I think you could determine the average passing score with the new diagnostic. In each area you could find where you are +/- from the average passing, and compare that cumulation to your own score.
Actually Dexman, for those people that are still waiting on their results, the passing score can be used as a way for all October 2010 examinees to re-evaluate their confidence of passing this time. That way, if, for example, a candidate felt confident on 65% of the material on the exam, yet the average passing score reported was 52/80 for his/her discipline, then that candidate should probably start hitting the books again (or perhaps, invest their money on better studying material ASAP.)
I think the 70% of correct answers is the pass for Civil. The broken line in the bar graphs in my diagnostic for the passing candidates is always constant for any subject area. The subject areas where I was closest to the passing examinees were around 70% (in terms of the correct answers). I got 45/80 in water resources and failed.
I was talking about this exam being 70% for Civil. I do realize that every exam varies. In any event, I have considerable improvement to do from my first attempt.
Not to mention the way I read the note at the bottom of the sample diagnostic report, it sounds to me like one person could get an 70% and pass while the next guy with a 70% might fail even though they took the same exams. The note that I'm referring to states "Performance in a knowledge area significantly below that of the average passing candidate contributed to your failing the exam." This means to me that even if you do a super dooper band up job on the entire test but bomb one subject area really badly compared to what NCEES determines a passing PE taking your exam should know, then you fail.
