Maryland Exam Information

[Ken PE 3.1]

The beauty of a self-regulating government-type bureaucracy.

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[PBC]

fitbit file?  What information did it have in it?  I know nothing about fit bits other than they are fitness trackers.

Similar Reference (but doesn't seem to include actual test):

https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/comments/48n7w2/my_fitbit_recorded_resting_heart_rate_leading_up/

I was at the MD site - I did see people getting pulled up to chat with proctors at around 7 hour mark, but couldn't tell what it was all about. With how many they were pulling I thought it might be something to do with the SEs. Good to know.  Shame, as much as I understand all the statistics and algorithms that go into it, 8 - 10 weeks is plenty of time to be anxious.  Overall MD had some issues - started late, lunch ran long, started late again (1:50PM).  I managed to duck out at 5:20 to make it onto my 7:10 flight out of BWI.  Good luck to everyone who took it this go round, and thank you for the continued insight into the issue.

 

[Mac87]

Hey everyone, so I was also dismissed from the exam 7 hours in.  My biggest thing is that I registered with NCEES early december and the candidate agreement/exam guide was updated on jan. 13th - and we all know for a fact it wasn't a rule during the Oct. 2015 exam.  NCEES said I attested to the agreement when I registered which had to have been the old version because I have zero memory of the fitness trackers rule whereas the rest of the list looks familiar to me - and probably why so many people were not familiar with it as well.  Not providing or communicating that there was a change to something I attested to in the past and then holding be liable to that change is completely unethical in my books... was anyone else in this same boat?

Hey, I looked into this already too, but apparently there was a December 2015 copy and the January 2016 copy added only something minor about inclement weather. I don't think NCEES is so nefarious that they'd lie about this and then provide me a pdf copy of the December 2015 version, which does in fact include fitness trackers. (Unless someone happened to download the guide at the time of registration and it says otherwise...) I know, I was hoping I'd have a case against them too. But I think this has clearly been a major issue for multiple reasons that it should be addressed by NCEES.

 

[ChewChew]

What is the date of the December version?  Why can you not find this version online?

 

[Mac87]

What is the date of the December version?  Why can you not find this version online?

December 3, 2015. Yeah, I'm not sure why you can't find it online. I think my original comment on this thread asked if there was an archive of these things but there doesn't appear to be. So unless someone downloaded the guide when they registered and it proves otherwise, we were technically given these rules, albeit in a very poor manner. Again, I think NCEES should address the myriad of questions arising from this (especially the inconsistency in the verbal instructions given at the different sites as well as the different ways that this policy was enforced.)

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

For what it is worth; I pulled up the exam guide that I downloaded from NCEES on the week of my test registration (December 18); June 2015 revision.  

Compared to the January 13, 2016 policy:

The only difference I see is that the latter specifically mentions fitness trackers.  It seems they would still have been implicated in the prior version as they are undoubtedly a transmitting device.  I doubt there will be relief on this save for the apparently non-uniform way in which the rules were enforced.  That part is pretty maddening to me.

 

[MA_PE]

As an older member of this board the trend of people becoming obsessed with these technological gadgets is pretty annoying.  The NCEES askes you leave all electronic devices except the approved calculator out of the exam room.  Folks can't seem to live without phones or fitbits for a day or two.  It's pretty sad.

 

[Andrew2288]

Hey everyone, so I was also dismissed from the exam 7 hours in.  My biggest thing is that I registered with NCEES early december and the candidate agreement/exam guide was updated on jan. 13th - and we all know for a fact it wasn't a rule during the Oct. 2015 exam.  NCEES said I attested to the agreement when I registered which had to have been the old version because I have zero memory of the fitness trackers rule whereas the rest of the list looks familiar to me - and probably why so many people were not familiar with it as well.  Not providing or communicating that there was a change to something I attested to in the past and then holding be liable to that change is completely unethical in my books... was anyone else in this same boat?

Hi ChewChew - Hate the fact that you were dismissed as well, but at least you have plenty of company.

Sounds like many us will at least file a complaint with Maryland DLLR (assuming you were at Maryland), just to let them know what happened. If you go on the Maryland DLLR website/Professional Engineer page/News/Meeting Minutes, the November 2013 board minutes show that DLLR does indeed have the authority to request NCEES to score the exams of examinees who were dismissed for lack of proper notifications of specific policies for the exam. I wouldn't bank on DLLR doing anything... but I think they should be aware of what happened. 

 

[Andrew2288]

Hey everyone, so I was also dismissed from the exam 7 hours in.  My biggest thing is that I registered with NCEES early december and the candidate agreement/exam guide was updated on jan. 13th - and we all know for a fact it wasn't a rule during the Oct. 2015 exam.  NCEES said I attested to the agreement when I registered which had to have been the old version because I have zero memory of the fitness trackers rule whereas the rest of the list looks familiar to me - and probably why so many people were not familiar with it as well.  Not providing or communicating that there was a change to something I attested to in the past and then holding be liable to that change is completely unethical in my books... was anyone else in this same boat?

Hi ChewChew - Hate the fact that you were dismissed as well, but at least you have plenty of company. I think you have an excellent point.

Sounds like many us will at least file a complaint with Maryland DLLR (assuming you were at Maryland), just to let them know what happened. If you go on the Maryland DLLR website/Professional Engineer page/News/Meeting Minutes, the November 2013 board minutes show that DLLR does indeed have the authority to request NCEES to score the exams of examinees who were dismissed for lack of proper notifications of specific policies for the exam. 

 

[Mac87]

As an older member of this board the trend of people becoming obsessed with these technological gadgets is pretty annoying.  The NCEES askes you leave all electronic devices except the approved calculator out of the exam room.  Folks can't seem to live without phones or fitbits for a day or two.  It's pretty sad.

Except, you know, electronic watches. Which is simply what many of us thought we were wearing. The only other feature of fitbits is they track your steps and activity, which I would hardly equate to some annoying gadget as I'm using it for the good of my health. I would have happily left my fitbit at home (as I did my cellphone) if it had been more clearly and visibly stated in the guidelines.

 

[EB NCEES REP]

In the future, examinees will be tested (prior to the exam) to ensure they do not possess a “photographic memory” and those discovered to possess a photographic memory will not be permitted to sit for the exam.

 

[ChewChew]

Hi ChewChew - Hate the fact that you were dismissed as well, but at least you have plenty of company.

Sounds like many us will at least file a complaint with Maryland DLLR (assuming you were at Maryland), just to let them know what happened. If you go on the Maryland DLLR website/Professional Engineer page/News/Meeting Minutes, the November 2013 board minutes show that DLLR does indeed have the authority to request NCEES to score the exams of examinees who were dismissed for lack of proper notifications of specific policies for the exam. I wouldn't bank on DLLR doing anything... but I think they should be aware of what happened. 

Hey Andrew2288,  When I go to the DLLR I can only see meeting minutes up to 2015, how are you getting to the 2013?

Also, how are you filing your complaint?  I know people that know the board and they suggested going to their meeting which is the second thursday of every month which would be the 12th of May.  They do know what happened, I believe the executive director was at the exam himself.

There should really be an electronic archive of all those exam guides.. however the exam guide pdf wasn't created until 12/19/14 so it seems to be a fairly recent document they are using.  When I google I only find June 2015 and Jan 2016 existing.

 

[John QPE]

In the future, examinees will be tested (prior to the exam) to ensure they do not possess a “photographic memory” and those discovered to possess a photographic memory will not be permitted to sit for the exam.

This .....

I remembered, probably word for word, 75% of that exam for at least a week after taking it.

 

[Andrew2288]

Hey Andrew2288,  When I go to the DLLR I can only see meeting minutes up to 2015, how are you getting to the 2013?

Also, how are you filing your complaint?  I know people that know the board and they suggested going to their meeting which is the second thursday of every month which would be the 12th of May.  They do know what happened, I believe the executive director was at the exam himself.

There should really be an electronic archive of all those exam guides.. however the exam guide pdf wasn't created until 12/19/14 so it seems to be a fairly recent document they are using.  When I google I only find June 2015 and Jan 2016 existing.

Hey - Sorry about that.. didn't realize they only had 2015. Google maryland dllr "dismissed" pe exam should be the first doc file that pops up. I actually work close to 500 Calvert St. I was planning on filing a complaint at their office. 

 

[matt267 PE]

This .....

I remembered, probably word for word, 75% of that exam for at least a week after taking it.

Well, looks like you're results will be invalidated now.

 

[ChewChew]

Nvm I found other exam guides

 

[ChewChew]

Actually I found a December 2015 exam guide off their website and it is not listed there... this is getting weird.

 

[Mac87]

Actually I found a December 2015 exam guide off their website and it is not listed there... this is getting weird.

Can you post a link to the site where you found those?

 

[ChewChew]

http://ncees.org/supplemental-pages/search-results/?q=december+2015&x=0&y=0

 

[Mac87]

This is truly bizarre. If you search December 3, 2015, a different copy shows up that includes them. I really hate that I didn't download the pdf to my files so I could say definitively what I received upon registration.