Structura II

[Greenaqua]

WA SE3 - Essay format

CA SE3 - Part multiple choice and part essay

From what I have heard they mainly cover seismic analysis and design. It looks like studying more advanced seismic analysis issues would be the way to go.

 

[jascia1919]

(1) What kind of reference are they looking for, Say WA? It is impossible for me to find any SE around me as my reference.

(2) As Greenaqua mentioned, can we get WA SE first by taking SEIII, and later on back to CA Civil and SE.

(3)If I am not wrong, SEIII should be same for CA and WA, so we can find codes information from CA website.

 

[kevo_55]

First of all, I've never taken any SE3. I've only taken NCEES exams. I do plan on taking the CA or WA SE3 though.

The WA SE3 isn't the same as the CA SE3. WA has been having their SE3 on the 2003 IBC for some time now. They may be changing it for this time around though. CA's SE3 will not be under the 2007 CBC. How each test is written (MC vs essay) may also be diffrent.

For refrences, I do know that WA is easier on you than CA is. You may take the exam in WA with references which don't have a WA SE seal. I'm not too sure about taking the CA SE3, but I do know that in order to get a CA SE seal, you must have 3 CA SE seal holders as references.

 

[jascia1919]

Yes. I checked online, WA has their own SE III. It is so complicated.

 

[kris kelvin]

Yes. I checked online, WA has their own SE III. It is so complicated.

and it is only offered once a year, in october.

 

[Greenaqua]

Yes, the two tests are different but are the same int that they both are mainly covering advanced seismic topics. The formats are also different as I said before. They are both only offered in the fall (once a year).

The October 2007 CA exam was based on UBC. You had to know both ASD and LRFD for steel design.

I don't know what format the October 2008 CA exam will be in (IBC or UBC).

The WA exam you could choose either UBC or IBC based design. Once you picked one code you couldn't go back and forth to your advantage.

I had a friend take the October 2007 CA exam and another friend take the October 2007 WA exam. They both said that there wasn't enough time to finish the test.

I think you have to have the Civil license in CA prior to sitting for the SE3 there. This would mean that you would have to pass the CA surveying/seismic exams prior to applying for the SE3. Since the deadline has passed for being able to sit on the April 2008 CA surveying/seismic you would have to take those in October 2008 and then if you passed those you would take the CA SE3 exam October 2009 and find out your results February 2010. That seems really far down the road right now.