I was reading through threads on here where people thought that there morning score wouldn't affect the afternoon passing score (I would have thought this too). Maybe everyone else knows this but I thought I would just post a response I got from NCEES anyway:
Thank you for contacting NCEES with your questions and concerns. I will do my best to address them for you.As you know, NCEES does not release numeric exam scores; component results are reported as acceptable or unacceptable only. Therefore, when a results notice informs a candidate as having unacceptable results, it was for the entire component (morning and afternoon portions). There is no "pass" or "fail" of the morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) portion separately. A candidate must perform at a minimum acceptable level in the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) in order to receive acceptable results for the entire component. While a very good performance in the morning is capable of helping a poor performance in the afternoon (and vice versa) a small amount, a candidate must still perform at a certain level on both AM and PM portions in order to achieve acceptable results for a component. So there are minimum levels that must be achieved in both portions. It is not required to get 40/40 in the morning or all "Acceptables" in the afternoon and there are many combinations of both portions where a candidate can achieve an acceptable component result, but I am unable to provide you with what those combinations are. I am unable to say that a candidate "passed" the AM and "failed" the PM (or vice versa) because NCEES does not release numeric scores or inform candidates of "how many" questions (AM or PM) they needed to get right in order to achieve acceptable results for a component or if they met the minimum required performance for the AM or PM portion.The diagnostic a candidate receives for the AM portion shows candidates how many questions they got correct in each knowledge area and provides an un-scaled graphical representation of how that performance compares to the performance of the average passing candidate. The diagnostic received for the PM portion indicates if a candidate demonstrated minimum competence (Acceptable) or did not demonstrate minimum competence (Improvement Required or Unacceptable). In the latter, Improvement Required is better than Unacceptable in that a little knowledge was demonstrated regarding the subject matter, but still not enough. The quantitative values of Acceptable, Improvement required, and Unacceptable is not shared with candidates. Finally, the Structural Engineering exam is PASSED when a candidate has achieved acceptable results on BOTH components (vertical and lateral) of the exam. This does not have to be done in one exam administration ("sitting" as you referred to it). Upon achieving acceptable results on one component, a candidate then has 5 years to achieve acceptable results on the remaining component. On the other hand, acceptable results for a component are achieved when a candidate has met the minimum required performance on BOTH the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) portion of that component. That, unlike PASSING the entire exam, must be accomplished in one administration. There is no carryover of a morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) performance to another administration.I hope this answers your questions.
Thank you for contacting NCEES with your questions and concerns. I will do my best to address them for you.As you know, NCEES does not release numeric exam scores; component results are reported as acceptable or unacceptable only. Therefore, when a results notice informs a candidate as having unacceptable results, it was for the entire component (morning and afternoon portions). There is no "pass" or "fail" of the morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) portion separately. A candidate must perform at a minimum acceptable level in the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) in order to receive acceptable results for the entire component. While a very good performance in the morning is capable of helping a poor performance in the afternoon (and vice versa) a small amount, a candidate must still perform at a certain level on both AM and PM portions in order to achieve acceptable results for a component. So there are minimum levels that must be achieved in both portions. It is not required to get 40/40 in the morning or all "Acceptables" in the afternoon and there are many combinations of both portions where a candidate can achieve an acceptable component result, but I am unable to provide you with what those combinations are. I am unable to say that a candidate "passed" the AM and "failed" the PM (or vice versa) because NCEES does not release numeric scores or inform candidates of "how many" questions (AM or PM) they needed to get right in order to achieve acceptable results for a component or if they met the minimum required performance for the AM or PM portion.The diagnostic a candidate receives for the AM portion shows candidates how many questions they got correct in each knowledge area and provides an un-scaled graphical representation of how that performance compares to the performance of the average passing candidate. The diagnostic received for the PM portion indicates if a candidate demonstrated minimum competence (Acceptable) or did not demonstrate minimum competence (Improvement Required or Unacceptable). In the latter, Improvement Required is better than Unacceptable in that a little knowledge was demonstrated regarding the subject matter, but still not enough. The quantitative values of Acceptable, Improvement required, and Unacceptable is not shared with candidates. Finally, the Structural Engineering exam is PASSED when a candidate has achieved acceptable results on BOTH components (vertical and lateral) of the exam. This does not have to be done in one exam administration ("sitting" as you referred to it). Upon achieving acceptable results on one component, a candidate then has 5 years to achieve acceptable results on the remaining component. On the other hand, acceptable results for a component are achieved when a candidate has met the minimum required performance on BOTH the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) portion of that component. That, unlike PASSING the entire exam, must be accomplished in one administration. There is no carryover of a morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) performance to another administration.I hope this answers your questions.
