FS Exam

Yes you can only do it once, you have the time frame allowed to review and go back to questions. You can print questions as you go through the exam.

TxSRVYR, post: 375503, member: 11744 wrote: Has anyone taken the FS practice test on the NCEES website? Its 50 bucks and Im trying to find out if you are only able to do it once.

It's also the exact same questions as the practice booklet you can order from NCEES.

I still suggest doing it to get used to the computer format.

However to actually study, get the practice FS exam from PPI

Get the NCEES FS practice test. It's the closest in style and difficulty to the cbt exam. The 'new' PPI's practice test is outdated IMO but you should get it for the sake of practicing common math/trig problems.

Try also getting one of the recent M. Cole's Surveyor Reference Manual editions and read it from cover to cover, then do the practice tests again.

Thanks all. Thats expensive for a 1 time practice exam.

What is PPI?

http://ppi2pass.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwm8-6BRDgnb-Dk96UmRASJADbMycYYpJP0Pl0ALjSQ638y_03eNQpe5ASq3toSeE2V4hCahoClmbw_wcB

If you haven't found these ppi books yet, get started. Now.

The book of 1000 questions should be a staple to your study regimen. Over and over again.

Sorry I think they call it "solved problems for the FS and ps" now. It's all mixed so you will be studying for both exams at once. Which is not a bad thing. They are both intermingled anyway. Studying for the FS is like studying for the PS too. At least it was for me.

PPI is one of our supporting advertisers. Their ads appear above and below the forums.

I think PPI publishes most of the prep materials these days.

I would recommend the "land surveyors reference manual" as well. It's good because it covers a lot of topics without going too deep. I used it as my basis of study and supplemented with other texts as needed.

That, along with 1001 survey problems, you should have it covered. Also, caltrans has free prep videos online. They are old, but can be helpful for more obscure topics.

The online test for $50 sounds like a racket, I'd avoid it, but get the booklet.

Good luck!

If I remember correctly, you can review the test after you turn it in for grading for two weeks.

Yes, it is a racket. But the racket come with a little bit of the payoff. A couple of the questions may appear again under crunch time. It was worth it to me, just to get used to the format. Its different, or at least for me it was. Grab a copy of the equation sheet and a dry erase board and sit down and take it just like it was the actual test

The best thing I did while studying was used the equation sheet with every practice problem you do from the above listed references. For some of the more obscure problems, like photogrammetry problems, solve them backwards from the equation sheet. They are going to ask you hard or impossible questions, they are going to see if you know what equation to use with the information provided. You will have to rearrange the equation and possibly ignore a piece of information, but if you know where everything goes in the equation, its fairly easy.

Good advice. I remember that too. They do throw everything and the kitchen sink into a lot of the problems. Weeding through them to understand exactly what is being asked is definitely more than half the battle. More often than not, I think most problems are easier than they seem at first glance.

Some answers can be taken directly from the reference handbook, so be fimiliar with it.

Thanks all. I have the 1001 questions book, but haven't had a chance to study it much. I believe from your advice I will study 1001 questions book, try and take one practice exam and go from there. The PPI website has a lot of good materials it seems. I just finished most of my Associates degree and will finish this summer, so hopefully the majority of what I've learned is still bouncing around up there for reference.

Try looking at Buckners "Land Survey Review Manual" and agree with current edition of Coles Practice exam....

rlshound, post: 375908, member: 6800 wrote: Try looking at Buckners "Land Survey Review Manual" and agree with current edition of Coles Practice exam....

I also used buckners book. I was learning a lot cold turkey since I don't use much at work, not a plss state here. Buckners book taught me a lot section by section.

I was fortunate enough to get his book lent to me. If not, it's extremely expensive. I couldn't believe it until I looked it up myself. Which is sad bc if it was anywhere near affordable, it would be a big help.

TxSRVYR, post: 375772, member: 11744 wrote: Thanks all. I have the 1001 questions book, but haven't had a chance to study it much. I believe from your advice I will study 1001 questions book, try and take one practice exam and go from there. The PPI website has a lot of good materials it seems. I just finished most of my Associates degree and will finish this summer, so hopefully the majority of what I've learned is still bouncing around up there for reference.

Yup. 1001 and the Surveyor Reference Manual by ppi. The newest one will go through GPS and Photogrammetry. Do each section in 1001. Once you do, do them again. Then do the practice exam. And when you do 1001, make sure you go through problems you don't know and learn how to do them or why the answer is what it is. Use the reference manual as well to learn why.

That should help immensely with the FS

Oh BTW.... definitions!!!

I had a lot of questions that just had a word and asked what it meant. Or gave a definition and I had to pick the word.

Random things.

Like "what is the distance between the lense and the film of the camera?"

Or what is an intervalometer?

When I thought I failed I remember saying for next time I would just study word definitions the entire time. I was fine with everything else, just random definitions were thrown at me.