OCT 2018 - Vertical

[Hindianapolis]

Anyone took this this year and felt they messed up?

i honestly felt it was brutal...

 

[TheBigGuy]

I felt like I nailed every part of that exam except the wood problem.  Made a lot of mistakes, then lost my composure and made a lot more.  Hopefully I showed enough knowledge to get a needs improvement.

 

[leggo PE]

Everyone, please refrain from posting specific information about test questions. Remember the non-disclosure agreement you signed with NCEES before you took the exam, and please really take it to heart.

NCEES watches these boards and will take action against anyone breaking this agreement.

 

[tj_PE]

Anyone took this this year and felt they messed up?

i honestly felt it was brutal...

are you glad you split them up to take one day at a time? 

 

[Hindianapolis]

are you glad you split them up to take one day at a time? 

I wish I did, i took both modules and deeply regret it. Next April, I will do just one .

 

[tj_PE]

I wish I did, i took both modules and deeply regret it. Next April, I will do just one .

unless you pass both! I'm taking one at a time starting in april.

 

[cal91]

I'm going to be taking both in April. Hoping it i'll be a one and done situation.

Hindianapolis, did you just feel burnt out on Saturday or why do you regret taking both modules?

 

[Hindianapolis]

I'm going to be taking both in April. Hoping it i'll be a one and done situation.

Hindianapolis, did you just feel burnt out on Saturday or why do you regret taking both modules?

no, actually my Saturday morning run was not a bad one. 

I said this because I think this exam requires you to think in two different ways per say: "Vertical thinking"; and "Lateral thinking". I felt that under the pressure of the exam these two thinking strategies gets mixed up in your head. By "Lateral thinking", I mean applicable seismic load combinations; applicable loads; anticipated behaviors; etc. 

By taking one module at a time, at least in the preparations, you are focusing on one strategy. I think this multiplies your chances of passing the module.

I don't know about your experience and what your daily job requirements entail, but if you are not doing lateral design as part of your day-to-day job (my case), it is just hard. Next time, this is definitely what I am doing: one module at a time (especially judging from how tough I found the exam to be).

I was also driven by the rush of "hoping to clear both in one sitting". Now that I am once bitten, I feel there is no shame in taking a year to clear this exam.

These were my two cents.

 

[Duke]

@ Hindianapolis

I felt "ok" on the vertical afternoon but the morning is what burned me. I hit a wall on too many of the AASHTO questions and a couple others.

@ cal91

Unless you are a very gifted test taker and got high scores on very difficult tests in the past I would recommend taking them separately. I tried taking both and it didn't work for two reasons.

1) I ended up being spread too thin in my studies trying to make up knowledge gaps in both areas.

2) The last three hours on the second day are very challenging due to burn out.

That being said people do make it in one go, but most of us don't.

 

[Hindianapolis]

@ Hindianapolis

I felt "ok" on the vertical afternoon but the morning is what burned me. I hit a wall on too many of the AASHTO questions and a couple others.

@ cal91

Unless you are a very gifted test taker and got high scores on very difficult tests in the past I would recommend taking them separately. I tried taking both and it didn't work for two reasons.

1) I ended up being spread too thin in my studies trying to make up knowledge gaps in both areas.

2) The last three hours on the second day are very challenging due to burn out.

That being said people do make it in one go, but most of us don't.

Thats exactly what happened to me. I wanna say i did pretty good on the vertical afternoon (3 problems 90-95%; and 1 problem about 75-80%).

 

[ZEZO4]

As roughly, what is the range of A (100% to 90%?), what is the range of IR (90% to 80%?), what is the passing grade for the afternoon? A, A, A &A? A, A, A &IR ...etc.? Is it combined morning and afternoon or separate? Is anyone has idea? 

Thanks.   

 

[Duke]

From what I've seen it takes 30/40 morning and A/A/IR/IR in the afternoon to pass. They are combined, failing morning or afternoon fails both.

 

[ZEZO4]

From what I've seen it takes 30/40 morning and A/A/IR/IR in the afternoon to pass. They are combined, failing morning or afternoon fails both.

Thank you Duke.

 

[Mithrandir918]

28/30 AM both tests.

Bridges PM IR/A/A, if you miss 50% question or get IR on this =  no pass.

Buildings PM: A/A/A/IR.

Typically any unacceptable in PM will fail you.

 

[cal91]

If you pass, they don't tell you what your scores are, correct?

 

[Mithrandir918]

If you pass, they don't tell you what your scores are, correct?

This is correct.

 

[ZEZO4]

28/30 AM both tests.

Bridges PM IR/A/A, if you miss 50% question or get IR on this =  no pass.

Buildings PM: A/A/A/IR.

Typically any unacceptable in PM will fail you.

(For the Buildings), Do thing there is possible for the afternoon to be A/A/IR/IR if the morning is +30/40?  

 

[ZEZO4]

If you pass, they don't tell you what your scores are, correct?

yes.

 

[Mithrandir918]

(For the Buildings), Do thing there is possible for the afternoon to be A/A/IR/IR if the morning is +30/40?  

Of course we can never truly know for sure though I have never seen a failing score reported with these results.

A while back a member posted a very involved break down of scoring results @ TehMightyEngineer  I believe.  Check it out.

I would be surprised if they passed you with acceptable on only 50% of the afternoon though.

 

[ZEZO4]

Of course we can never truly know for sure though I have never seen a failing score reported with these results.

A while back a member posted a very involved break down of scoring results @ TehMightyEngineer  I believe.  Check it out.

I would be surprised if they passed you with acceptable on only 50% of the afternoon though.

Roughly, what is the switch grade between A to IR? is any mistake in the the question kills the question to be A?

Thank you.