I'm curios how it's scored. I swear I read previously (maybe even a thread here) that the amount of questions you need to get right is around 50% I can't find anything now.
Anyways, how I did? I'm not sure. I definitely could have done better with horizontal and vertical curves. I wasn't at all prepared for how some of the problems were presented. I do think I got more than 50% right though...
With out violating the agreement I signed, I'll just say the test was odd.
I am not sure if anyone feels good about the test after they are finished. I think minimum competency is 70% though.
Good Luck!
I don't have any idea how it's done now but 30+ years ago when I took the exam they did a statistical analysis of the test afterwards but before the scores wee announced. If a problem was missed by the vast majority of the test takers then it would (could) be excluded. Of course we also had problems where you had to show your work and a half day of essay exam. No wonder it took 3 months to get the results.
Here's wishing you well on the exam.
Andy
My understanding is that all the FSs across the nation are scored then run through some form of statistical analysis to isolate questions that a significant amount of examinees answered incorrectly. Questions with poor or ambiguous wording are removed so you may be able to get less than 70% correct and still pass. I've never heard mention of needing only 50% to pass.
Make sure to write down your problem areas immediately. If you wait a week you'll be sorry.
Your exam results are based on the total number of correct answers that you selected. There are no deductions for wrong answers. The score is then converted to a scaled score, which adjusts for any minor differences in difficulty across the different exam forms. This scaled score represents an examineeÛªs ability level and is compared to the minimum ability level for that exam, which has been determined by subject-matter experts through psychometric statistical methods. NCEES does not publish the passing score because it varies slightly based on difficulty.
James Fleming, post: 342127, member: 136 wrote: NCEES: Scoring
If you can figure out the scoring you probably passed.:-S
Not sure how they score it now since its CBT (Computer based) and you get your results rather quickly now. When I took the test it was 180 questions now i heard it was only like 90 or so? I didn't get my results back for about 2 months.
Yeah, I had no clue how I did either. I remember walking out real early though because I didn't check any of my work. I was so frazzled from taking the PS and State portion the previous day.
Gregg
Wait, so you took the PS and SS before the FS?
JBrinkworth, post: 342144, member: 6179 wrote: Wait, so you took the PS and SS before the FS?
Yup. PS in the morning, State in the afternoon and then FS the next day.
When I took my exam, the executive secretary said that 2.4% of candidates (300+) may possibly pass the test. Myself and 5 others passed that test.
good luck
The FS is always on Saturday and the PS on Friday. So if you take them in the same testing session, which is possible, you end up writing the PS before the FS.
I did mine the same way. The justification that we imagined was that the FS is the section of the exam that the young pups take. These are the people who are the meat and potatos of the business and aren't afforded the luxury of a day off for the exam so they have that part on a Saturday. The PS and SS are the licensing portions and are for the higher ups (albeit not the tippy top) so they get to take the day for the exam as it's offered on a Friday. It's a totem pole thing.
I had to pass the FS before I could even sit for the PS. This was just a couple years ago, though.
JBrinkworth, post: 342215, member: 6179 wrote: I had to pass the FS before I could even sit for the PS. This was just a couple years ago, though.
Yeah, mine was just a couple of years ago too. I got approved for all at the same time. It must be different, depending in the state. Mine was in NY in 2012.
Hmm, I tried to post this under JBrinkworths comment but it replied to the main thread. I must have done something wrong...
Ha...yeah, it took me a while to get that one, too. You 'comment' to reply directly underneath and 'reply' to comment at the bottom of the thread 😀
Because one can now take the FS at a convenient time rather than a specific date it is pretty much impossible to score all tests and determine outlier questions. That being said, two people sitting side by side on the same day would have different versions of the exam. The order of questions are juggled and if it were a 100 question exam it may come from a pool of 120 to 200 questions. It is probable that those questions have a variable difficulty and may be weighed differently for scoring or some juggling may occur so that different exams have the same overall weight. Any outlier questions would be removed at a later date and I doubt they intend to rescore all exams.
It is not my policy to wish any applicant good luck on a professional exam. We do not need lucky surveyors, we need competent surveyors. I would be most concerned to follow in the footsteps of a surveyor who was only correct half the time.
Because 70% is acceptable in schools does not mean it should be acceptable for a professional exam. I propose 75% or higher. It greatly lowers the probability of someone just passing because he is lucky.
Because some people do not take tests well if you get 70-75% you may be allowed to take a personal competency review exam in person with professional team.
Paul in PA
Ah, I got it!
I took it in 2011. As long as you were accepted to take the entire exam it didn't seem to matter what order you took it in.
Paul in PA, post: 342224, member: 236 wrote: Because one can now take the FS at a convenient time rather than a specific date it is pretty much impossible to score all tests and determine outlier questions. That being said, two people sitting side by side on the same day would have different versions of the exam. The order of questions are juggled and if it were a 100 question exam it may come from a pool of 120 to 200 questions. It is probable that those questions have a variable difficulty and may be weighed differently for scoring or some juggling may occur so that different exams have the same overall weight. Any outlier questions would be removed at a later date and I doubt they intend to rescore all exams.
It is not my policy to wish any applicant good luck on a professional exam. We do not need lucky surveyors, we need competent surveyors. I would be most concerned to follow in the footsteps of a surveyor who was only correct half the time.
Because 70% is acceptable in schools does not mean it should be acceptable for a professional exam. I propose 75% or higher. It greatly lowers the probability of someone just passing because he is lucky.
Because some people do not take tests well if you get 70-75% you may be allowed to take a personal competency review exam in person with professional team.
Paul in PA
I normally do not disagree with most of what you say, but I'm going to have to call you on this one. Everyone on this forum that has passed exams towards becoming licensed has been "lucky" as you say, including yourself. Advocating for more stringent requirements after you are licensed based on the thinking that licenses are just being given away is an attitude that will not benefit your profession.
During the first 5-10 years after becoming licensed, did you go back and talk with all the land surveyors that followed your footsteps to see how they felt about your surveys? Odds are, the learning for you did not stop once you were handed that certificate. I bet you continued to learn and develop to the point where you are now, which is most likely far beyond the level of competency you exhibited at that time.
Applaud people that that sit for the FS, PS, and state exams. They are achieving goals towards a worthwhile profession.
