Nevada LS exam

Brad, congrats on the opportunity and best of luck to you.

Aside from the obvious total understanding of PLSS & specific NV requirements, keep your common sense hat on for stuff regarding application to specific local standards that may apply to a specific survey. Sometimes they can trump the state laws. Stuff like incorporated cities, tribal land, a bit on water & mining rights, when and when not you need to seal things. But I got mine in 2009, so maybe it's different now?

Seeing that you already made it through CA, no doubt this will be a walk in the park for you.

I also took the 2 hour test in 2009, IIRC, they provide an exam matrix? I figured out from that what I should concentrate on and blew most of the rest off, a calculated risk, I know, but I didn't want to spend days reading and studying about NV condo law when that counted for a very small potential portion of the test and was a ton of pages in the law. If I ever need to do a condo plat, I will read up, hoping that day never comes though!

The strategy must of worked, I passed on the first try.

SHG

When I took the exam they gave me a booklet to study on their rules. I ignored the parts having nothing to do with surveying. Mistake. They had questions on all of the booklet.

The personal interview was nothing. I gather they wanted to make sure I was alive and not too looney.

Took the test and passed several years ago so I don't really remember much about the test except one question that took me by surprise that I had no clue for the answer.
The question involved maximum gradient allowed on a residential driveway. I still don't know the answer.

15%, IIRC...

75 multiple choice questions. Passing score is 70%.

Most of the statutes are similar to California. Pay attention to commercial subdivision section, claim marking practices and water rights.

Remember that you only need to get 53 right to get your ticket.

I took the exam in 2010. I was on my way back to my truck in about 30 minutes.

It was NOT like the Colorado PLS Exam.

Make your first pass through the exam answering only th questions you kow the answer to before you look at the choices. Total up your points.

Make your second pass through lining through the choices that at clearly wrong. Then go back through and answer the ones you're 75% confident of your answer. Total up your points.

If Pass 1 + (Pass 2 * .75) > 55, you're done.

Pass 3 is for answers you're only 50% sure of. Total up your points.

I had to use three passes to get to 80% (5% slop factor).

You'll do fine...

I think that'll cover it. I remember a lot of little detail questions like size of the borders on a map. I don't remember anything outside of what's in 278, 329, or 625. But... it's been a while. I do remember flying through it and going home an hour early.

Get Your Ticket???

Surprised to read you putting it in those terms Ian.

Sounds like your exam is much easier than ours. We get several questions showing a section, giving coordinates on a few Mons, along with GLO Record Chains. Then they ask for a coordinate value to a lost corner to the hundredth. No multiple choice on these. Most are double proportion in North and West Sections and Standard Parallels. The also weight these with 8-15 points each. All the multiple choice are 1-4 points each. One I had to Calc a Section Corner by Double proportion, so I could do a Single Proportion on the 1/4 Corner they wanted. They will give us partial credit if we show our work and demonstrate the right procedures.

Our results were mailed on Monday and I hope to get my letter tomorrow. Took off early today thinking it may have arrived this afternoon. Good Luck to all those still waiting on their results.

Hi Brad,

I took Nevada July 2008 in Reno and passed first try. I just focused on the NAC and NRS survey related sections. I also used the 1973 Manual and the BLM Corner Restoration manual. Also, know the NV coordinate systems - zones, zone datum basis, etc. I missed an easy one on that. lol. Anyway, the exam was very straight forward. If you have experience with the PLSS and know what you are doing you should pass with flying colors. Just know the coordinate systems, survey related codes and survey related statutes and you'll do fine.

Really know when you have to file a survey, monument record, and license renewal-I recall that one well.

All the best!
Jason

Get Your Ticket???

That's typical Aviation slang but I haven't heard it applied to Land Surveying but we know what he meant.

Thank you all for your input. I receceived confirmation yesterday that I am now liable in Nevada as well.

It was a decent test and a few I wasn't 100% sure on.

Maybe next I will get my home state of Indiana, just for the heck of it.

Thank you all again,

Brad Luken, LS
AZ, CA, NV, OR