Maryland Exam Information

[Road Guy]

Appeals

If your exam results are invalidated and you

believe NCEES should review that decision, you

may appeal to NCEES within 30 days from the

date of the decision. You must send your appeal

in writing by email, mail, or fax to the NCEES

Manager of Compliance and Security.

In most cases, results are invalidated for one of

two reasons. First, there is a good-faith reason

to question the validity of the results. Second,

you have engaged in activities prohibited by

the NCEES Examinee Guide, the NCEES CBT

Exam Rules, or the NCEES Nondisclosure

Agreement. If you decide to appeal, your appeal

must provide information that resolves, to the

reasonable satisfaction of NCEES, the concerns

that led to the invalidation of your exam

results. Your appeal should also indicate the

specific relief requested. You will be notified of....

they don't list a contact person for this, but your clock is ticking..

 

[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.

When you mentioned that the executive director was at the exam, then that would mean the State probably OK'd the decision to start dismissing people. The current executive director was appointed this past January. Google "Steve Long DLLR", see if you can find an image of him.... I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

 

[ChewChew]

Yea I believe he was asked by the proctor who found the Fitbit what to do and he directed them to call NCEES and NCEES told the proctor what to do.  I think how the test is administered is completely up to NCEES and I don't know how much he could get involved.  I think I do remember seeing him there!

 

[knight1fox3]

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.

I also agree with this to some extent.  One day without being "connected" shouldn't be too taxing for anyone.  But then the counter-argument below also makes sense so it is most certainly a fine line.

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.

 

[Andrew2288]

Yea I believe he was asked by the proctor who found the Fitbit what to do and he directed them to call NCEES and NCEES told the proctor what to do.  I think how the test is administered is completely up to NCEES and I don't know how much he could get involved.  I think I do remember seeing him there!

I'm just surprised that he was the one doing the dismissing, and not the chief proctor. 

At least he dismissed me. 

 

[lisfs]

This is a bummer - sorry man.  I can't fathom the thought of being dismissed from the exam after months of no-life livin' :mellow: .  Truly, I've spent the last few months neglecting all normal activities, my wife, and my kids too just so I could be ready for this exam.  It sucks something like this happen.  My rule of thumb when it comes to something as important as the PE exam is if you're in doubt, do something that will remove your doubt if it doesn't hurt you too much.  The night before the exam, I rechecked my backpack, my reference container, and laid out all the things that I would put on my person for the PE exam and made absolutely sure that I had no digital electronics EXCEPT for the approved calculators.  The only other thing I had on me was my analog wrist watch worn on my wrist to keep time.  I left my phone and my whatever at home.  I figured a day without electronics was perfectly alright; heck, I'd give up a month without electronics if I have my PE today.  Hopefully, I'll have my PE in a few weeks and the electronics too

Good luck to you with your appeal or the next exam.

 

[Mac87]

The night before the exam, I rechecked my backpack, my reference container, and laid out all the things that I would put on my person for the PE exam and made absolutely sure that I had no digital electronics EXCEPT for the approved calculators.  The only other thing I had on me was my analog wrist watch worn on my wrist to keep time.  I left my phone and my whatever at home.

I essentially did the same thing, though I actually went on the NCEES website and searched for the banned items list, reread the calculator policy, and figured out what personal items I could bring in and to put them in a plastic bag. And this is where mine (and probably many others') frustration comes into play. Fitness trackers aren't mentioned on the website directly; you have to open the pdf and know to not just read the paper and pencil exam part but to get to the appendix, which is the only place I can find the reference. I thought I was being responsible and doing everything I needed to do before the exam. And to be honest, it just never occurred to me that my fitbit would be a problem. It's almost ironic. If you never think about cheating, you also don't think about why certain items could be interpreted as problem items. I would never have thought that my fitbit could be used to cheat (and I'm still pretty sure that it can't even be modified to do so), so I didn't think to do further investigation or ask a proctor. And those that would think about cheating would probably not wear an incriminating item on their wrist.

 

[Ship Wreck PE]

Don't forget to leave your pacemaker at home.

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[Audi Driver P.E.]

I will reiterate the thought I conveyed earlier: regardless of whether the words "fitness tracker" is specifically included in what you believe to be the examinee guide that is governing your exam, the fact of the matter is guides for a long time have said that devices that transmit are a no-no.  A fitness tracker falls into that category.  As did my HP28s way back in 1996 when I sat for the EIT.  And all that calculator can do is send to a printer sitting no more than 10 feet away.

So, the real issue at stake is: that apparently fit bit fitness trackers were allowed (and even specifically allowed) in some cases for this test administration, and in other cases they were not.  Arguments about what the guide said or did not say is moot.  What is truly at issue are the proctor actions during the exam.  These kinds of inconsistencies are very problematic.  NCEES has a charlie foxtrot on their hands.

 

[Mac87]

 As did my HP28s way back in 1996 when I sat for the EIT.  And all that calculator can do is send to a printer sitting no more than 10 feet away.

Was it not actually because of the full keyboard?

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

Was it not actually because of the full keyboard?

Nope, it was because it could transmit.  I remember the 48 models that were out were also capable of having a card put in them, and they were a no-no for that additional reason.

 

[Cinnamon]

So, the real issue at stake is: that apparently fit bit fitness trackers were allowed (and even specifically allowed) in some cases for this test administration, and in other cases they were not.  Arguments about what the guide said or did not say is moot.  What is truly at issue are the proctor actions during the exam.  These kinds of inconsistencies are very problematic.  NCEES has a charlie foxtrot on their hands.

As someone who works in Construction Claims and deals with disputes all day long this is the crux of the matter. Whether you read it or not in the agreement, it's there. However the inconstant application of the rule is where the bacon fat is. 

 

[Road Guy]

Your honor, I will show the court that the rules of this examination are not being applied uniformly in all 50 states and in addition are in fact being administered by individuals who are too old to even drive an automobile anymore.

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[shelbygt5252]

As someone who works in Construction Claims and deals with disputes all day long this is the crux of the matter. Whether you read it or not in the agreement, it's there. However the inconstant application of the rule is where the bacon fat is. 

This is also in the agreement: on Page 17 of the examinee guide "Exam proctors will assist you in locating your assigned seat and ensure that you have in your possession only the NCEES-designated items allowed into the exam room." So either the proctors did not read the rules either or the NCEES did a poor job finding competent people to fill the positions. Many candidates have reported that while being checked in their proctor did not say anything about their fitbit, which is located on the wrist, and is usually easy to spot.

 

[Evaz]

A friend of mine was kicked out from the MD exam at 7.5 hours due to a fitbit. 

If you think that's crazy enough..the proctor made me remove my casio g-shock watch because it was digital. I had to constantly ask him how much time was left.

The MD proctors were vicious

 

[Cinnamon]

I'm wondering if the proctors even knew what a fitbit looked like.   One of my coworkers (age75)  used to proctor the FE test before it went computerized. I asked her if she would have known what one looked like and she said no.   Add that to the list of confusion and you have a charlie foxtrot..   

(and yes my coworker can be down right vicious and rather unbending) 

 

[Andrew2288]

A friend of mine was kicked out from the MD exam at 7.5 hours due to a fitbit. 

If you think that's crazy enough..the proctor made me remove my casio g-shock watch because it was digital. I had to constantly ask him how much time was left.

The MD proctors were vicious

Evaz - I feel for your friend. Let him know that we're all here for him!

Total blitzkrieg at the end of the MD Exam - no one was safe haha

 

[Dark Knight]

Is it true they are going to invalidate the Maryland exam?

 

[knight1fox3]

Is it true they are going to invalidate the Maryland exam?

There have been rumblings and discussions from NSPE that this could in fact be the case.  It is certainly turning out to be a fiasco that's for sure.

 

[Dark Knight]

NCEES has always behaved as this. It is hard to keep up with their rules, which they modify at will with nobody overseeing their methods. Nothing they do will surprise me...until the next stupid thing they will do. I understand the tracker was forbidden but to wait 7 hours to enforce it is just wrong. They dropped this one.

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