Board is (Somewhat) Open

[navyasw02]

What do taking the PE exam and going to jail have in common? You now have plenty of time to think about the stupid sh!t you did.
I thought the morning was super easy and I was really mad I had spent so much time studying that instead of my depth section. The afternoon SUCKED. I'm hoping the two will balance out. I feel good overall, but thinking about those handful of questions that I still cant figure out is what stuck in my mind all weekend.

This was my experience precisely. You probably passed, because I did, although I didn't think I would.

Overall, I felt pretty good, but the morning and afternoon confidence factor was night and day. The good thing though was that I didnt dread it nearly as much as I dreaded doing all those practice problems. I actually had fun to some extent, whereas I had to drag myself to my desk to do the practice problems every day.

 

[DVINNY]

Eddierizzle,
Isn't that how the test has been for some time now?

Yes, but the 2008 Civil NCEES study material only gave you 20 morning questions and 20 afternoon questions in your depth. I'm saying that the new study material is actually an improvement from what they gave you in the past. Makes it feel like more of a mock exam.

Understand. After I responded, I noticed you were talking about the materials. That's good, because the stuff I bought had a half sized test as well.

 

[XOXOXO]

What do taking the PE exam and going to jail have in common? You now have plenty of time to think about the stupid sh!t you did.
I thought the morning was super easy and I was really mad I had spent so much time studying that instead of my depth section. The afternoon SUCKED. I'm hoping the two will balance out. I feel good overall, but thinking about those handful of questions that I still cant figure out is what stuck in my mind all weekend.

I totally agree with you. The AM was straightfoward...and I prepared very well for it. I solved problem after problem, and was literally smiling on my way out to lunch.

The PM gave me a one-two punch after the first 10 questions. I kept thinking...I can't keep skipping/guessing!!

At least I know I prepared well for the AM, and I *think* I know what to do about the PM this time...(sigh)...

 

[knight1fox3]

What do taking the PE exam and going to jail have in common? You now have plenty of time to think about the stupid sh!t you did.
I thought the morning was super easy and I was really mad I had spent so much time studying that instead of my depth section. The afternoon SUCKED. I'm hoping the two will balance out. I feel good overall, but thinking about those handful of questions that I still cant figure out is what stuck in my mind all weekend.

I totally agree with you. The AM was straightfoward...and I prepared very well for it. I solved problem after problem, and was literally smiling on my way out to lunch.

The PM gave me a one-two punch after the first 10 questions. I kept thinking...I can't keep skipping/guessing!!

At least I know I prepared well for the AM, and I *think* I know what to do about the PM this time...(sigh)...

Wow, kind of scary how similar I and a few others felt about the afternoon session. I took the PE electrical power exam this past Fri. Like you guys mentioned, felt good about the morning session while going to lunch. Then I get to the PM session and it was kind of like Mac fighting Don Flamingo in Punch Out for NES (me being Don Flamingo). Just kept getting hit left and right. There were a good number of problems I had to skip and come back to (er guess at the end) during that session. I'm hoping the AM and PM will balance out though. Nice to know it wasn't just me that thought the PM was tougher (different disciplines too).

 

[snickerd3]

What do taking the PE exam and going to jail have in common? You now have plenty of time to think about the stupid sh!t you did.
I thought the morning was super easy and I was really mad I had spent so much time studying that instead of my depth section. The afternoon SUCKED. I'm hoping the two will balance out. I feel good overall, but thinking about those handful of questions that I still cant figure out is what stuck in my mind all weekend.

I totally agree with you. The AM was straightfoward...and I prepared very well for it. I solved problem after problem, and was literally smiling on my way out to lunch.

The PM gave me a one-two punch after the first 10 questions. I kept thinking...I can't keep skipping/guessing!!

At least I know I prepared well for the AM, and I *think* I know what to do about the PM this time...(sigh)...

Wow, kind of scary how similar I and a few others felt about the afternoon session. I took the PE electrical power exam this past Fri. Like you guys mentioned, felt good about the morning session while going to lunch. Then I get to the PM session and it was kind of like Mac fighting Don Flamingo in Punch Out for NES (me being Don Flamingo). Just kept getting hit left and right. There were a good number of problems I had to skip and come back to (er guess at the end) during that session. I'm hoping the AM and PM will balance out though. Nice to know it wasn't just me that thought the PM was tougher (different disciplines too).

Love the NES reference. I still have my NES and play somewhat regularly. Might just have to break out the punchout

 

[The Man]

What do taking the PE exam and going to jail have in common? You now have plenty of time to think about the stupid sh!t you did.
I thought the morning was super easy and I was really mad I had spent so much time studying that instead of my depth section. The afternoon SUCKED. I'm hoping the two will balance out. I feel good overall, but thinking about those handful of questions that I still cant figure out is what stuck in my mind all weekend.

I totally agree with you. The AM was straightfoward...and I prepared very well for it. I solved problem after problem, and was literally smiling on my way out to lunch.

The PM gave me a one-two punch after the first 10 questions. I kept thinking...I can't keep skipping/guessing!!

At least I know I prepared well for the AM, and I *think* I know what to do about the PM this time...(sigh)...

I am 100% behind you... I was extremely confident with the morning section but that afternoon, especially the first 10 questions, really put me back in my place. This is my second time taking the exam and I was fairly comfident that I passed last time but ended up failing. This time I am fairly confident I didn't pass so maybe it will work in my favor. I took the Civil - Water Resources / Environmental.

 

[DVINNY]

already got an AWESOME NES Punch Out reference....... great thread

 

[cableguy]

I'll agree with electrical power as well. I finished morning in 2 1/2 hours, went back over every problem a couple times, was only not-so-confident about maybe 2-3 of them. Morning felt good.

Afternoon brought the suck though. There were probably 8-10 of them that gave me a case of the willies. I figure I'll get some of those, and lose some of those.

I feel like I passed, but I don't feel like I got the "A" that I was studying for. Heck, half the stuff I studied wasn't even on the exam.

 

[navyasw02]

I'll agree with electrical power as well. I finished morning in 2 1/2 hours, went back over every problem a couple times, was only not-so-confident about maybe 2-3 of them. Morning felt good.
Afternoon brought the suck though. There were probably 8-10 of them that gave me a case of the willies. I figure I'll get some of those, and lose some of those.

I feel like I passed, but I don't feel like I got the "A" that I was studying for. Heck, half the stuff I studied wasn't even on the exam.

Agreed, overall none of the stuff that I spent a lot of time studying was on the exam. I'm pretty certain that if I had only studied the week before the exam, I wouldve done just as well.

 

[knight1fox3]

I am 100% behind you... I was extremely confident with the morning section but that afternoon, especially the first 10 questions, really put me back in my place. This is my second time taking the exam and I was fairly comfident that I passed last time but ended up failing. This time I am fairly confident I didn't pass so maybe it will work in my favor. I took the Civil - Water Resources / Environmental.

I am in the exact same boat but I'm hoping the AM session balances out the PM session for electrical.

I'll agree with electrical power as well. I finished morning in 2 1/2 hours, went back over every problem a couple times, was only not-so-confident about maybe 2-3 of them. Morning felt good.
Afternoon brought the suck though. There were probably 8-10 of them that gave me a case of the willies. I figure I'll get some of those, and lose some of those.

I feel like I passed, but I don't feel like I got the "A" that I was studying for. Heck, half the stuff I studied wasn't even on the exam.

I was curious to know what you thought of the test cableguy and was going to PM you. A lot of the material I studied as well wasn't on the exam. I certainly didn't get an "A" either.

 

[Road Guy]

how did the "pick your afternoon section" before the exam go over?

I would think it wouldnt be that big of a deal though...

 

[navyasw02]

how did the "pick your afternoon section" before the exam go over?
I would think it wouldnt be that big of a deal though...

It wasn't too big of a deal, but after the morning session I probably would have done Thermo/Fluids instead of the MD I signed up for given a spur of the moment choice.

 

[dhw23]

I also thought the morning exam was very straightforward and easy. I went to lunch feeling super good and filled with joy........then came the afternoon HVAC test. It was brutal and very unforgiving. Anyone else take the HVAC afternoon exam?

 

[meagm11]

I also thought the morning exam was very straightforward and easy. I went to lunch feeling super good and filled with joy........then came the afternoon HVAC test. It was brutal and very unforgiving. Anyone else take the HVAC afternoon exam?

I took the HVAC afternoon exam! I felt exactly the same way. The morning was pretty easy. I got done early and felt pretty good going into the afternoon. The afternoon exam was not good. I thought it was very different from the practice tests I took. (both NCEES study exams)

I hope my morning test makes up for the afternoon test.

 

[thoolie]

FACT: If you got 80/80 questions right, then you passed.
Otherwise, you'll never know the true cut score. (I say its 56 questions answered properly, and that's my final answer)

Odd you mention that.....I was doing a little browsing on the web for PE statistics and I found CA's PE results website:

http://www.pels.ca.gov/applicants/exam_statistics.shtml

If you scroll down to the results from 98 and 99, you'll find cut scores for all disciplines (you have to download the pdf). For example, in April of 1999, the cut score for the Electrical PE exam was 48 questions right out of 80 questions (60%). You'll also see that 29 of 199 people were able to get a score higher than 48 (14.6%). I'm willing to bet that this is probably in the ballpark of what should be expected of recent exams, as I think NCEES likes to try and maintain a moderate amount of similarity between exam difficulties. Now, they don't tell you if that 48 is before or after they throw out the bunk questions......

So, there is the official cut score. I hope that answers everybody's questions

 

[Badger]

FACT: If you got 80/80 questions right, then you passed.
Otherwise, you'll never know the true cut score. (I say its 56 questions answered properly, and that's my final answer)

Odd you mention that.....I was doing a little browsing on the web for PE statistics and I found CA's PE results website:

http://www.pels.ca.gov/applicants/exam_statistics.shtml

If you scroll down to the results from 98 and 99, you'll find cut scores for all disciplines (you have to download the pdf). For example, in April of 1999, the cut score for the Electrical PE exam was 48 questions right out of 80 questions (60%). You'll also see that 29 of 199 people were able to get a score higher than 48 (14.6%). I'm willing to bet that this is probably in the ballpark of what should be expected of recent exams, as I think NCEES likes to try and maintain a moderate amount of similarity between exam difficulties. Now, they don't tell you if that 48 is before or after they throw out the bunk questions......

So, there is the official cut score. I hope that answers everybody's questions

Wellthat should settle the cutscore debate. If I had been eligible to take the Civil PE in April I would have passed with 48/80; after that you needed 70/100.

So I am going interpolate that to mean 70% or 56/80 is required to pass the exam now, assuming there were no questions thrown out.

Anyway why would anyone want to pass with 48/80?

(Well I probably would have the on the first try since that is what I got, especially since I would not have know what score I received. Thank God I finally passed and can say thew cutscore was 80/80!)

I hope all you test takers did better than you think.

 

[RJs]

What is the experiences of Water Resources Folks?

 

[DVINNY]

Seriously.

You can do searches through this forum, and over the years, each time results came in, we would do a DIAGNOSTICS thread. We would (by using the percentages) figure out how many questions were on each section, then determine the highest number correct WITHOUT passing. That would lead us to assume the next highest number passed.

It has never been as low as 48 raw. I don't think it was ever lower than 54 (RG's magic #)

 

[Relvinim]

That's bizarre. I must be the only person that felt more comfortable in the afternoon (Machine Design) session than the morning. I think my nerves were rattled right off the bat but then I settled down once I got to the 5th or 6th problem. I felt pretty good overall once I left the the exam but with each passing day I am getting more doubtful. I guess it's a case of nerves...or just a case of not wanting to go through that again. That was brutal!

 

[adh]

I also thought the morning exam was very straightforward and easy. I went to lunch feeling super good and filled with joy........then came the afternoon HVAC test. It was brutal and very unforgiving. Anyone else take the HVAC afternoon exam?

I took the HVAC afternoon exam! I felt exactly the same way. The morning was pretty easy. I got done early and felt pretty good going into the afternoon. The afternoon exam was not good. I thought it was very different from the practice tests I took. (both NCEES study exams)

I hope my morning test makes up for the afternoon test.

I'm with you guys! Afternoon HVAC was brutal... especially after feeling so good about the AM part!!