October 2021 Post Exam Wait Period - Welcome to the Suck

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To date it seems like you can usually get a testing date within a month or two at most. I don't consider that too bad, but it does require planning ahead.

That being said, I fully expect that to change for the worse. Civil engineers are by far the largest group of PE testers. Adding the typical yearly amount of civil examinees to the pool of people taking the CBT will probably significant impact testing center availability.

Regarding the 3 failed attempt thing: I'm not familiar with that. Is that an NCEES rule or a rule by your state board?
I know when I took the FE exam in 2015/2016 (once in Tallahassee, FL before graduation and once in Pittsburgh after graduation) I had no trouble with scheduling. And I attempted them in Oct. 2015 and April 2016, when most other college graduates were also scheduling them.
 
To date it seems like you can usually get a testing date within a month or two at most. I don't consider that too bad, but it does require planning ahead.

That being said, I fully expect that to change for the worse. Civil engineers are by far the largest group of PE testers. I expected that adding the typical yearly amount of civil examinees to the pool of people taking the CBT will significantly impact testing center availability.

Regarding the 3 failed attempt thing: I'm not familiar with that. Is that an NCEES rule or a rule by your state board?
Thanks for input it may be a North Carolina thing for 3 failed attempts.
 
My second attempt this Oct I went pretty hard on practice exams and problems. Definitely felt better than first attempt in April which was brutal.

Regarding civil CBT does anyone know how quickly the schedule fills up. Being a testing center with limited computers I imagine they stay booked.


Welcome to Phase 4: Doubt.
It's way too early to think that you failed, especially since your initial thoughts were that you did better.

But just as a general FYI to websearchers, the availability of the CBT sites will vary from location to location. Pearson VUE does more than the NCEES exams so your competing for space with a lot more than just other engineers. You may have to expand your search radius if you're looking for a more immediate or specific date.


Also after 3rd failed attempt do you still have to wait a year and take some type of continuing education course?
What State are you in? Each jurisdiction has different rules about how many times one can retake the exam and the criteria for trying again.
 
Welcome to Phase 4: Doubt.
It's way too early to think that you failed, especially since your initial thoughts were that you did better.

But just as a general FYI to websearchers, the availability of the CBT sites will vary from location to location. Pearson VUE does more than the NCEES exams so your competing for space with a lot more than just other engineers. You may have to expand your search radius if you're looking for a more immediate or specific date.



What State are you in? Each jurisdiction has different rules about how many times one can retake the exam and the criteria for trying again.
At the same time you replied, they said they're in North Carolina.

Thanks for input it may be a North Carolina thing for 3 failed attempts.
 
No one checking NCEES yet? :unsure:
10 times a day easy, I also check TBPE account (Texas Board) like 10 times minimum too. Also at the end of each day when I know no hope getting results today, I check if I can register to Civil exam CBT hoping the message will change from "you can't because you already registered" to "you can't because you passed" (like a glitch in the system) 😝😊...I am a hopeless case 🙄
 
Welcome to Phase 4: Doubt.
It's way too early to think that you failed, especially since your initial thoughts were that you did better.

But just as a general FYI to websearchers, the availability of the CBT sites will vary from location to location. Pearson VUE does more than the NCEES exams so your competing for space with a lot more than just other engineers. You may have to expand your search radius if you're looking for a more immediate or specific date.



What State are you in? Each jurisdiction has different rules about how many times one can retake the exam and the criteria for trying again.
Thanks for the positive encouragement! I feel like if I keep studying a little bit maybe I’ll be rewarded with a passing score from the engineering gods haha. Interesting enough in talking about the CBT I decided today to use some of the NCEES preview samples for CBT construction and looked up info from various questions such as water/cement ratio as example and it seems it would be a challenge to solve compared my previous notes. Another example is formwork stripping. Typed in formwork in the searchable pdf and nothing comes up and the question references ACI manual. So how will that work or maybe the practice exam isn’t updated yet but appears you will have to memorize a lot of info before going into the CBT exam. Any thoughts or is it just me?
 
No one checking NCEES yet? :unsure:
There is no point in even looking at F5 until after thanksgiving.

Then, you check NCEES, then your inbox, then your state board's license lookup system. That last part though only for some states.

In PA, it's cool that you need to get the board's permission to test, because then once they get the results, you're basically licensed cause they issue your number. And with Pennsylvania historically being a day 1 release state (for the last three exams) and have released within 2 days for 8 of the last 9 exams, I'm confident I'll have those PE letters in my signature by Christmas!
 
There is no point in even looking at F5 until after thanksgiving.

Then, you check NCEES, then your inbox, then your state board's license lookup system. That last part though only for some states.

In PA, it's cool that you need to get the board's permission to test, because then once they get the results, you're basically licensed cause they issue your number. And with Pennsylvania historically being a day 1 release state (for the last three exams) and have released within 2 days for 8 of the last 9 exams, I'm confident I'll have those PE letters in my signature by Christmas!
Just a reminder to everyone (not directed at you @structurenole15 )

Don't add PE to your name, signature, business cards, LinkedIn profile, resume, etc until AFTER you receive a license number from your state board. Passing the PE exam along doesn't make you a PE. Some people have gotten in trouble for putting PE on their signatures too early.
 
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Just a reminder to everyone (not directed at you @structurenole15 )

Don't add PE to your name, signature, business cards, LinkedIn profile, resume, etc until AFTER you receive a license number from your state board. Passing the PE exam along doesn't make you a PE. Some people have gotten in trouble for putting PE on their signatures too early.
Then there's people like me who still needs to work for another year and a half before I even qualify to apply for those letters even if I pass. :)
 
There is no point in even looking at F5 until after thanksgiving.

Then, you check NCEES, then your inbox, then your state board's license lookup system. That last part though only for some states.

In PA, it's cool that you need to get the board's permission to test, because then once they get the results, you're basically licensed cause they issue your number. And with Pennsylvania historically being a day 1 release state (for the last three exams) and have released within 2 days for 8 of the last 9 exams, I'm confident I'll have those PE letters in my signature by Christmas!
Please let us dream that they will release results earlier this year because we intimidated them with our 30k spamming :p or because it is the last pencil & paper exam and they will try to expedite it.

I am expecting same thing with our board, since I was approved for exam since 2019 when I applied (my application is complete just need to pass the exam) but couldn't take the exam earlier due to Covid, had to work from home & homeschool my daughter until early summer this year I finally could start preparing for October 2021. I hope you will get those letters.
 
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Just a reminder to everyone (not directed at you @structurenole15 )

Don't add PE to your name, signature, business cards, LinkedIn profile, resume, etc until AFTER you receive a license number from your state board. Passing the PE exam along doesn't make you a PE. Some people have gotten in trouble for putting PE on their signatures too early.
Might be a good time to bring this one back!

https://engineerboards.com/threads/when-you-should-add-pe-after-your-name.37006/
 
So, I stumbled across this piece today on the NCEES website. It looks like with the SE exam being the only P&P administration left, they're moving to a regional model.

https://ncees.org/news/
1637244492825.png

So if someone in say, my city (Pittsburgh) wanted to take it, the closest city offering it is Richmond, VA. That's a 4 hour drive.
 
So, I stumbled across this piece today on the NCEES website. It looks like with the SE exam being the only P&P administration left, they're moving to a regional model.

https://ncees.org/news/
View attachment 25833

So if someone in say, my city (Pittsburgh) wanted to take it, the closest city offering it is Richmond, VA. That's a 4 hour drive.
Interesting...
I've love to see all of these cities on a map. Seems like there are some pretty big gaps.
But I get it. Not many people take the SE exam. Probably not cost effective to offer it in every state.
 
Interesting...
I've love to see all of these cities on a map. Seems like there are some pretty big gaps.
But I get it. Not many people take the SE exam. Probably not cost effective to offer it in every state.

With a couple exceptions, the exam locations are skewed toward states that have SE licensure, and thus, higher demand for the exam.
 
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