Application Approval in CA

[travis151]

For those that have recently applied to take the California PE exam for the first time - How long did it take to get approved/denied by BPELS?

I've had my application for the April '14 exam in for 12 weeks now, and they refuse to even give me a hint on how long it takes to review the application. Aside from "We will not answer that question", all I've been able to get is "Applications come in on an on -flow basis and may be reviewed as late as days before the exam."

The exam is 3 1/2 months away - I'd like to start studying soon, but I have an unusual education/work experience record and I'm not positive they will approve me to take the exam. Study scheduling is getting difficult at this point. Anyone have some feedback on approval turnaround times? (CALIFORNIA only please!).

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

Wow! So not only have they not approved your application, they're also not allowing you to study? Oh, the humanity!

 

[snickerd3]

I'm with MIG what is stopping you from starting your studying?

 

[travis151]

I'm trying to find out if I can wait for an answer first, or if I'll have to do exactly that. I have lots of reasons it makes sense for me to wait if I can. Not looking for lectures on priorities, study habits, or time management. I'm just asking if anyone has recently been through this with California, and how long it took them to get approved. Thanks.

 

[JMT]

Travis, when you submitted your application to Cali Board did you also include two self addressed stamped post cards?

http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/appinstpe2.shtml

• Two self-addressed, stamped post cards. The Board will use these cards to notify you regarding the status of your application.
  

I believe I received the first card about a week after I submitted my application for the October '13 exam. It was dated 4/9/13 and stated they had received my application and it was referred to the PE/LS for technical review. About three days later I received the second card which stated that my application had been evaluated and it was determined I was qualified for licensing. So the total time for me was less than two weeks. I have a coworker who submitted his April '14 application in mid October and he hasn't received either of his post cards yet. I hope this helps a little more than the other comments above.

 

[travis151]

JMT - Thanks for your reply. Yes, I did submit the two postcards. I got one back immediately around Oct 5th confirming my app had been received, and the check I wrote them cleared soon after. Also, the evaluator contacted me and needed some tweaks done to one of the forms, which I provided immediately and they confirmed it was checked out to an engineer for review. So I'm confident they got my application.

I hope your coworker has either a cleared check or registered mail receipt they got their application.

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

I hope this helps a little more than the other comments above.

Hey, if he would have stopped with asking just about the CA process, it would have been fine. But he threw that last fast ball right down the middle. Around here, someone is going to swing at that - I just happened to be first........

 

[JMT]

Not quite a fast ball down the middle; more like a NCEES PE morning question, easy to answer and move on. Have fun trolling instead of being helpful.

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

Not quite a fast ball down the middle; more like a NCEES PE morning question, easy to answer and move on. Have fun trolling instead of being helpful.

Ooooh, burn! You sure showed me and put me in my place. I'm sincerely sorry. Said no message board poster ever.........

 

[travis151]

My "fast ball" statement that Mike deems so ridicule-worthy was only trying to give a very brief explanation of why it is not in my best interest to begin studying before getting a response. At the risk of sounding like an even bigger whiner, I'll elaborate further on what I thought was pretty obvious to begin with: For those applicants who are pretty certain they meet the requirements and it's just a matter of paperwork, it would make total sense to go ahead and get started studying. In my situation, the rules aren't clear if I can take it this April or if I have to wait another year. If at all possible, I'd prefer not to make the significant investment of time and money required before knowing if I'll be able to take the exam. If I knew approximately how long it will be before I find out, it will make that hard decision easier to make.

 

[NakedOrangie]

I applied for the April 14 exam mid October, received my first post card the first week of November and the second post card mid November. My turnaround was only a month for California submission.

You mentioned needing to clear up a few items after they received your application, perhaps this is what is delaying their response? Did you have questionable items on your work experience that could have red flagged your application - such as drafting instead of designing or providing too little detail? I had connection design, pavement design and DSDC (design services during construction) listed on my application.

 

[travis151]

Interesting. I don't know what the delay is. I just had to send them a revised application page 2 by email. They confirmed my application was complete after I sent them the revised page, and I got the first postcard in the first week of October. They indicated at that time it would only take a couple weeks. In mid November (6 weeks) they just said it was still checked out to an engineer (I'm not sure if they really checked on that or just assumed). I asked again in early December and they refused to answer the question. Their boiler-plate response said:

"If you included postcards as suggested in the application instructions, they will be used to notify you when your application is sent to the engineer and once it is approved. An evaluator will contact you if your application is missing any information. An engineer will contact you by mail if your application is incomplete and not approved."

If my card got lost in the mail, how would I ever know I've been approved??

 

[travis151]

I just found this deep down on the 48th page of the CA FAQ list:

Applicants will be notified of an approved application via postcard from the Board; typically, one
to three months after the application is submitted.

It is the Board’s intent to notify you of an approved application prior to the closing of NCEES
registration for any NCEES exams. NCEES will send an exam authorization notice via e-mail
two weeks prior to the examination date.

It is the Board’s intent to notify you of an approved application prior to the closing of the Board’s
CBT exam registration for any California Board state specific exams. Notification to register
with the CBT vendor will come via e-mail 5-6 weeks prior to the exam date.

It's been over 3 months now for me. I guess that answers what's "supposed" to happen but I'd still appreciate anyone who can share their actual experience with the process.

 

[NakedOrangie]

It is the Board’s intent to notify you of an approved application prior to the closing of NCEES

registration for any NCEES exams. NCEES will send an exam authorization notice via e-mail
two weeks prior to the examination date.

Technically, California has until mid February to tell you whether or not you're eligible. The NCEES registration period for the April exam is February 20th. The board may claim 1-3 months but it sounds like they can wait as late as February to give you a response. Sorry to hear you're having so many troubles and I hope you get this settled soon. Hopefully you'll be taking the exams with me in April. Good luck!

 

[palvarez83]

^ Agreed. I think they are still within their specified time. Most of my collegues that have applied this cycle haven't gotten a response. The last time I applied for a april exam, I got a resonse mid Feb.

Not sure when the NCEES regristration period is, but you will have to send them proof of that also. IMHO there is a gap now with the new process (applications due before you can actually sign up for the NCEES exam), but the board justfies it them keep moving the dealine back because they "can't keep up witht the applications." In the past few years they keep making the dealines earlier and earlier.

 

[hartb86]

Travis,

I submitted my application on the last week of October to the California board. I received my first postcard on December 11th and my second postcard on December 19th. Hopefully this helps!

 

[travis151]

Thank you. I wonder what would happen if I went in there in person.

 

[travis151]

I have finally been able to find out that the my application review is expected to be done the first week of February. So for anyone following this now or in the future that's having the same situation, my total turnaround time should be a little over 4 months, which is around 2 weeks before the NCEES registration deadline of Feb 20th.

 

[TheyCallMeJohn]

Regardless, if you haven't heard anything in my opinion it mean you will probably be approved. They contacted me right away when there was an issue with my application. So start studying!!! You don't want to go thru the studying and test taking process more than once. Plus by the time you really get geared up and studying full steam you will have probably heard.

 

[travis151]

There's two stages to the process as I understand it. There's the Licensing Evaluator, and then the engineer that approves the application. The Evaluator also contacted me right away to correct some paperwork. Then they send that to the engineer. That part of the process went quickly for me.

I'm kind of getting the impression it might work exactly the opposite for "stage 2". I spoke to the person reviewing my application today and they told me there was about 200 apps to go, and most of those would not be approved (including mine unfortunately). I suspect they go through them and take care of the "easy-in's" right away, and maybe set the others aside for later in an effort to get the bulk of the pile reduced and come back to deal with the cases that require more time.