Taking the CA-Survey and CA-Seismic before the 8 hr Exam?

[Deadmau5]

Hi,

I'm not able to take the 8hr exam this Oct but wanted to try to focus the CA-Survey and CA-Seismic now and take the 8hr in April 2018.  I've tried looking around but can't seem to find a clear answer on whether I could take the  CA-Survey and CA-Seismic exams before the 8hr exam. I understand the  CA-Survey and CA-Seismic will require the CA BPELSG approval. Could someone please tell me if I could take the CA-Survey and CA-Seismic before the 8 hr exam?

Thanks! 

 

[ptatohed]

Why not?  Yes, you can take them in any order you'd like.  I did Survey --> 8 hr --> Seismic

 

[Maji]

Why not?  Yes, you can take them in any order you'd like.  I did Survey --> 8 hr --> Seismic

I agree with that assessment too!!

 

[CAPLS]

Hi,

I'm not able to take the 8hr exam this Oct but wanted to try to focus the CA-Survey and CA-Seismic now and take the 8hr in April 2018.  I've tried looking around but can't seem to find a clear answer on whether I could take the  CA-Survey and CA-Seismic exams before the 8hr exam. I understand the  CA-Survey and CA-Seismic will require the CA BPELSG approval. Could someone please tell me if I could take the CA-Survey and CA-Seismic before the 8 hr exam?

Thanks! 

So, when you apply to the licensing board (in this case California), what you are really stating is that you are ready to be licensed as a civil engineer.  The California Board reviews your qualifications, education, etc. in that context.  The Board does NOT review the application simply to determine if you qualify to sit for an exam or not.

This being said, while the California Board does not currently require an applicant to pass the national PE-Civil exam prior to submitting the application and subsequently sitting for the two California state civil exams, the Board does strongly encourage applicants to do so primarlly due to the fact that if the national exam is passed prior to application, the overall timeframe for licensure is generally less.  And it is likely in the future that this policy will change and passing the national exam first it will be required .

At this time, if you wish to apply FOR LICENSURE to the California without first passing the national exam, you are certainly able to do that.  You should be aware of other considerations first that are primarily controlled by you as to how efficient the process proceeds:

If you intend to wait until you receive approval of your application before you consider registering with NCEES to sit for the national exam, you may miss at least one and possibly another cycle depending on how complete your application is and whether your experience, education, etc. truly qualify you for licensure.  If you do not have enough experience, whether through work or education, or the right type of civil engineering experience (or education), your application may not be approved until you can satisfy those requirements.  Remember, you are applying for licensure, so you will need to have the qualifying experience/education PRIOR to applying.

Otherwise, the California Board (and about a dozen other boards) has changed the process to allow future applicants to sit for the national exam prior to meeting the licensing requirements.  At this time, it is your choice, but you may likely be extending your overall timeframe to eventually become licensed.

 

[Deadmau5]

So, when you apply to the licensing board (in this case California), what you are really stating is that you are ready to be licensed as a civil engineer.  The California Board reviews your qualifications, education, etc. in that context.  The Board does NOT review the application simply to determine if you qualify to sit for an exam or not.

This being said, while the California Board does not currently require an applicant to pass the national PE-Civil exam prior to submitting the application and subsequently sitting for the two California state civil exams, the Board does strongly encourage applicants to do so primarlly due to the fact that if the national exam is passed prior to application, the overall timeframe for licensure is generally less.  And it is likely in the future that this policy will change and passing the national exam first it will be required .

At this time, if you wish to apply FOR LICENSURE to the California without first passing the national exam, you are certainly able to do that.  You should be aware of other considerations first that are primarily controlled by you as to how efficient the process proceeds:

If you intend to wait until you receive approval of your application before you consider registering with NCEES to sit for the national exam, you may miss at least one and possibly another cycle depending on how complete your application is and whether your experience, education, etc. truly qualify you for licensure.  If you do not have enough experience, whether through work or education, or the right type of civil engineering experience (or education), your application may not be approved until you can satisfy those requirements.  Remember, you are applying for licensure, so you will need to have the qualifying experience/education PRIOR to applying.

Otherwise, the California Board (and about a dozen other boards) has changed the process to allow future applicants to sit for the national exam prior to meeting the licensing requirements.  At this time, it is your choice, but you may likely be extending your overall timeframe to eventually become licensed.

Thanks CAPLS for the information. Could you please tell me if I'm going at it the most efficient way. As of now it is too late to file for any exam (8hr, seismic and surveying) because file deadline was 5/1/17. My next opportunity is April 2018. I would register for the April 2018 8hr exam when registration opens. But in the mean time I could get my 4 references and apply for board approval so I could also take the seismic and surveying exams in 2018. Am I going at this right? 

 

[Deadmau5]

Why not?  Yes, you can take them in any order you'd like.  I did Survey --> 8 hr --> Seismic

Great thanks !

 

[Deadmau5]

I agree with that assessment too!!

Thanks!!

 

[CAPLS]

Thanks CAPLS for the information. Could you please tell me if I'm going at it the most efficient way. As of now it is too late to file for any exam (8hr, seismic and surveying) because file deadline was 5/1/17. My next opportunity is April 2018. I would register for the April 2018 8hr exam when registration opens. But in the mean time I could get my 4 references and apply for board approval so I could also take the seismic and surveying exams in 2018. Am I going at this right? 

You can register at NCEES for the PE-Civil exam anytime registration is open, which is now, and sit for that in October without submitting an application to the California Board.  And feel free to submit your application whenever you meet the qualifications.  You don't have to wait for the deadline date.

 

[samopuddles]

Thanks CAPLS for the information. Could you please tell me if I'm going at it the most efficient way. As of now it is too late to file for any exam (8hr, seismic and surveying) because file deadline was 5/1/17. My next opportunity is April 2018. I would register for the April 2018 8hr exam when registration opens. But in the mean time I could get my 4 references and apply for board approval so I could also take the seismic and surveying exams in 2018. Am I going at this right? 

For what it's worth, I don't think it would make much sense to go through the whole application process and sit for the seismic/surveying exams in 2018 first when you could in the mean time take the 8 hour in October still and get it out of the way. I am still waiting on my Civil PE comity app to be approved by the CA board (submitted prior to May 1 deadline) so that I can get approved to take the seismic/surveying exams. Plus, I assume you're going to take the 8 hour civil-structural PE and a lot of that studying will help you with seismic.

 

[Deadmau5]

You can register at NCEES for the PE-Civil exam anytime registration is open, which is now, and sit for that in October without submitting an application to the California Board.  And feel free to submit your application whenever you meet the qualifications.  You don't have to wait for the deadline date.

Thanks for the info! 

 

[Deadmau5]

For what it's worth, I don't think it would make much sense to go through the whole application process and sit for the seismic/surveying exams in 2018 first when you could in the mean time take the 8 hour in October still and get it out of the way. I am still waiting on my Civil PE comity app to be approved by the CA board (submitted prior to May 1 deadline) so that I can get approved to take the seismic/surveying exams. Plus, I assume you're going to take the 8 hour civil-structural PE and a lot of that studying will help you with seismic.

Thanks for the response. I won't be able to take the 8 hr this Oct. but should meet the requirements for getting CA board approval. Since I wouldn't be able to take the 8hr this OCT I wanted figure out the next best scenario in taking the exams. But it seems the best I could do is take the 8 hr in April 2018 and start the CA board approval process going now so i could also take the seismic/survey exams next yr also.