 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
vab
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 261 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: |    |
|
Posted: Sun Apr 6th, 2008 08:16 am |
|
today, Saurday is my daughter's 6th birthday and I GOT THE PRESENT!!!!
I returned home from a long and great fun day at Disneyland and I truly did not feel like spoiling the end of it opening the CAB letter I found in the mail! Although I resisted probably 1 minute, before opening the door I already knew the score.
I honestly doubted till the last second..waited 3 long painful weeks and ME pass at first try! I am surprised because I left the test room in total dispair, but now that I've completed all MC tests and I've always remembered 80% of questions and answers here is how I think tests are graded:
you have probably to pass a certain mininimum % of questions , as everybody thinks, but I think it is not nearly as high as 75%
also, what I strongly belive is that what it counts is where your positive answers are placed, meaning, you've got to to cover the minimum % of high importance questions ( for NCARB) in each and every area of the subject...I wonder if it can almost come down to 7 or 8 (general, big picture) questions only per area, meaning 42 max for ME...obviously I'm guessing here, but it makes some sense to me. It also seems fair.
With that said I stick to what I wrote right after the test. MEEB is VERY important mostly for tables, digrams, details images exc...If you've got the strenght to read it almost all and memorize the main concepts and images you may need the other sources only as a "condesed" version of the topics. Although be aware that they may look simpler but at the end lack in clarity. Try also to study on the newer version of every text book. I found a slightly older version inconsistent with newer ones regarding aN HVAC system application and guess what? A question on that system was on my test. I'm glad I went to the bottom of it , as everything evolves and improves HVAC systems do too. Something you could have not done only few years ago now is totally possible.
I studied Ballast, Kalplan, Architect Studio Companion, Ching and lastly and only partially Meeb in addition to all the quizzes I could find (ASHRAE QUIZZIES was VERY HELPFUL!). Oddly I still think I would have been faster starting form Meeb. I recommend ASC book for explaination of where and how to use different HVAC systems and it's an envaluable text for GS as well. I actually did not need it on my ME test but, as we know, test are different and that book gives you some sense of "security". Plus I think that making informate HVAC choices is far more important to Architects than knowing the needy greedy of the systems details themselves. (which, by the way, ASC explain rather well)
Last but not least THE FORUM! it is great, you guys are great...even if sometimes you've got to pass thru long e-mails (such this one) or threads fillled with frustrated comments (certainly I've been the culprit of a few..) it is totally worth the time.
There is generous smart people ready to help and answer even to your "dummiest" questions with no sarcasm. If you did everyhting you could to find the answers by yourself but you're still stuck there is not reason to feel inadequate. So don't be shy, ask away. Sometimes studing so hard under pressure puts you in weird corners that you would not normally find yourself in. It happened to me and I buried my pride with great relief.
Here I am, thanking everyone that helped (too many to remember all names) and "STRONG WILLED" for his comforting comments ( who certainly sent me a good Karma!). I wish you all the best of luck hoping that I, too,have helped just a bit.
I've got to add this too...SHEER LUCK, was probably also a good component of my performance. I will never exclude that!
Last edited on Sun Apr 6th, 2008 08:40 am by vab
|
train kilo
Member
| Joined: | Sun Nov 18th, 2007 |
| Location: | Minneapolis |
| Posts: | 182 |
| Exams Taken: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Describes Me: | Laid back focus |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Apr 6th, 2008 01:26 pm |
|
Congrats.
Remember, there are several questions on each test that aren't graded. Also, not all the questions are rated the same weight. I think many people may be beating thselves up for doing poorly on the questions that aren't worth as much (or anything at all), but knowing the important stuff is most likely graded with more weight.
|
vab
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 261 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Apr 6th, 2008 04:24 pm |
|
It makes total sense, although sometimes I wondered if our "measuring tape" is the same as NCARB's...
I guess that the best bet is to go with your own common sense.....not to say it is easy to do. On the contrary, it is easy to loose perspective while diving into a lot of new information. So this is why I feel the forum is a saver! Many "smart cookies " can pull you out from your corner!
Thanks for the congrats!
Last edited on Sun Apr 6th, 2008 08:05 pm by vab
|
sander127
Member
| Joined: | Wed Jun 28th, 2006 |
| Location: | Friendly Sky |
| Posts: | 357 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | Intern Architect, LEED AP, 3D/Visualization Artist, Graphic Designer, Pilot |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Apr 7th, 2008 04:02 am |
|
Wow wow... what do you mean that there're questions that are not graded?? Is it some kind of trials for future ME exams? Do you know how many?
UNtil i get my letter, i won't get too carried away with all the pleasant surprises....
I just don't trust NCARB....that's all.
|
vab
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 261 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Apr 7th, 2008 04:23 am |
|
I personally do not know anything about it, probably Train Kilo knows much more than we do. It makes e feel a little bit like a fool thinking that they may throw a bunch of useless question just to test your stamina...a little cruel I may say...afterall is a 2 hour intense test.
Just wait for your letter, as that is the only certainty we have. I should not have brough up this topic since, obiviously, may create even more stress. My apologies. although I agree 100% with Train Kilo on the fact that questions must be weighted differently and there is no reason to freak out if you missed a few, or several, "WTF" questions. It has to be that way based on my personal experience. So take a deep breath and hang in there. I know how that feels.
GOOD LUCK!!!
|
sander127
Member
| Joined: | Wed Jun 28th, 2006 |
| Location: | Friendly Sky |
| Posts: | 357 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | Intern Architect, LEED AP, 3D/Visualization Artist, Graphic Designer, Pilot |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Apr 7th, 2008 04:28 am |
|
hey no hard feeling vab, it's good that you brought this topic so that we know. My big congrats to you for passing the exam.
I studied for 5 weeks and pretty much covered everything except ASC and Ching, I really wish i will pass this one, 2 weeks and counting to get the result.
Congrats again Vab...
|
vab
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 261 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mon Apr 7th, 2008 04:55 am |
|
Thanks!
Keep us posted, we all are in the same rocking boat! 
|
kurtneis
Member
| Joined: | Wed Nov 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Los Angeles, California USA |
| Posts: | 24 |
| Exams Taken: | ME, BD/MM | | Exams Passed: | ME, BD/MM | | Describes Me: | LEED AP A-R-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Wed May 14th, 2008 08:43 pm |
|
i think there are 5 questions that are prototype questions that they use for future exams or research. at least i thought i read that somewhere. ? im guessing that is why there are 105 questions and 85 and all tests have 5 extra.?
anyway im taking the test this saturday and im not that nervous, which kinda makes me nervous? eeeek
thanks !
|
drepp77
Member
| Joined: | Mon Jul 23rd, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 13 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Thu May 15th, 2008 07:27 pm |
|
ok - i just took my test on tuesday and have declined to speak on it because i left in a dejected state of mind.
but after a couple recovery days, drinks and sleep, i think i could start speaking about it..
several people were right when they said that it wasn't difficult - it really wasn't. it was just baffling at times. i say "baffling" because there were questions on there that were asking what is 1+1 in this format:
"there is a an angle of 0. what is the cosine of this angle +1?"
and to most who are clear with their basic geometric math, theyre like - uhm - it cant be...well...ok - it MUST be answer a) which is 2. but the structure of the question leads you to doubt the simplicity of what they're asking and also question why would it be that they would ask in this fashion? i would answer thinking, "theres gotta be a reason why they worded it like this and i cant figure it out, thus i got this one wrong...damn...next."
and the wording would also lead the question in one direction, or in the direct opposite, based on the order in which you choose to place noun/verbs in order. for example:
"there is a pipe. this pipe is in position a, facing a vector. this paricular orientation means what?"
logically, you would think its the aforementioned item. then, you realize that the answers do not jive with this conclusion. eyebrows furled, you start to stare and wonder how to assemble the clues. ok - point is - it seems the exam is also structured in a way that doesnt just direct an inquiry to you - it somewhat is asking you to attack a question from a different mindset - a roundabout meandering method - regardless of the (more than likely) simple question at hand.
yeah - in other words: trick questions.
to study, i read MEEB, ALS, Ching, Ballast notes (from ftp), and info here and there downloaded. i also used the guide for what chapters to read in MEEB and tit for tat - read every one that this person who wrote it felt necessary to read, skim, or review diagrams for.
needless to say, i read alot. but i still was asked 2-3 questions on data, cctv, and a type of composting toilet that i had difficulty even pronouncing - ALL of which was in chapters that i didnt read.
my advice - (although i dont know yet if i passed) - use the guide, but go a bit more in depth as to what chapters to read. also - go thru ALL the ALS, Ballast notes, with corresponding practice exams, and use ching to clean up the graphical representations of the otherwise boring-as-*** material that you have a natural hard time remembering.
i'll be back in 2~3wks when i get the results
Last edited on Thu May 15th, 2008 07:29 pm by drepp77
|
vab
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 261 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun May 18th, 2008 07:00 am |
|
ok,
you are obviously still in the "after-shock" mode as I was. Hang in there, as somebody else told me, you may be surprised how well you actually did. You did your "homework", it's clear. Can't blame yourself a bit. I do not know if English is your first language, but surely it is not mine and the "tricking wording" added an extra layer of complexity until I decided to live by the quote " a stupid question has a stupid answer ", meaning ...if the question led me you to a "too obvious answer" than that's the one I went for, regardless of the "convoluted" wording and I focused more on the staight forward ones hoping that those are the ones that really count.
Maybe I just got lucky .... so GOOD LUCK to you as well!
Last edited on Sun May 18th, 2008 07:01 am by vab
|
drepp77
Member
| Joined: | Mon Jul 23rd, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 13 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 12:38 pm |
|
no vab, english is actually my first language and i'm extremely proficient at it. thats the reason why i feel that this test was carefully constructed to place layers upon layers on top of what the real inquiry is.
but i passed, got my letter last wednesday
thanks. off to some graphic exam i go..
Last edited on Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 12:39 pm by drepp77
|
vab
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 261 |
| Exams Taken: | | | Exams Passed: | | | Describes Me: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 05:05 pm |
|
well..see???!!!
Congratulations!!!
Celebrate for a while, this is a good one!
|
Current time is 12:56 pm | |
|
|
|
|
