> 
> With the transition to cbt, do the registration windows still apply? For NY state,  although it says there is no longer an application deadline,  it still mentions in the following paragraph that after approval,  you must register anytime November 26 2018 to Feb 7 2019 to reserve a seat for the exam. Im not sure if this rule only applies to written exams? I assumed if the test is offered year round that we could register anytime as well. If not,  when would be the next registration window?


Yeah, I don’t have any idea either.  What @RBHeadge PE said.  Good luck!


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## In/PE/Out (Dec 1, 2018)

RBHeadge PE said:


> I have no clue, you should contact the NYS board.
> 
> I mean it sounds like something prepared for the semi-annual written exams, but you'd *think* they would have updated it for the Chemcial CBT too?


With the limited number of PE exams that are administered as CBT, I doubt anybstate boards would update their language to address CBT PE exams.

As @RBHeadge PE and @txjennah have suggested, I’d check with your state’s board.  My guess is that a lot of states’ won’t update their exam registration language until all the PE exams go CBT, which won’t be for at least 5-6 more years.

It seems that the Environmental PE is a “niche” exam, otherwise it wouldn’t have been transitioned to CBT so soon.


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## JayKay PE (Dec 3, 2018)

engineer123 said:


> @RBHeadge PE @In/PE/Out @txjennah
> 
> Hey guys - I need some clarification on the cbt registration process for PE Enviro!
> 
> With the transition to cbt, do the registration windows still apply? For NY state,  although it says there is no longer an application deadline,  it still mentions in the following paragraph that after approval,  you must register anytime November 26 2018 to Feb 7 2019 to reserve a seat for the exam. Im not sure if this rule only applies to written exams? I assumed if the test is offered year round that we could register anytime as well. If not,  when would be the next registration window?


I think this exam window is for the first Enviro CBT exam, which is scheduled for April 2019.  I believe once the first April 2019 exam is given, the exam registration will be open window for the Enviro and you can take it every 90-days (I feel like I read this somewhere on the NYS site or NCEES site when I did a mock registration for enviro again).


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## engineer123 (Dec 3, 2018)

@JayKay0914 i think you're right. When I choose NY for PE Enviro,  it does say registration is only open for April 2019,  in which the deadline to register is Feb 7 2019. When I try chemical,  it doesnt say anything about registrations or deadlines. I guess since chemical has been cbt for a while now,  you can register whenever,  whereas this is the first enviro cbt version. (P.s. i tried other states and it seems to be consistent). As you stated,  I believe after April 2019,  the testing windows for the remaining year will open.


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