The wait is killing me

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So I failed my first time (by about 5 questions so I didn't bomb it by any means), and this second time I felt much, much better... but I have so much emotional baggage from failing the first time that I'm paranoid AF that I failed again this time. 

ALSO the scariest part about feeling like it went so much better this time is how the F will I prepare to take it again in the event that I do fail??? I thought it went well...


I have the same reservations about this last time taking the exam. I felt very good about it, but then I start thinking....what if.. what IF I fail again. What would I change about my study habits this time? I did so many problems, reinforced concepts, bought new study guides, started a study group, definitely put in my time... I just don't know what else I could do different next time. Hoping and praying that all my hard work will pay off in a few weeks.... ugh...
Trust me when I say that I know the feeling.

It reads like you both made the necessary studying change habits for this exam cycle. You should both be okay!

although I think my phase 5 will just be drinking every night starting May 15th.
It'll start earlier, maybe the 10thor 11th, and last a lot longer due to the pencil erasure issues. Good luck and don't do any irreversible damage to your liver!

 
Burn off the stress at the gym. It works! :DV:
Worse for me even, I had several times that I was thinking about the exam while pushing the dumb bells, its bad for me because I lost my count. It seems my mind is linear and does not allow multiple tasks processing....

 
This is my 3rd time taking this test, so I know that the results will not be posted until at least the 2nd week of May, based on historical trends. But every morning, as a routine, I log into myNCEES.ORG, sign in,  hoping to see the results posted. 

Am I the only one doing this? 
I've taken the test more than once (but not this past round), so I feel your agony!  Hang in there!  

 
First time taking it, but I'm not worried. 

Worst comes to worst, I start my ultimate life's goal of collecting each NCEES pencil!

You may have your fancy PE certificate, promotion, salary increase, and maybe even the ladies... but I would have earned all four of my NCEES Special Edition Color Pencils through my own blood, sweat, and tears!!!

 
Worse for me even, I had several times that I was thinking about the exam while pushing the dumb bells, its bad for me because I lost my count. It seems my mind is linear and does not allow multiple tasks processing....
go on the elliptical or bike while watching something funny. it helps. I've gotten through almost an entire season of the office since april 13... 

 
Hi guys, going to the gym is the best way to kill this waiting anxiety! it helped me a lot last year

 
I work full time and have a 2 year old. The only thing thats getting worked out is my liver
really admire a guy like you with all worka amd family committment and you work hard on exam prep. Hard worker...

i am taking advantage of having no such committment. 

 
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What do you mean? What new issues for this cycle?
Well, for one they changed the exam this time. More protection content for example. This means some of those questions were test run on us. They need to review those and look at rBis etc  to see what to adjust. The new changes to the specs will be board evaluated by sampling our answers.  Since we have a long wait, read through this and you’ll understand better what/why we are waiting on.

Good read straight from NCEES:

2012_AM_Understanding_Exam_Dev.pdf


Heres an excerpt:

The passing score is determined in one of two ways.
•  For the first administration of a new exam or specification change (the anchor exam), a cut-score panel recommends the score. (Ie this new April 2018 specification change)
•  For subsequent administrations, a statistical procedure known as “equating” is used to set the score relative to the anchor exam

 
What do you mean? What new issues for this cycle?


Well, for one they changed the exam this time. More protection content for example. This means some of those questions were test run on us. They need to review those and look at rBis etc  to see what to adjust. The new changes to the specs will be board evaluated by sampling our answers.  Since we have a long wait, read through this and you’ll understand better what/why we are waiting on.
It happens every time. Gotta work out those new test kinks.

We can almost always retroactively attribute a results release delay due to an exam committee meeting post-test to discuss any anomalies and establish the cut score. The larger tests (CE, EE, ME, etc) proactively schedule these meetings so it typically doesn't impact the release date much. The larger tests also get screened by a lot more people before release too which cuts back on anomalies. But the smaller tests (nuclear, petro, ag, FP, etc) often scheduled ad-hoc and it delays things a few weeks. The larger tests committees are run by NCEES, whereas the smaller test committees tend to be run by professional societies. Obviously the NCEES committees are more sensitive to the schedule needs and can actually pay people to attend meetings. Professional societies, tend to be volunteers who need to take off time from work and schedule last minute flights cross country on their own dime. The implications here are obvious.

We usually see delays due to new tests for October exams but it can happen for April too.

So now that you have the background you want to know how it may actually effect you? This cycle all of the Electrical exams, Environmental, and Architectural exams have updated their questions and format. Per the civil webpage:  Const, Struct, and Geo have also updated their test too but this isn't reflected fully in exam content PDFs so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . EE and Envr meet May 18-19 at NCESS for an exam standard setting study meeting. Architectural also meets May 18-19 at a different location for their standard setting study meeting (source: https://ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/2_Licensure-Exchange_April-2018.pdf on page 11). I don't see anything about CE meetings. If those meetings are held specifically to discuss the new exam then you shouldn't expect results until a few business days after those meetings. The name implies its a cut score meeting. But it's possible that those meetings might not be related to the new exam and there may not be a delay as a result. If CE has to hold a meeting all bets are off.

Meetings may also be needed to address new problems that arise with established exam questions. Or NCEES may need to investigate something that happened at a test site and need more time to complete their work. It's rare that that alone would cause a delay but the possibility can't be discounted.

And don't get me started on the rumor about how the new pencil erasers are screwing with things. That has the October 2014 pencil lead fiasco written all over it.

tl;dr nominal release around May 23-25

 
It happens every time. Gotta work out those new test kinks.

We can almost always retroactively attribute a results release delay due to an exam committee meeting post-test to discuss any anomalies and establish the cut score. The larger tests (CE, EE, ME, etc) proactively schedule these meetings so it typically doesn't impact the release date much. The larger tests also get screened by a lot more people before release too which cuts back on anomalies. But the smaller tests (nuclear, petro, ag, FP, etc) often scheduled ad-hoc and it delays things a few weeks. The larger tests committees are run by NCEES, whereas the smaller test committees tend to be run by professional societies. Obviously the NCEES committees are more sensitive to the schedule needs and can actually pay people to attend meetings. Professional societies, tend to be volunteers who need to take off time from work and schedule last minute flights cross country on their own dime. The implications here are obvious.

We usually see delays due to new tests for October exams but it can happen for April too.

So now that you have the background you want to know how it may actually effect you? This cycle all of the Electrical exams, Environmental, and Architectural exams have updated their questions and format. Per the civil webpage:  Const, Struct, and Geo have also updated their test too but this isn't reflected fully in exam content PDFs so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . EE and Envr meet May 18-19 at NCESS for an exam standard setting study meeting. Architectural also meets May 18-19 at a different location for their standard setting study meeting (source: https://ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/2_Licensure-Exchange_April-2018.pdf on page 11). I don't see anything about CE meetings. If those meetings are held specifically to discuss the new exam then you shouldn't expect results until a few business days after those meetings. The name implies its a cut score meeting. But it's possible that those meetings might not be related to the new exam and there may not be a delay as a result. If CE has to hold a meeting all bets are off.

Meetings may also be needed to address new problems that arise with established exam questions. Or NCEES may need to investigate something that happened at a test site and need more time to complete their work. It's rare that that alone would cause a delay but the possibility can't be discounted.

And don't get me started on the rumor about how the new pencil erasers are screwing with things. That has the October 2014 pencil lead fiasco written all over it.

tl;dr nominal release around May 23-25
Thanks for the update. And the erasers did suck, bigly.

 
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