Been in the code book

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vilasman

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I am quiet because I am in the book. I figure I have 3-4 months to get it while the larger jobs prints are going through review and review.
I really am bucking up to go through it.
You guys are great when it comes to encouragement. And it seems that electricians are generally good natured love to eat types.
Plumbers can be evil :)
 
ryan_618 said:
I think Socrates said that once. :)
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You really think he got it in one take?
billandted3.gif


Excellant!
 
Vilasman, I have one bit of advice to give. Get your hands one one of the practice test. Set down at your kitchen table and take the test and time yourself on how long it takes to look up the answers in the code book. This will give you an idea of how fast you will need to work come test time. Most of us can look up the answer to anything in the code book given enough time but during the test you really will not have much time for each question.

Learn to mark key words in the question to speed up the process. Don't waste time trying to look up something until you fully understand the question.

Set aside some time to study and go for it. I have herd that fear of testing comes from not being prepared. So prepare.
 
that interesting open book test?
In CA all you can bring in the testing center is yourself. They provide a calculator, paper , pencil
that's it
 
Sierrasparky said:
that interesting open book test?
In CA all you can bring in the testing center is yourself. They provide a calculator, paper , pencil
that's it
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I have yet to understand the philosophy behind this train of thought.

In the field, the code book is a handy tool for all who are willing to use it. Trying to commit it to memory is a waste of our resources.

Do they give a practical and tell the electrician he cannot use pliers or a bender during the test???


I have always been of the opinion (I rarely speak of my opinions here :wink: ) that the people who design closed book tests think they are guarding some top secret society of electrical ... Yet in essence what they are really doing is trying to keep a guard on their own business.
 
When I took my test ('93) we were allowed to bring our own code book into the room. No "extra" pages were allowed in the book - but tabs, notations and highlighted areas were allowed...almost like you had a job that required the use of your code book.

I do not know if this is the case now ('07). A few posters have questioned if they could bring their own book or had to "rent" one.
 
celtic said:
When I took my test ('93) we were allowed to bring our own code book into the room. No "extra" pages were allowed in the book - but tabs, notations and highlighted areas were allowed...almost like you had a job that required the use of your code book.

I do not know if this is the case now ('07). A few posters have questioned if they could bring their own book or had to "rent" one.
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I think most states allow tabs & highlights but not the notations. They let you bring a simple calculator but not one that is programable.

When I took the test they told us it was something like 22% of the people that pass one the first try. I went with three other experienced electricians( over 10 years each ) and I was the lucky one ( I was older with more experience ). I will never know if I got the easier test or if I studied the right things. All these guys now have their license but it did take one of them four tries.

It show that if you are willing to put forth the effort it can be done but it may not be as easy as some would hope.

Some get the idea that they give a license away in boxes of Cracker Jacks. They learn quick enough.
( I didn't test until I was almost 40 years of age ).
 
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Another note on testing.
Tests are not the only answer to people's knowledge of a topic. Some people are very knowledgeable but are poor test takers. Some are not as knowledgeable in the industry, but are great at taking tests.

As of now, tests are the way that someones knowledge of a topic proves one is satisfactory to become an EC...so we live with that procedure.
 
Took my test in 96. Like growler said, a code book with tabs and higlights, state of GA tax forms, fed tax forms, uglys, standard calculator and the handbook were allowed.
160 questions, in 2 (4) hour blocks. 40 questions did not count, as these were "test" questions.
I was also a lucky one to pass on my first try.
Knew a guy that took 12 times to pass, or so he told me.
 
jbfan74 said:
I was also a lucky one to pass on my first try.
Knew a guy that took 12 times to pass, or so he told me.
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Like you I passed first time out...also like you "I knew a guy"...this guy claimed to have taken the test appx. 13 times ~ his study guide? Code changes. NOT the actual NEC, only the changes...which amounts to a nine-hour course of the "significant" changes.


growler said:
Some get the idea that they give a license away in boxes of Cracker Jacks. They learn quick enough.
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SOME do...some don't.
 
In NC you are not allowed to take anything in to the exam room, they provide the NEC, calculator, pencil, and scratch paper.

Roger
 
Studied every night for a year after passing Journeymans. Every month I would take the quizzes that were in the ECM at the time. Late 70s. With Code book I would get 50% correct. I was so sick to my stomach on day of Electrical Contracors test my wife had to drive me. Within three minutes of test start I knew I would pass. I did not know all the anwers but I knew how to find them.
 
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