Next Step in getting a License

An engineer and a surveyor? That's a deadly combo, you will end up locking yourself in the bathroom and arguing with yourself for hours.

On a more serious note, most states have some kind of review class you can take that will help.

Your library should include:

• George Coles' Fundamentals of Surveying-Sample Examination
• Jan Van Sickles Surveying Solved Problems for the FS & PS Exams
• A general surveying text, such as Ghilani's Elementary Surveying and/or George Cole's Surveyor Reference Manual. Or both.
• Early Editions of Browns Books (Boundary Control & Legal Principles and Evidence and Procedures for Boundary Location ) available from Alibris.com for not much more than the cost of shipping, TOGETHER WITH [sarcasm](a little survey lingo there)[/sarcasm] current editions of these same books.
• Wattle's yellow book, Writing Legal Descriptions.
• Jan Van Sickles' GPS for Land Surveyors
• Black's Law Dictionary

After that, you need your State's Statutes related to Land Surveying.

I've left out the Manual of Survey Instructions or anything else related to PLSS on purpose since you are in a colonial state.

Definitely invest in a review course if one is available.

You should at least know a little about the basics of PLSS though... There's only one version of the Federal tests (FS and PS) and there are questions regarding PLSS on them. I took the exams in NY three years ago and that was what I saw.

Get "Definitions of Surveying and Associated Terms" by ACSM.

How about a surveyor, engineer who is also a lawyer !?
I forget his name but I'd bet Larry knows who I'm talking about.

Interesting Thad and certainly wish you the best. Not sure if NC is a fully PLSS state or not, or one of the select few who've dabbled in PLSS early days from a morphed over M & B era. Can be very confusing in a CYA manner. (MI is both, AZ & NV are purely PLSS, with some reservation issues). Every state has different P & Z, recording, monumentation, contract law, etc - but that should be a no brainer for you to track down.

Go to the state society board and the NC board of licensure. I just got done spending about 2 hrs on the Missouri board looking for clues, since SWMBO wants to be back with her family in Kansas City (I'm thinking the other side of the river in KS though). Pretty good resources and helps you do everything except pass the test. Doubt you'll get comity status, but you may place out of some of it. (they just want the fees anyway)

Don't let these cross over PE/PLSphobia folks scare you. Good for you, but while engineering is more about physics, surveying is more about law. I've known many dual registrants over the years, and the ones that weren't grandfathered in (and are still alive) are pretty good surveyors - but their plans still suck.... 😉

Check with our devine bovine from Kansas who used to dig holes. He may have some sound advice to share with you.

Best of luck and be prepared to be humbled.

The very best general description of the PLSS system I've ever seen is in an old textbook, originally published in 1942, named Surveying by Charles B. Breed. Also available at Alibris for little more than the cost of shipping.

I've used the same strategy for every State test I've taken. I print every Chapter of State Code and Board Rules related to the Profession. Put them in a binder with tabbed dividers. Put the Chapter number on one side of the tabs and the name or subject on the other. This allows you to look up by either. It is also helpful to print any manuals for the interface Professions (Shoreline Managers, etc.)
By the time you take a State specific exam you should be familiar enough with your own library to find your way around. I would be careful of adding too much at one time. Scan the comments and add what you see mentioned a lot but don't have yet.
Good Luck, Tom

> How about a surveyor, engineer who is also a lawyer !?
> I forget his name but I'd bet Larry knows who I'm talking about.

I know someone like that, EXCEPT, for years he made a living by running an insurance company.

How about a surveyor, engineer who is also a lawyer !?

There are probably many with the LS-PE-JD trifecta, but one that I recall was David A. Wahlstrom who taught at University of Houston and South Dakota State University. He also had a study guide by the name of SURPASS that was advertised for years in POB.

James, I actually was at one of Knuds presentations about 25 - 30 yrs ago in MI. Interesting anyway and I was in significant learning curve mode. Hard to explain, aside from self absorbed. There is a guy out here who is "just" a PLS & lawyer, but I can't remember his name. He shows up for seminars every few years with his hand out and wallet ready too. Yawn... but you do what you have to do, right.

That's called a former professional student.

I knew David somewhat from the old POB forum.
Wasn't his site something like surpass88.com? I seem to recall that.
E

Just curious how much actual surveying experience you have. Just asking I know a few engineers did not get the invite to test due to no experienc

I worked in the field for 5+ years (Boundary, topo, construction layout), office cad work for 3+ years and have been involved in the GPS machine control/construction surveying for 12+ years.

I also did research for the projects we were doing. I did have a few projects where I did the research, field work, mapping. Everything but signing the map (with guidance of course).

This is something i have thought about for a long time. I even filled out the application one time but never sent it in. hopefully i will follow through this time!

Thanks for all the wisdom shared both on and off topic. 😉

Thad

In Louisiana, all of your construction, machine control, engineering experience is not applied to the survey experience for taking the test. They are only interested in BOUNDARY experience.
While the other experience may be interesting, it is not boundary experience.
Your former PLSs that you worked for would need to sign for your work history.

Good thing I am not trying in Louisiana!

I would prepare yourself for the possibility that NC Board will have the same response. MO and KY feel the same way as LA. Non-boundary work will max out at a very low percentage of overall experience.

> I would prepare yourself for the possibility that NC Board will have the same response. MO and KY feel the same way as LA. Non-boundary work will max out at a very low percentage of overall experience.

Actually, the Machine Control Models are required to be under the supervision of a PLS in NC. That part of your experience shouldn't be an issue here.

Larry P