EDITORIAL: What in the World Is Going on With the New Computer-Based Structural Exam?

There are eleven member boards in NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying) that require an engineer to have a Structural Engineer license to design some or all the buildings or bridges in their jurisdictions. There are four other states in which use of the title Structural Engineer is restricted to engineers licensed as a Structural Engineer. It has become increasingly clear that engineers who practice structural engineering across state lines or who design buildings that are commonly called “significant structures,” need to become licensed as a Structural Engineer. As with all engineering licensing, the minimum requirements involve the “three-legged stool” of education, experience, and examination. The examination for would-be Structural Engineers is now the NCEES PE Structural Exam that is used by all jurisdictions that license SEs.

The exam went from being a two-part (16-hour) exam that tested vertical design one day and lateral design the next, to a four-part (21-hour) exam that takes at least four days to complete. The previous exams had the breadth portion (vertical or lateral) in the morning and the depth portion of the respective section in the afternoon. Previously, the exam was graded with a “hybrid compensatory grading system” which meant that one could not get an acceptable result in either vertical or lateral if they did especially well in the multiple choice portion and bombed the “paper and pencil” portion. Now the four sections (vertical breadth, lateral breadth, vertical depth, and lateral depth) are all graded separately, reported separately, and acceptable results are required for each. The first administration of the new computer-based NCEES PE Structural exam took place this year, with the depth portion of the exam in April. For the first administration of the new SE exam, the pass rates for the breadth (multiple choice) portions of the exam were in the 50% range, while the pass rates for the depth (alternate item type) portions were in the 15% range. The pass rates for the breadth sections were slightly higher than what has been seen in the past for the combined score, and the pass rates for the depth sections were lower.

That said, common concerns that have been raised by examinees who recently took the exam were that the use of the computer-based references were clunky and slow, only one window could be open at a time, some references did not have bookmarks, it was reported that one couldn’t go back to a problem later, and time seemed too short for the exam.

The licensing committees of SEI, NCSEA, and CASE have been monitoring the exam, and fielding concerns and complaints. The committees or their members have discussed these issues with NCEES, who has been open and receptive, and is looking to continually improve the exam. Here is some of the feedback that we received:

For exam security, we will never see personal reference material come into or out of the exam rooms again. The solution is providing all references that the examinee needs in a searchable digital format. Unfortunately, the proprietary software used by Pearson VUE test centers does not allow more than one window open at a time. For the foreseeable future, one will not be able to have two references open simultaneously, and there are no plans by Pearson VUE to rewrite their software or to provide multiple monitors for any of their exams.

It is true that after the break, for security reasons, one is not allowed to go back to work on uncompleted problems. This was true with the “paper and pencil” exams as well and it does not reflect a change in policy. Before or after the break, one can “flag” questions to go back to later.

The depth portions of the structural exam are indeed difficult. With the “Alternate Item Type” questions, which may require fill-in-the-blank, multiple correct responses, drag and drop, etc., there is no partial credit. The answers are either right or wrong. The previous method of grading did not report the relative difficulty of the breadth and depth sections of the exam and it is hard to know if the depth portions of the new exam are truly more difficult.

All would-be examinees should take advantage of reviewing NCEES videos that explain how the new Structural Exam works by watching “P.E. Structural Computer-Based Exams” by NCEES Media on YouTube.com. NCEES has the reference text materials available prior to taking the exam, but the code materials are not available in the same digital format as will be provided at the exam due to copyright protections.

The exam writers and standard setters for all the NCEES exams including the PE Structural Exam are volunteers who, after they apply to help on the exam, are vetted and invited to participate. NCEES pays for travel, lodging, and incidentals for the volunteers, who can also receive continuing education credit for the time spent working on the exam. Participants have found the experience of working on the exam to be extremely rewarding, both personally and professionally, and many of us have developed close friendships with colleagues across the country that have served as resources and helped us in our practice. To improve the exam, make it relevant and more in keeping with typical office practice, NCEES needs licensed practicing structural engineers (including newly licensed engineers) to participate in the process. Learn more and get involved at ncees.org/volunteer/. ■

The comments and statements in this article are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of NCEES.

About the Author

Carl Josephson, PE, SE, is a Senior Principal at Josephson-Werdowatz & Associates, Inc. in San Diego, and Chair of the Structural Engineering Licensure Coalition –
www.selicensure.org.