MA PLS EXAM

Land Court rules ..........?ÿ Know the difference between them and "normal" rules.

Zoning & Subdivision law

That test a very tough one.

I?ÿ don't know if my experience from the MA oral exam?ÿabout 30 years ago is relevant but I won't forget it.

They asked "You do a?ÿsurvey?ÿin a city where a state highway goes through the property. Your client wants to build right at the R.O.W. ?ÿYou find all?ÿthe highway bounds but?ÿdistances between the pairs are way off the layout width.?ÿWhere do you put?ÿthe R.O.W. lines? "

I answered something like "Well I would reject anything that might have been disturbed. I know MA law is to hold the nominal width. Maybe I would contact?ÿthe MA highway dept. and ask their engineers. I really don't know what I would do."?ÿ

I walked out terribly discouraged. Felt like a fool. But I passed.

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Don't try to BS your way through the oral. If you don't know the answer, just admit it, and move on to the next question. I also had a highway law question that stumped me, but got still got through the oral and sat for the written.

Also, one of my friends got bogged down arguing one particular boundary resolution from his sample package of past work. The interviewer told him that the resolution was not done correctly, and they spent 3/4 of the session arguing about it. The correct answer would have been, "that's the resolution my P.L.S. told me to use." Next question. You are there to demonstrate your knowledge, not defend one boundary determination that someone else stamped.

If you have a B.S. degree in surveying, don't think of it as a golden ticket. The experience you have counts heavily, and you must demonstrate a wide variety of surveying projects, and increasing levels of responsibility through your "apprenticeship" period.

Same experience in my interview with the highway layout and bounds not matching record.?ÿ Record rules is the answer they're looking for.

Be confident but not cocky.?ÿ That'll should do it.

I recall being asked about a survey and they were looking for me to state the term Operative Document.?ÿ I did not spit out the term but rather the definition.?ÿ Just remember, they are not there to deny you.?ÿ They are there just to make sure you can talk the talk.?ÿ Sit down and enjoy the conversation if you can.?ÿ

The 15 minute break between the federal and state exams means your exam will end at 4:15.?ÿ The engineers wrap up at 4:00 and are asked to be quiet for the surveyors in the back.?ÿ They fail in their attempts.?ÿ Resist the urge to throw a chair into the group.

Same here, mine was from 27 years ago. I brought in some of my work that had everything, Land Court, MA highway layout, County layout. Thought I had it all and knew everything inside and out with the project.....but they zeroed in on one issue within minutes. Had to do with the County engineer at that time holding bounds and reconfiguring a curve to fit it. The senior PLS conducting the interview asked if I thought a taking had been done by the new math and what should have been done.

I stumbled and bumbled through a non answer and thought I blew it, but he just winked when I was leaving and I?ÿlater found out I passed.

But, it was an honest lesson learned that I have never forgotten.

Good luck. Know the Land Court regs as best you can and make sure you have the State PLS rules with you. Study everything about ethics.

John