no hand-written notes in the exam?

[thartley]

I work with an engineer who sat for the exam in April '07 and he was ejected because a couple of folded papers fell out of one of his college text books during the test. He didn't even know they were in the book - probably had been there since he took the class in college. The test was in California.

 

[TXengrChickPE]

^ you definitely have to check for loose papers... I figure before I pack my crates, I'll shake every book and binder to make sure nothing's hiding.

 

[IlPadrino]

I work with an engineer who sat for the exam in April '07 and he was ejected because a couple of folded papers fell out of one of his college text books during the test. He didn't even know they were in the book - probably had been there since he took the class in college. The test was in California.

Am I the only one who thinks this is absurd? I know... the rules are the rules. But I think the proctor was overzealous. When I took the exam in Oregon last April, I forgot to remove the library loan sheet from the Dictionary I borrowed. I saw it during the exam (it fell out when I moved the book), I called over a proctor, explained what happened, and gave her the sheet. No problems! I'm lucky I wasn't in CA, eh? [Hey... is there a statute of limitations on this?!?]

 

[Dleg]

^I think that is absurd, too. But, there are lots of different types of people in this world (see prision guard thread), and you never know what kind of person is going to be looking over your shoulder during the exam. It's very possible that it won't be someone who shares the same definition of what we believe to be "reasonableness". So, better safe than sorry. And if a paper falls out of yoru references, it sounds like the best course of action is to do exactly what you did - call the proctor over and immediately explain what happened, and hand it over to them. And hope for mercy.

 

[squishles10]

EXAMINATION and REFERENCE MATERIALS

The Principles and Practice of Engineering Examination is an open book examination. ONLY the following items may be brought into the examination room:

a) NCEES will provide pencils for exams. Candidates will not be allowed to bring in their own pencils.

B) Calculators: NCEES has a list of calculators that are permitted in the exam room. No other calculators will be permitted. See NCEES Calculator Policy for more information and an updated list of calculators.

c) Reference Materials

* This may include handbooks, textbooks, and other bound reference material. Bound materials are considered to be materials which are permanently bound (stitched or glued) and materials fastened securely in a cover by fasteners which penetrate all papers (multi-ring binders, spiral notebooks, snap binders, brads, screw posts, etc.). Materials must remain bound throughout the examination.

* P.E. Sample Exams, Study Guides, and Solution Manuals are permitted.

* Books may have handwritten highlights or notes in them as long as they are in ink (no pencil).

* No writing is allowed in any reference materials during the examination.

* Candidates are not permitted to share or exchange reference materials.

* Page markers, including self adhesive tabs or sticky notes, are permitted.

* Scratch pads/paper are not permitted.

* All work must be done in the solution pamphlets/examination booklets.

http://www.tbpe.state.tx.us/lic_pe_info.htm at the bottom

 

[TXengrChickPE]

* Books may have handwritten highlights or notes in them as long as they are in ink (no pencil).

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. DAMNIT!

Thanks squishles! I know I've read that web page at least 10 times and never noticed that line!

 

[squishles10]

Sorry. Better to know now though. You can highlight over the pencil and it's okay because it proves it was already there. Or just write over it in ink and photocopy your notes. Here is the Colorado one-

http://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/licensing/faqs.htm#exam

http://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/licensing/faqs.htm#examhttp://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/licensing/faqs.htm#examhttp://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/licensing/faqs.htm#exam

Q: What can I take into the exam location?

A: Below are a few helpful hints for what items are allowed at the exam:

*

You may bring notes in a 3-ring binder in sheet protectors. These notes cannot be written in pencil; they must be written in pen, typed or if pencil, copied on a copier. These notes must remain bound and cannot be taken from the binder.

*

You may not use sticky (post it) notes.

*

You may use the plastic flags for marking pages in books; however, they must be affixed to your reference material before you enter the exam room.

*

No hats.

*

Approved calculators per the NCEES website at www.ncees.org.

* When you refer to your notes or books, you need to set your pencil down.

* The examination administrator provides pencils with erasers (you cannot bring your own pencil or erasers).

* See the Examination.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. DAMNIT!

Thanks squishles! I know I've read that web page at least 10 times and never noticed that line!

Yeah, I went over my handwritten stuff in ink. Luckily, I found out about it early enough that only my NCEES manual had pencil notes in it.

 

[TXengrChickPE]

My biggest problems is the reference books that I'm borrowing. I did just track down a "clean" steel manual... my boss's has so much stuff penciled in that it would be crazy to try to erase it all or ink over it. Also, it's not my book, so I wouldn't feel comfortable making permanant marks on it. Oh well, at least I had already decided that I'm pretty much done studying and was just going to use this weekend to organize... now I'll be using it to go through every page of every book or reference I'm taking to make sure nothing's in pencil.

 

[Dleg]

That really sucks. My 4 year old son got hold of my "Hazardous Waste Management" book a few weeks before the exam last year, and did deep pencil scribbles all over the inside cover & table of contents. There is no way to really erase those, they were so deep. I guess if I took the exam in CO or TX, I would have to scribble over his marks in permanent ink? Some of these state boards need to lighten up a bit, I think. Or perhaps at least get the results and licenses out faster, since apparently they don't have enough to do...

<_<