Scoring

[lion]

Does anyone know approx how many questions do we have to get right in order to pass? Is it 50% or 70%? I heard someone say they got a 69 score on PE and failed. Is the exam curved?

 

[Dleg]

There are a lot of threads on this subject, and explanations on the NCEES website. You should check thouse out for more in depth explanations, although no one really can say for sure, for each exam, how it works.

Basically the passing score is 70, and your raw score is "adjusted" through some process the NCEES uses based on a lot of different inputs, including the performance of the entire testing group on certain standard questions, the input from their expert panel of question evaluators, comments received from test-takers after the exam (yes, you can sumit comments/complaints after the exam about aprticular questions that you thought were misleading, or unfair, or whatever). So it's not a "curve" but there is some adjustment. Overall, I think it usually equates to a passing "raw" score of somewhat less than 70 questions correct. It varies every time, so I can't say. And, I don't remember anyone ever posting a failing score diagnosis for the ENV test, so I;ve never seen any numbers.

 

[Steve]

70% of 80 questions is 56. so if you get that many correct you have an unadjusted score raw of 70% and you will definitely pass. As Dleg said there is an adjustment or scalling to the raw score to establish your final score. If your final score equals 69 then you go directly to "FAIL", do not pass GO and do not collect $200.

More states however no longer provide you with a numerical "score" and instead simply say pass/fail. If you dfail they will provide you with a breakdown (in percetages) of your performance on questions in certain topics so that you can see your strengths and weaknesses to help prepare for the next test.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

My advice: Don't worry about the cut score. It's not the same from exam to exam and there's no magic formula to calculate it.

Focus on doing well on the exam at this point. Try to put the other distractions aside.

 

[benbo]

70% of 80 questions is 56. so if you get that many correct you have an unadjusted score raw of 70% and you will definitely pass. As Dleg said there is an adjustment or scalling to the raw score to establish your final score. If your final score equals 69 then you go directly to "FAIL", do not pass GO and do not collect $200.
More states however no longer provide you with a numerical "score" and instead simply say pass/fail. If you dfail they will provide you with a breakdown (in percetages) of your performance on questions in certain topics so that you can see your strengths and weaknesses to help prepare for the next test.

Can you point me to the official place where it says if you get a raw 70% you will definitely pass? Because although this is probably true, I have yet to see it anywhere official.

And I mean 70% raw score, not a "70" adjusted score. Because that adjusted score could mean anything.

 

[roadwreck]

Can you point me to the official place where it says if you get a raw 70% you will definitely pass? Because although this is probably true, I have yet to see it anywhere official.
And I mean 70% raw score, not a "70" adjusted score. Because that adjusted score could mean anything.

I don't think there is anywhere that states that, I think it's more of an observation based on the diagnostic reports that people have posted.

Like others have said, there is no magic number, just try to answer as many questions as you can as well as you can.

 

[ODB_PE]

I don't think there is anywhere that states that, I think it's more of an observation based on the diagnostic reports that people have posted.
Like others have said, there is no magic number, just try to answer as many questions as you can as well as you can.

Agreed - I was hung up on this too. Get 58 questions correct (70 if you're taking the 100 question environmental) and you'll be fine.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

I went into it with the intention of getting every problem right. Obviously I didn't and it's not realistic goal to think I would. But it was a mindset I wanted to put myself in.

But I didn't want to give myself the slack of thinking all I needed was to get a certain number of the problems right and I'd be all set. Because then you're screwed if you fall short of that number. I wanted to take my best shot at each problem on its own and then just see what happened, and not bail on a hard one because I thought I already met my arbitrary number.

 

[ODB_PE]

I went into it with the intention of getting every problem right. Obviously I didn't and it's not realistic goal to think I would. But it was a mindset I wanted to put myself in.
But I didn't want to give myself the slack of thinking all I needed was to get a certain number of the problems right and I'd be all set. Because then you're screwed if you fall short of that number. I wanted to take my best shot at each problem on its own and then just see what happened, and not bail on a hard one because I thought I already met my arbitrary number.

Good points. Even though I did focus on 58, when it came down to it, I left not knowing if I passed or not - which seems to be a pretty common feeling. I did know, however, that I had seen the beast and would be much less intimidated if I had to face it again - and there's no shame in taking it more than once.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I fought both sections to the bitter end because I was deathly afraid of failing by one question. No leaving early for this guy.

 

[roadwreck]

I fought both sections to the bitter end because I was deathly afraid of failing by one question. No leaving early for this guy.

I only had to answer the first 16 questions in the afternoon section because I was certain I'd answered them and all 40 of the AM questions correctly.

j/k

I have to admit I too focused on the 70% mark, but I was going to do my best on all the questions just so I didn't leave any points on the table.

 

[FLBuff PE]

There are a lot of threads on this subject, and explanations on the NCEES website. You should check thouse out for more in depth explanations, although no one really can say for sure, for each exam, how it works.
Basically the passing score is 70, and your raw score is "adjusted" through some process the NCEES uses based on a lot of different inputs, including the performance of the entire testing group on certain standard questions, the input from their expert panel of question evaluators, comments received from test-takers after the exam (yes, you can sumit comments/complaints after the exam about aprticular questions that you thought were misleading, or unfair, or whatever). So it's not a "curve" but there is some adjustment. Overall, I think it usually equates to a passing "raw" score of somewhat less than 70 questions correct. It varies every time, so I can't say. And, I don't remember anyone ever posting a failing score diagnosis for the ENV test, so I;ve never seen any numbers.

I have been remiss in postign my diagnostic from last Octobers Enviromental Exam. I have been kind of dreading it. My wife compared trial #1 to trial #2, and said that I improved, so I am encouraged. As I am preparing to gear up for trial #3 in October, I will face the beast (as ODB has said) and post my diagnostic shortly. Good luck to all on Friday (the second time is not as intimidating as the first!)

 

[Dleg]

I went into it with the intention of getting every problem right. Obviously I didn't and it's not realistic goal to think I would. But it was a mindset I wanted to put myself in.

That was EXACTLY my approach - I set a goal of acing the exam from the start, and I studied everything accordingly. No strategizing and skipping unlikely test subjects for this guy. Although I failed to ace it (based on several qualitative questions I know I got wrong), I did pass and I don't regret the study effort at all, especially since I have an ME degree, and the studying helped fill in the gaps in my work experience.

 

[lion]

The reason I was asking was that I took the NCEES practice test and scored 54/100. I was trying to see if I have any chance this time. How did most people who took the NCEES sample test fair?

 

[Dleg]

I didn't take the NCEES practice exam as a real practice exam, I just used it to guide my studying. I took the first "the other board" practice exam and scored an 84. So I can't really say what your score means. Just keep in mind that people almost always do far better on the real thing than they do on a practice exam. As long as you took the results of your practice exam and used them to beef up your studying in the areas you were deficient, you should do fine. Don't start second guessing yourself today!

 

[benbo]

The reason I was asking was that I took the NCEES practice test and scored 54/100. I was trying to see if I have any chance this time. How did most people who took the NCEES sample test fair?

Yes you have a chance. Although nobody knows for sure, that is probably a little below the passing score, but a little review and a little luck of course you can pass.