ptatohed - The $110 is part of what we originally proposed, but Department of Finance recommended different numbers based on the budgetary goals established by the current administration.
I'm not going to sugar coat it with you guys. You are intelligent individuals who understand financial situations. It's actually pretty basic as most financial aspects generally are...money coming in needs to cover costs going out. The fees you are all seeing today are EXACTLY the costs that the Board used to pay with regards to national exams, development of our state exams and administration to all of you. The costs associated with the old way of administering exams was dramatically more than the revenues received in the form of the old $275 or $100 fee that applicants were paying. The $125 application fee was determined by evaluating all costs associated with processing the applications, including those refile applications for candidates having to retake exams. The $150 state exam fee was determined by evaluating all of the costs associated with developing our state exams, which also took into account all the standardization that we have implemented over the last couple of years in an effort to more efficiently produce more appropriate practice-level, professional exams. Moving to CBT allows the Board to use it's resources more efficiently towards development of better exams rather than paying for 5-6 large fairground facilities, 500 proctors, tables, chairs, shipping, etc.
We realize the costs that each and every one of you are required to spend. But realize this, that $807.60 that each civil engineer applicant will be required to ultimately pay is exactly what each applicant cost the Board when receiving $275.
One more thing to think about...the average civil engineer applicant takes almost 3 separate exam administrations to pass all required exams for licensure in California. That totals $825. Yes, there are a few that pass all three exams the first time, but those are a minority. And there are quite a few that sit for 8-10 times...or more! In that vein, the costs are not that out of line.
Passpepasspe - I assume you mean the CBT administration fee that each candidate will be required to pay the CBT vendor. That is simply a hard cost for seat time that up until now, the Board has absorbed. The amount of that fee is directly related to the length of the exam...longer exams cost more. As the CBT administration matures and we receive more stastical reports on how our exams are performing, we may be able to produce a more cost effective exam...shorter in length...that measures the candidates minimal competency in better ways. You'll see over the next few years how the industry will begin to veer away from referring to the exams as the "8 hour or 2.5 hour" exam. It will become more about the candidate demonstrating minimum competency, nothing more, nothing less.
I hope this helps answer some of your questions. This is the same information that we have reported during our Board meetings and during outreach efforts when we speak in front of professional groups.
