October 2020 Post Exam Wait Period - Welcome to the Suck

[Tiger15]

If NCEES is waiting to release results until after Dec. 14 solely to keep us October test takers from registering for the January exam, this is inappropriate and a disservice to the hard working engineers who took this test.  according to the PE release history on this site, NCEES would have typically released our results by this point.  Considering that my, and many other's, April exam was cancelled (no fault of NCEES), it would be prudent to release the October test results as soon as possible.  People's careers and livelihoods rely on these results.  I'm sure there are countless missed career opportunities as people were unable to take the April exam.  Let's not delay any further.   

I understand your feelings. But I feel like this is one of those, "chose the best of only bad" situations. Nothing about this year is ideal. But NCEES seems to be doing everything they can to make it work.

The January administration was created to help all the people who couldn't take the exam in April AND couldn't take it in October due to COVID restrictions. If someone takes the exam in both October and January, they are taking someone's seat who wasn't able to take it at all.

 

[DrRich PE]

I understand your feelings. But I feel like this is one of those, "chose the best of only bad" situations. Nothing about this year is ideal. But NCEES seems to be doing everything they can to make it work.

The January administration was created to help all the people who couldn't take the exam in April AND couldn't take it in October due to COVID restrictions. If someone takes the exam in both October and January, they are taking someone's seat who wasn't able to take it at all.

I entirely agree!  I'm not suggesting that October takers should be admitted to the January exam.  Just that the results be released when they are ready instead of after Dec. 14.

 

[Tiger15]

I entirely agree!  I'm not suggesting that October takers should be admitted to the January exam.  Just that the results be released when they are ready instead of after Dec. 14.

There probably is a more elegant solution

 

[Eye Hate Landscaping PE]

There probably is a more elegant solution

Like passing everyone? We survived 8 hours of a high intensity exam recycling our own cotton flavored halitosis in peak pressure construction season. I'd say that's worthy of a stamp.

 

[DoctorWho-PE]

If NCEES is waiting to release results until after Dec. 14 solely to keep us October test takers from registering for the January exam, this is inappropriate and a disservice to the hard working engineers who took this test.  according to the PE release history on this site, NCEES would have typically released our results by this point.  Considering that my, and many other's, April exam was cancelled (no fault of NCEES), it would be prudent to release the October test results as soon as possible.  People's careers and livelihoods rely on these results.  I'm sure there are countless missed career opportunities as people were unable to take the April exam.  Let's not delay any further.   

strong first post.

i hate this argument, it's so cringey and obnoxious.

and no, based on data from this site, it's still too early to release results for october. based on historical data, we're looking at mid-next week at the earliest. maybe. but that's without a global pandemic. 

Thanks for the reply!

Looking at the October '15, '16, and '17 for my state, the durations between exam and release are 42, 41, and 39, respectively.  Since the October exam was administered on the 22nd, today would be 43 days since the exam.  I'm basing my reasoning on more recent exams as there is a trend towards earlier release times compared to the early 2000's.

The point of this post was that if the tests have been graded, the results should be released if the only reason for not releasing results is to keep October test takers from registering for the January exam.  NCEES could simply state that if you took the October exam, you are ineligible for the January exam.

I partially agree. I think you're right and the exams have mostly been graded at this point and they are sitting on them. Without any evidence other than knowing how some of our software works I believe the issue is they use their website as an initial screening for exams. As soon as a result is posted you either passed and you're locked from taking a future exam or you failed and the exam registration is unlocked. Reprogramming that is a big and costly undertaking and tough to justify as the pandemic situation is a one off and not routine. 

It would be nice if they could generate an email form that would fill with your status and an explanation that you can't do anything with that information until the NCEES website updates with your exam status (particularly for states like mine that require applying for your license AFTER passing for the exam). Then at least you'd know. But I'm sure there's a cost involved there as well and in the grand scheme waiting another 11 days is not that big of an obstacle. 

I understand your argument that careers are affected. I have a promotion with a title and potential additional perks pending results of the exam. Even with that in mind 11 days is not that big of an obstacle. Being a multiple attempt test taker I can say the anxiety is worse not knowing the "not before" date. My condolences if your stakes are higher.

That being said, my tone will change if I don't have an e-mail from NCEES at 3:01 EST on the 14th.

Hi there, fellow WTTS sufferer here, and long time EB'er.  I was a member of the O'17 release party, when the results came out early (results in most states came in December 4th, it was a Monday, I digress) 

I get that the delay sucks. And careers are hinging on the results. But it is two weeks, not 2 years. It is one year, (or 6 months) of your career. In October 2017, when I got my PE pass, my company has just completed the annual "wage and position update" the week before, and due to not having results, I didn't get anything "extra". I was salty, but I waited my year.

But in the grand scheme of things, it is not that big of a deal.  The results will get released, you'll pass or you won't, and you'll move on. Don't blame NCEES for not passing, or not getting a promotion, or derailing your career, whatever it is you think the results delay or cancellation caused.  It is not worth it.

 

[RBHeadge PE]

Ah... we're starting to enter the anger phase.

 

[RBHeadge PE]

Without any evidence other than knowing how some of our software works I believe the issue is they use their website as an initial screening for exams. As soon as a result is posted you either passed and you're locked from taking a future exam or you failed and the exam registration is unlocked. Reprogramming that is a big and costly undertaking and tough to justify as the pandemic situation is a one off and not routine. 

I understand your argument that careers are affected. I have a promotion with a title and potential additional perks pending results of the exam. Even with that in mind 11 days is not that big of an obstacle. Being a multiple attempt test taker I can say the anxiety is worse not knowing the "not before" date. My condolences if your stakes are higher.

I've been browsing this board for nearly seven years. And this is one of the most wise, calm, and rationale things I've read on here.

 

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

The end of the suck is nigh.

 

[beccabun PE]

It's bad enough that I have regular daytime anxiety about the exam results, why do I also have to have nightmares about results? 

 

[DoctorWho-PE]

It's bad enough that I have regular daytime anxiety about the exam results, why do I also have to have nightmares about results? 

It is a horrible part of the process. My worst one was acually a dream that I passed.  And then they immediately transferred me to the office in the land of Oz. It was a pretty complex and disturbing dream.

 

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

It's bad enough that I have regular daytime anxiety about the exam results, why do I also have to have nightmares about results? 

That's normal. You'll know soon enough.

 

[RBHeadge PE]

It's bad enough that I have regular daytime anxiety about the exam results, why do I also have to have nightmares about results? 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nightmare-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353515#:~:text=Nightmares can be triggered by,can have the same effect.

 

[Eye Hate Landscaping PE]

I've been browsing this board for nearly seven years. And this is one of the most wise, calm, and rationale things I've read on here.

I'm typically on the bad news delivering end of things like this in my industry. "Sorry, we fought but couldn't get the DOT to change the spec to the more contractor friendly version we wanted... Sorry, we couldn't get the developer to update the database before pre-season training... Fixing your 300k mile work truck was much cheaper than buying you a new one, 8 tracks are coming back anyway." It's easy to get upset at your personal short-term impact but in this industry we need to be looking at the greater good. 

If they did reprogram the site for this situation and reprogrammed it back afterward the next round of exams might be $500 instead of $350. I'm at a point in my career where $150 doesn't phase me much anymore, but when I started that would've stung quite a bit. I'd rather just wait the 11 days and keep the cost down for the youngsters.

 

[CMM056]

What if the results are sitting in your MyNCEES account, but you've just not gotten the email notification yet?

 

[leggo PE]

What if the results are sitting in your MyNCEES account, but you've just not gotten the email notification yet?

Then you log into your NCEES account and manically refresh?

Or, you can blindly spam until the email comes! It's fun, I promise!

https://engineerboards.com/topic/36112-october-2020-15k-spam-thread/

 

[TooStressedForAFunnyName]

I haven't had any nightmares, odd.  Of course I have been checking NCEES every morning for the last month, cause you never know, right?  Maybe that is the key to avoiding nightmares...  

 

[Fisherman504]

I haven't had any nightmares, odd.  Of course I have been checking NCEES every morning for the last month, cause you never know, right?  Maybe that is the key to avoiding nightmares...  

You should just check at the end of everyday, but I highly doubt anybody have nerves of non elastic steel for that. Hell I checked it every 10 minutes. 

 

[TooStressedForAFunnyName]

You should just check at the end of everyday, but I highly doubt anybody have nerves of non elastic steel for that. Hell I checked it every 10 minutes. 

I Just keep the "2020 results welcome to the suck" forum up because I imagine someone will say something there when results are posted  and then I don't feel like a nutcase spam refreshing NCEES.  Of course that will probably change in the next week after we hit the "no sooner than" date. 

 

[DoctorWho-PE]

You should just check at the end of everyday, but I highly doubt anybody have nerves of non elastic steel for that. Hell I checked it every 10 minutes. 

I have checked 3 times thus far.  Oh hey, I found out 3 years ago right about now that I passed!

 

[DoctorWho-PE]

I Just keep the "2020 results welcome to the suck" forum up because I imagine someone will say something there when results are posted  and then I don't feel like a nutcase spam refreshing NCEES.  Of course that will probably change in the next week after we hit the "no sooner than" date. 

You can feel it when it starts to happen.  It was so strange.