SE Exam Cut Score Estimate

[Mithrandir918]

Hi everyone!!

I need some help on study guide and tips about Lateral exam (AM & PM). Taking Bridge for the afternoon. No experience with the seismic design in everyday practice. I got following resources from my last posts replies. They are NCEES practice test, PPI practice test and David Connor's bridge problems for the morning. FHWA seismic manual & IDOT seismic design guide for the afternoon.  Are these enough? seems like lateral results are harder than vertical so any help on study tips and guide would be great. Thank you!!

I took the EET SE Lateral online demand course this past fall.  I had taken and failed the SE Lateral (Bridges) multiple times over the past few years, primarily due to the AM multiple choice questions which I was never able to achieve an acceptable level.  I almost always got "Acceptable" on all 3 of the PM bridge essay questions.

I have taken a couple of different review courses and I found EET to be the best option.  I used School of PE in the past, which helped me past the SE Vertical (Bridges) on my 1st attempt.  I took School of PE again for the Lateral and found that only the instruction for the bridge PM essays was worthwhile.  I also tried Kaplan's online demand course for Lateral and did not find the instruction to be very helpful.  There was limited application to exam problems and too much background discussion.

Just to give some background on my experience with the EET SE Lateral online demand course: I signed up rather late and did not start studying until September 18th for the October 29th exam.  However, I worked through all of the online tutorials nearly every night and spent my entire weekends studying up until the exam.  My focus was on topics related to buildings for the AM portion, which I struggled with in the past.  The instruction was extremely helpful and there are many homework problems to go with it.  I would advise anyone who is interested in this class to take advantage of its wealth of information and practical exam problems.  As stated in one of the posts above, the exam simulation is extremely helpful.  No other course I have taken previously offers this level of training.  Both instructors are extremely knowledgeable and very approachable for 1 on 1 tutoring in the evenings to answer questions.  Although I did not focus too much on the bridge PM essays since I had always done well in the past, the course material is also extremely valuable.

I found out on December 12th that I passed the SE Lateral (Bridges) to close out that chapter.  Again, I highly recommend EET for the SE review courses and I am confident that this applies to any of their other topics (Civil PE, CA Seismic PE, FE, etc.).

• 33/40 - Acceptable, Acceptable, Acceptable, Unacceptable
  

This score is unfathomable to me to fail the test...

 

[Mithrandir918]

So just to be clear, are the morning and afternoon graded separate and treated as separate units?  For example you have to pass both individually or the total overall score of both is what determines pass/fail?  With these cut scores it appears that the pass/fail is determined by the individual module rather than the sum of both.

 

[StructuralVFL]

 With these cut scores it appears that the pass/fail is determined by the individual module rather than the sum of both.

That's what I'm taking away. It appears that a single "Unacceptable" would be enough to throw out a 40/40 and 3 "Acceptable" answers. It's mind blowing. It may not be that extreme since we never know the scores of those who pass, but the thought of one unacceptable being the difference is paralyzing.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

That's what I'm taking away. It appears that a single "Unacceptable" would be enough to throw out a 40/40 and 3 "Acceptable" answers. It's mind blowing. It may not be that extreme since we never know the scores of those who pass, but the thought of one unacceptable being the difference is paralyzing.

According to NCEES: "Your combined performance on both sections much demonstrate minimum competency."

Not sure what they mean by "combined performance" but I suspect that they mean you have to pass both and thus a "failed" afternoon gets you a failed exam day. And, yes, this sucks that a single problem can kill your exam.

 

[dussbucs]

Based on my experiences, I'm going to guess:

Morning:

- Need at least 28/40 ( +\- 1 or 2).

Afternoon:

- I agree that Unacceptable on any problem will kill the result.

- For Buildings: 3 Acceptable & 1 Improvement Required may be ok.

- For Bridges: Acceptable on the 2-hour and one 1-hour, Improvement Required on the other 1-hour may be ok. But Improvement Required on the 2-hour may kill it.

 

[dussbucs]

So just to be clear, are the morning and afternoon graded separate and treated as separate units?  For example you have to pass both individually or the total overall score of both is what determines pass/fail?  With these cut scores it appears that the pass/fail is determined by the individual module rather than the sum of both.

It has to be based on minimum proficiency in the AM and PM, individually. I have passed the PM with all Acceptable multiple times. And assuming that meant 100% for the PM, my overall test with the AM was over 75% combined and I still failed.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

It has to be based on minimum proficiency in the AM and PM, individually. I have passed the PM with all Acceptable multiple times. And assuming that meant 100% for the PM, my overall test with the AM was over 75% combined and I still failed.

Good info (though unfortunate how you came about it).

 

[smahurin]

According to NCEES: "Your combined performance on both sections much demonstrate minimum competency."

Not sure what they mean by "combined performance" but I suspect that they mean you have to pass both and thus a "failed" afternoon gets you a failed exam day. And, yes, this sucks that a single problem can kill your exam.

I actually take this to mean the opposite.  They combine your scores, and that combination must show minimum competency.

This is pure speculation, but we all seem to be operating under the idea that an "acceptable" is a 100% on a problem.  I'm not sure that's true.  Again, purely speculation but it seems logical that acceptable can range from anywhere between correct, and mostly correct.  IE, if they grade each afternoon problem on a 10-point scale, acceptable probably covers any grade from 8-10 points on that problem.  Needs improvement would be 6-7, and unacceptable is anything less than 6.  So looking at the 33/40, A/A/A/U score you'd possibly come out with 3x 8-points on the acceptable and say you got 2 pts on the unacceptable.  Cumulatively that's 59/80, or 73%.  Maybe the passing score that go around was a 60/80 and the test taker just barely missed out on passing.  Obviously I know nothing, but it wouldn't surprise me if this is the case.  

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

I actually take this to mean the opposite.  They combine your scores, and that combination must show minimum competency.

This is pure speculation, but we all seem to be operating under the idea that an "acceptable" is a 100% on a problem.  I'm not sure that's true.  Again, purely speculation but it seems logical that acceptable can range from anywhere between correct, and mostly correct.  IE, if they grade each afternoon problem on a 10-point scale, acceptable probably covers any grade from 8-10 points on that problem.  Needs improvement would be 6-7, and unacceptable is anything less than 6.  So looking at the 33/40, A/A/A/U score you'd possibly come out with 3x 8-points on the acceptable and say you got 2 pts on the unacceptable.  Cumulatively that's 59/80, or 73%.  Maybe the passing score that go around was a 60/80 and the test taker just barely missed out on passing.  Obviously I know nothing, but it wouldn't surprise me if this is the case.  

An interesting thought, perhaps you're right.

 

[Voomie]

39/40 now get back to studying!

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