Exam Day Rules for PE Exam

[nightwing]

Hello. I had a few questions about the exam day rules I was hoping someone could help me with.

I know we are limited to one crate. Can we bring our own personal hand written notes? Are codes and textbooks with pencil notes written in them allowed? Are we allowed to bring more than one acceptable calculation in the room?

Thanks for the help and clarification.

 

[P-E]

Hand written notes are okay as long as they are bound in a binder.      I wrote in my books with both pen and pencil.   Probably safer to use pen only.   They don't allow you to write in your books during the exam. 

Do you mean calculator?   If so, yes. 

 

[nightwing]

Hand written notes are okay as long as they are bound in a binder.      I wrote in my books with both pen and pencil.   Probably safer to use pen only.   They don't allow you to write in your books during the exam. 

Do you mean calculator?   If so, yes. 

Thanks. I am from California and was wondering if this rule applies to all three exams. I wrote my notes in pencil and was wondering if they check? Is it an official rule all notes are to be in pen?

 

[P-E]

Thanks. I am from California and was wondering if this rule applies to all three exams. I wrote my notes in pencil and was wondering if they check? Is it an official rule all notes are to be in pen?

The rule is no writing on anything except the exam book during the exam.   They provide the pencils.  If you write in your books with pencil, it could appear that you did it during the exam.   If you use pen, there's no confusion.  You could check with ncees.  Search this site.   I know this has come up from time to time. 

 

[matt267 PE]

It has come up with no conclusion. I highlighted my pencil notes. No one checked during the exam. But I was careful to keep their pencil away from my books during the exam. I didn't want to give them a reason to think I was cheating.

 

[John QPE]

Who told you one crate? I brought 5 bankers boxes full on a dolly.

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

If I was only allowed one crate, it would have been full of microfilm.

 

[cupojoe PE PMP]

Who told you one crate? I brought 5 bankers boxes full on a dolly.

Seems excessive?

 

[snickerd3]

every state is different

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

You need to check your state rules, but I would be surprised if you were limited to one crate full of reference materials.  Bring a second calculator if you want, for a backup.  I had one in an unopened package so I could return it, if I didn't use is.  As noted above notes in your book, if in pencil should be highlighted over at a minimum to avoid the confusion that you are notetaking during the test.  If you keep your pencil away from your references, there shouldn't be any issue.  I had some sparse pencil only notes in my texts and had no issue, YMMV.

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

Still love the "my pencil was never near my references" statements.

Prove it.

 

[ptatohed]

I think it might be true that Prometric (testing center for the CA-Surv and CA-Seis) might limit your references to one Bankers box/milk crate.  For the NCEES 8hr - it is whatever you can carry/tote in one trip.  But, as a general rule, if you need more than one or two boxes, you're likely doing something wrong. 

Bound hand-written notes are fine.

References w/ pencil in them are fine.  No need to ink or highlight over them.  But don't write in your books on exam day.

You can have more than one calculator if it is on the approved list.  Remember the CA approved list is more liberal than the NCEES approved list. 

I think a lot of this information is covered in the exam agreements and/or in the FAQs on Prometric's site, right?

 

[John QPE]

Seems excessive?

I can tell you the 2 of 80 problems I had to guess on ...... Excessive works.

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

Still love the "my pencil was never near my references" statements.

Prove it.

Well, the pencil notes do not reflect test material and the monitors didn't have any suspicions raised during my exam.  I think that speaks for itself.

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

Well, the pencil notes do not reflect test material and the monitors didn't have any suspicions raised during my exam.  I think that speaks for itself.

From the candidate agreement section "Grounds for dismissal and/or invalidating your exam results":

Writing on anything other than your exam booklet or answer sheet.

Pencil is pencil, can't prove to a proctor otherwise.

I am not saying that they are out looking for it.

What I am saying is, is it worth the hassle?

Good bad or otherwise, I took both tests multiple times and have seen various proctors interpret the same rules different ways.

Why give them the option?

 

[JHW 3d]

I took the NCEES exam down in Pomona (CA) last October. People brought their entire libraries. Proctors didn't seem to care. They did check my calculator... Twice.

Also a few dozen people forgot they had their cell phones with them. Wasn't a big deal - there was a table up front you could toss it and pick it up after each session.

Take this advice: don't forget a seat cushion. Sounds weak, but the Pomona chairs SUCK. I signed up for ASCE at lunch just to get a free seat cushion they were handing out.

I'm a mechanical. ;-)

 

[ptatohed]

I took the NCEES exam down in Pomona (CA) last October. People brought their entire libraries. Proctors didn't seem to care. They did check my calculator... Twice.

Also a few dozen people forgot they had their cell phones with them. Wasn't a big deal - there was a table up front you could toss it and pick it up after each session.

Take this advice: don't forget a seat cushion. Sounds weak, but the Pomona chairs SUCK. I signed up for ASCE at lunch just to get a free seat cushion they were handing out.

I'm a mechanical. ;-)

I second the tush cush! 

 

[snickerd3]

i brought one to the test because when I took the fe i had to sit on metal folding chair. the chairs for the PE however were already padded so it was a bit too much, but I had it anyway

 

[John QPE]

I second the tush cush! 

I ended up sitting on a steel manual and some other textbook because the chairs were so low in relation to the table. Be prepared for anything.

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

They had to bring in stage lighting for us, lights were so low it took a few seconds for my calculator to turn on.