# Has anyone's FE exam ever been cancelled?



## MENG6 (Apr 13, 2008)

Hey everyone,

Have you ever had your exam been cancelled due to weather or other reasons? Our FE exam was cancelled and they are planning to have it rescheduled. Does anyone know how this works as far as scoring? I am concerned that other test takers might have an unfair advantage especially when they have been studying and are mentally prepared on test day. Even though it seems like there is more time to study now, I know students who took courses have their course geared toward exam day and the material is the most fresh on that day, and tapers off each day thereafter. Of course I plan to keep reviewing, but the cancellation was a real bummer, sometimes you just want it done with! I just don't know how it will affect the statistical analysis of the total results, and who knows if the exam content was breached. I hope they write a new exam, or maybe they already have 2 versions in place for this type of thing. I just hope the scoring remains fair, I am worried that I will not do as well as I would have on the original exam day. Any thoughts/experiences??


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## benbo (Apr 13, 2008)

MENG6 said:


> Hey everyone,
> Have you ever had your exam been cancelled due to weather or other reasons? Our FE exam was cancelled and they are planning to have it rescheduled. Does anyone know how this works as far as scoring? I am concerned that other test takers might have an unfair advantage especially when they have been studying and are mentally prepared on test day. Even though it seems like there is more time to study now, I know students who took courses have their course geared toward exam day and the material is the most fresh on that day, and tapers off each day thereafter. Of course I plan to keep reviewing, but the cancellation was a real bummer, sometimes you just want it done with! I just don't know how it will affect the statistical analysis of the total results, and who knows if the exam content was breached. I hope they write a new exam, or maybe they already have 2 versions in place for this type of thing. I just hope the scoring remains fair, I am worried that I will not do as well as I would have on the original exam day. Any thoughts/experiences??


I don't know what you can do, but I would be incredibly mad if that happened to me. Plus, now they have the added problem of people who took the exam giving out information. What a mess.


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## MA_PE (Apr 13, 2008)

Aside from the PITA of having to wait to take exam after the expected test date and potential schedule conflict with the revised test date, I can see no disadvantage to the postponed testees. There is more time to study and you get the feedback from those who just took it. IMHO, your concerns about "fairness" are just whining.

I'm sure there was a valid reason for the postponement because I can see it being more of a problem for the test giver than for the taker, so i doubt the decision was made on a whim.

Good luck


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## benbo (Apr 13, 2008)

A lot depends on how much notice you got. If they told you the morning of the exam when you showed up, that is a pretty big inconvenience in my opinion. Expecially if you changed things and arranged to have the day free, and if you drove a long distance or had a hotel room I think you have every reason to complain. Of course, I'm not saying you can do anything about it. At least the FE is on Saturday - if it was the PE people take off work to go to that.

If they told you a week before, that's a different matter.

I do agree that it probably isn't a fairness issue, as long as a lot of people don't breach the exam security. Because they surely won't come up with a new exam.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 13, 2008)

OK, but they don't call them "acts of god" for nothing. Shit happens and often times when you're given a shit sandwich all you can do is chew well so you don't choke.

I'd certainly be unhappy but I wouldn't think it's unfair.


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## EM_PS (Apr 14, 2008)

Yeah I woulda been majorly bummed to have that happen to me, sorry to hear it happened at all! Out of curiousity, where were/are you taking the test?


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## ldu571 (Apr 14, 2008)

IlPadrino said:


> OK, but they don't call them "acts of god" for nothing. Shit happens and often times when you're given a shit sandwich all you can do is chew well so you don't choke.
> I'd certainly be unhappy but I wouldn't think it's unfair.


Raymond - I had to laugh at your post. I haven't heard the term shit sandwich since I left the Army. And funny enough I saw that you're a squid, so cheers to you.


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## MENG6 (Apr 15, 2008)

Thanks for all the advice. Yeah it was a bummer, I was in Maryland, and they cancelled it 5 minutes prior to exam time due to a power problem. Oh well, what can you do? I hope we hear from them soon for a reschedule.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 15, 2008)

ldu571 said:


> Raymond - I had to laugh at your post. I haven't heard the term shit sandwich since I left the Army. And funny enough I saw that you're a squid, so cheers to you.


I've spent a fair amount of time with Marines and Army guys. I might be in the Navy but I'm a dirt sailor - my Sea Counter is ZERO! I'm in the Civil Engineer Corps and have spent most of my career with the Seabees.


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## MENG6 (Apr 15, 2008)

HERE'S THE STORY

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal...0,7500192.story

So tragic! I studied for 3 months too!


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## benbo (Apr 15, 2008)

MENG6 said:


> HERE'S THE STORY
> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal...0,7500192.story
> 
> So tragic! I studied for 3 months too!


OMG! Fudgey strikes again! Seriously, I think that is really a bummer. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if somebody DID sue over this and have a chance. You sacrifice three months of your life and who knows what opportunities you pass up and this happens? I'm not usually a big advocate of lawsuits, but this really sucks. Anybody who claims that this would not have really POd them, well, I find that really hard to believe.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 15, 2008)

benbo said:


> OMG! Fudgey strikes again! Seriously, I think that is really a bummer. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if somebody DID sue over this and have a chance. You sacrifice three months of your life and who knows what opportunities you pass up and this happens? I'm not usually a big advocate of lawsuits, but this really sucks. Anybody who claims that this would not have really POd them, well, I find that really hard to believe.





> "The reason [the test] is significant is that you have 325 people who planned on being engineers in Maryland in the next five or six years, and this easily postpones them by six months at least," Parr said.


Oh my Gosh... delayed by 8-10% The horror!

There's a big difference between being unhappy (an understatement I know!) and thinking you should sue. Please... how could you possible win a lawsuit over this? And assuming you did, how would damages be set? We've all heard about the token $1000 raises some people have gotten for their PE. Maybe I didn't do too well on the Economic Analysis section, but $500 (half the annual raise) six years from now isn't worth too much today.

Again - it's a shit sandwich (really!) but nothing to sue over.


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## benbo (Apr 15, 2008)

IlPadrino said:


> Oh my Gosh... delayed by 8-10% The horror!
> There's a big difference between being unhappy (an understatement I know!) and thinking you should sue. Please... how could you possible win a lawsuit over this? And assuming you did, how would damages be set? We've all heard about the token $1000 raises some people have gotten for their PE. Maybe I didn't do too well on the Economic Analysis section, but $500 (half the annual raise) six years from now isn't worth too much today.
> 
> Again - it's a shit sandwich (really!) but nothing to sue over.


I have no idea what you mean by 8 to 10%.

I'm glad you would have been so sanguine about it after studying for 3 months and showing up to be told to pack up and wait another six months, assuming of course you could even take it again in six months. I'm sure you would have smiled and turned around and said "Oh well, that's the way things are some days." Are you trying to tell me you would remember everything you studied after six months? Maybe you're another TMack, but most people would have to study again.

What happens if an opportunity comes up duirng the next six months that requires an FE? What if you are a new graduate and can't apply for certain jobs because you don't have the license, through no fault of your own.

I'm not saying it would be an easy lawsuit to win. I was actually only being half way serious. But you have heard of a contract? Abrogation of a contract is a valid reason for a lawsuit, and when you pay your money expecting there to be an exam to me that is a contract. For crying out loud, this wasn't an earthuake or a blizzard. The crapper overflowed. Call for some portapotties and let the people take the damn test.

And damages - we have things called courts that set them. You have to provide evidence of damages, and a jury decides. Believe me, people establish damages over things far less concrete than this. How about you took off a week to study for it without pay. How about you got a hotel room? How about you can prove you lost out on a raise? How about you usually work on Saturday and had to take the day off? How about 100-200 hours of study time that you will have to repeat? Those are concrete things.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 15, 2008)

benbo said:


> I have no idea what you mean by 8 to 10%.


The article quoted (which I quoted) that testees planned on being Engineers in the next five to six years and this delayed them six months. 0.5/5 is 10% and 0.5/6 is 8.3%

Please reread what I wrote... I didn't say I'd be sanguine (I had to look that one up!) I implied I'd be unhappy (an understatement!) but I wouldn't sue.

If you were only half-serious about a lawsuit, I apologize for misunderstanding your statement "in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if somebody DID sue over this and have a chance." I took that to mean you thought is was reasonable.

I'm not sure why you doubt I've heard of "contracts" (though you threw me with the term abrogation) or these new-fangled things you call courts.

I wonder if this was really an "act of god" but holy shite - what's up with the threats of lawsuits around here? It would seem we need a few engineers to go to law school and balance things out.

Oh... and one other thing: You can call my wife a slut, accuse my daughter of being a lesbian (not that there's anything wrong with that!), or kick my dog... but don't you EVER compare me to TMack. Thems are fighting words!


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## benbo (Apr 15, 2008)

IlPadrino said:


> The article quoted (which I quoted) that testees planned on being Engineers in the next five to six years and this delayed them six months. 0.5/5 is 10% and 0.5/6 is 8.3%
> If you were only half-serious about a lawsuit, I apologize for misunderstanding your statement "in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if somebody DID sue over this and have a chance." I took that to mean you thought is was reasonable.


I don't think you can assume that everyone will be able totake the test at the next administration, or that they would be able to properly study for it at a different time. So assigning those percentages makes some arbitrary assumptions as far as I'm concerned.

I wouldn't sue. That's not my style. But I would sure be furious, and they would hear from me.

To me, this is something it would be reasonable to complain fairly vigorously about - even to "whine" a little about.

Sorry about the TMack reference. I realize there are some things a person shouldn't even joke about.


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## MENG6 (Apr 15, 2008)

OK, everybody needs to calm down. Yes I'm whiny and upset, because I've been out of school for 3 years so I really did study hard and did take some time off work that week to review and I went in there 6:30am on Saturday morning and was disappointed. But, what can you do? I agree, they should have got some portapotties. Its not like we are allowed to go use it for 4 hours anyway! I had a bad feeling of this too when there was a thunderstorm the night before! It seems to me that they would have to administer a new exam, there's no way they can give the same one after the rest of the country took that one. Well, when I get a letter in the mail for the update or if I get my money back, I'll let you know what happened. I was just hoping maybe this happened before and what they did in that case, I guess it depends on location too. I'll just wait it out, and hope I remember all 5,000 subjects the test covers.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 16, 2008)

MENG6 said:


> OK, everybody needs to calm down. Yes I'm whiny and upset, because I've been out of school for 3 years so I really did study hard and did take some time off work that week to review and I went in there 6:30am on Saturday morning and was disappointed. But, what can you do? I agree, they should have got some portapotties. Its not like we are allowed to go use it for 4 hours anyway! I had a bad feeling of this too when there was a thunderstorm the night before! It seems to me that they would have to administer a new exam, there's no way they can give the same one after the rest of the country took that one. Well, when I get a letter in the mail for the update or if I get my money back, I'll let you know what happened. I was just hoping maybe this happened before and what they did in that case, I guess it depends on location too. I'll just wait it out, and hope I remember all 5,000 subjects the test covers.


I'd press NCEES for information about Contintuity of Operations (COOP) plans. I'm guessing they'd explain it's too expensive to have plans in place, but it'd be interesting to hear their answer. The logistics of having backups at the ready are probably significant.

Why couldn't they offer the exam the next day though? Sure... there's a chance of exam subversion, but I'd think the benefit outweighs the risk. Still, too late for this cycle.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 16, 2008)

benbo said:


> To me, this is something it would be reasonable to complain fairly vigorously about - even to "whine" a little about.


Agreed! But in the end, the sandwich has got to be eaten.

I wonder if EB has their own version of the Godwin's Law for TMack?


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## MA_PE (Apr 16, 2008)

> I'd press NCEES for information about Contintuity of Operations (COOP) plans. I'm guessing they'd explain it's too expensive to have plans in place, but it'd be interesting to hear their answer. The logistics of having backups at the ready are probably significant.
> Why couldn't they offer the exam the next day though? Sure... there's a chance of exam subversion, but I'd think the benefit outweighs the risk. Still, too late for this cycle.


They do have a back-up, the test is rescheduled for six months later.

It does truly suck but shit happens. I haven't researched it but it looks like MD might require that work experience considered on the PE application be done as an EIT. The article says:

"The reason [the test] is significant is that you have 325 people who planned on being engineers in Maryland in the next five or six years, and this easily postpones them by six months at least," Parr said. He added that passing the exam allows them to become engineers-in-training and work under the supervision of a professional engineer.

A consolation might be that come PE application time, the board could consider the testees', (registered for this exam) work experience for the 6 months bewtween now and October, then there is no "lost time" becoming a PE. We need to remember that this is an FE exam and not a PE. I don't know about you guys but being an EIT ain't worth much around here other than being a step towards your PE. This situation definitiely buites for those affected but it is far from a major catastrophe.

my :2cents:



> QUOTE (benbo @ Apr 15 2008, 10:07 PM) To me, this is something it would be reasonable to complain fairly vigorously about - even to "whine" a little about.


complain all you want it's a free country. I doubt it will change a thing.


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## MENG6 (Apr 16, 2008)

IlPadrino said:


> I'd press NCEES for information about Contintuity of Operations (COOP) plans. I'm guessing they'd explain it's too expensive to have plans in place, but it'd be interesting to hear their answer. The logistics of having backups at the ready are probably significant.
> Why couldn't they offer the exam the next day though? Sure... there's a chance of exam subversion, but I'd think the benefit outweighs the risk. Still, too late for this cycle.


Even the next day exam would have been fine with me, but it appears from the article that they have certain security requirements to obtain a new facility. I doubt they would do it in the same building even if they fixed the sewage that day. I'm really hoping the contingency plan is not October. Oh well, like you all said, eat the sandwich.


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## benbo (Apr 16, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> complain all you want it's a free country. I doubt it will change a thing.


I'm not complaining. I already have a PE license. I'm showing some empathy for people who are in a situation that I can guarantee you 99% of the people on this forum would be blowing their stack over. Especially with all the complaining about just waiting for results.


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## Mike in Gastonia (Apr 30, 2008)

MENG6 said:


> Even the next day exam would have been fine with me, but it appears from the article that they have certain security requirements to obtain a new facility. I doubt they would do it in the same building even if they fixed the sewage that day. I'm really hoping the contingency plan is not October. Oh well, like you all said, eat the sandwich.



MENG6 - have you got an update? What did they decide to do?


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## DVINNY (May 1, 2008)

I just noticed I didn't have a fast reply button on this forum, sorry about that, I added it.

THIS sucks to hear that Fudgey somehow visited that site and sewerbombed em. I'm interested to see how it turns out. I would suspect its waiting until October as well.


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## csb (May 1, 2008)

and for the love of Pete, don't sue...I'm imagining that I'll have to take the PE again and if anyone sues they'll just make me pay more!


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## MENG6 (May 1, 2008)

Well I got the letter in the mail and they rescheduled to May 17. They said if anyone cannot take it on that date they just don't show up and they will receive a refund and will be marked absent, not fail. I guess I will be reviewing again and will just take it again then. Think its a new exam??? I would hope so.


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## benbo (May 1, 2008)

MENG6 said:


> Well I got the letter in the mail and they rescheduled to May 17. They said if anyone cannot take it on that date they just don't show up and they will receive a refund and will be marked absent, not fail. I guess I will be reviewing again and will just take it again then. Think its a new exam??? I would hope so.


THat's not too bad. Let's just hope that if they administer the same exam and end up with a high pass rate they don't invalidate everyone's result because they suspect subterfuge.


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## Dleg (May 1, 2008)

This is the first time I've read this thread. What a remarkable story. I'm glad to hear they rechseduled for a more reasonable date. I'm also glad to see benbo and IlPadrino and MA_PE were able to kiss and make up.

I sure would be pissed if that were me.


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## MENG6 (May 17, 2008)

So we had our rescheduled exam today!! No electrical or sewage problems! It went great, thanks everyone!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (May 18, 2008)

^ I think Electric Sewage would be a great band name.


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## squishles10 (May 20, 2008)

Congrats on finally being done!


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