Maybe it's just me...

[sdbob]

After letting my California General Electrician certification lapse because I was working under my C10, I sold my business to live a less stressed life, but I still want (need) to do the work I love, so I had to get re-certified. California has never been known for difficult tests, and despite a 50% fail rate I wasn't worried with decades in the trade and a full blown nerd background. For whatever reason, I'd forgotten my first test experience, and upon receipt of my eligibility paperwork I read that "your score will be displayed upon completion of the exam".

I decided to go for it, no holds barred, go for the impossible 100%. I mean if I have to take it, I may as well have bragging rights, right? I studied hard-core for weeks. On test day I strategically managed my time and took nearly every minute of the 270 minutes allotted. Double-checking every answer. Triple checking... I felt I fell short of 100%, mostly because frankly at least 2 questions didn't make sense and there are inevitably input errors, but I'll take 95%+.

My score was "Pass". I'm not sure I could name a time where I was more disappointed. I get the younger guys that are going to say I should be happy with a pass, but if you're 35 years deep in your career and stress over a 70% accuracy baseline you need start learning how fold sheets or hang drywall. I'd bet that any reasonably intelligent electrician with a room temp IQ with decades of experience could answer 70 out of 100 correctly without cracking the book inside of 30 minutes.

My score was "Pass". I almost threw up in my mouth. After working so hard... to get a participation trophy was sickening to me. It forced me to ask myself, why? Why is there no motivation for excellence? Why do we all have to be the same?

 

[hbiss]

Because they don't want you to hurt other people's feelings by boasting you got a 95 when they got a 75.

Just saying you passed avoids all that trauma to the snowflakes who can't handle that you are better than they are. Their mothers said they worked really hard too.

-Hal

 

[texie]

This is a growing trend in a number of states. Colorado has been this way for years. Maryland is another one and there are a number of others. Wokeness at it's finest. Some states, Wyoming as an example, will give you the actual score if you request it.

 

[ptonsparky]

I passed my Masters with a 95%. IDR if they told me which questions I missed.
No way would I attempt that test today without at least a year of intense study. I might be happy with a Pass/Fail today

I am at that point in my life of dropping both my license and insurance.
License renewal and required CEU will hit close to $500 for something I most likely won't need.

 

[roger]

My license renewal is first of the year but I don't think I'm going to do it. I've been keeping it in case I needed it for some reason but I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. License renewal and CE would be around $500.00 for me as well.

 

[gadfly56]

I passed my Masters with a 95%. IDR if they told me which questions I missed.
No way would I attempt that test today without at least a year of intense study. I might be happy with a Pass/Fail today

I am at that point in my life of dropping both my license and insurance.
License renewal and required CEU will hit close to $500 for something I most likely won't need.

My company covers my PE license fee and the courses I need to stay current. The license is a two-year cycle, probably runs about $1,000. The courses are expensive.

 

[__dan]

When I got my E1 I opened the letter at the mailbox, and initially my heart sank when I read it and it said fail. 30 or so seconds later I was thinking "what is going on with this" and started looking at it again. Then I saw it had my last name but someone else's first name. The a was an o. They sent me the other guy's test result.

So I called them (DCP) and once the girl figured out what happened she said I had to mail that back to her, which of course I agreed to. But I asked her "so how did I do, what's *my* score". Literally she says "we don't release test scores" but she says "since I need that letter back I'll look it up". Then her tone changes and in a nice female voice she says "oooh you got a high score". I laughed but that was it, no number. That was 1989, so probably before the 'gold stars for attendance' and then 'all scores are the same' generation'.

I know in this state if you try to call them for any reason, they have stopped human answering of the phone. Have been dealing a bit with the neighboring state and they still answer the phone, and to get things done. And I'm thinking, 'boy, wish my state was like that'.

You could give them a call and ask. There is some very low but non zero probability they will give you the number you want to know. Unless you're here and then it's a zero probability some human will answer the phone.

Still remember the test question "what is the ampacity of a conductor submerged under water". IDK, the wire is water cooled, what's the biggest number you have. Got that one wrong.

 

[drcampbell]

... "what is the ampacity of a conductor submerged under water"...

In one of my freshman physics classes, we had a lab where we submerged a wirewound resistor in liquid nitrogen and correlated the electrical power dissipated with the mass of nitrogen boiled off. (I think half the motivation for the design of this lab was the opportunity to play with LN₂ and make the class more interesting)

The resistor was labeled "10 watts" and we were pushing maybe 50 or 100 watts through it. I asked the teaching assistant if we weren't violating the component rating.

Totally dumbfounded. First, he dismissed me. Then I showed him my calculations, and he almost panicked. Then dumbfounded again because he had been conducting this lab all week and nothing bad had happened. He finally assured me he would take it up with the professor and get back to me.

Teaching thermodynamics, but no idea how to apply it in the real world.

 

[zbang]

Wokeness at it's finest.

Sigh, nothing to do with "wokeness".

AFAICT, mostly it's so people don't quibble with the test proctors about their wrong answer.

 

[jaggedben]

In one of my freshman physics classes, we had a lab where we submerged a wirewound resistor in liquid nitrogen and correlated the electrical power dissipated with the mass of nitrogen boiled off. (I think half the motivation for the design of this lab was the opportunity to play with LN₂ and make the class more interesting)

The resistor was labeled "10 watts" and we were pushing maybe 50 or 100 watts through it. I asked the teaching assistant if we weren't violating the component rating.

Totally dumbfounded. First, he dismissed me. Then I showed him my calculations, and he almost panicked. Then dumbfounded again because he had been conducting this lab all week and nothing bad had happened. He finally assured me he would take it up with the professor and get back to me.

Teaching thermodynamics, but no idea how to apply it in the real world.

I'd suspect a 10 watt resistor would be pretty safe at 5-10 times its standard rating when cooled by liquid nitrogen.

 

[texie]

Sigh, nothing to do with "wokeness".

AFAICT, mostly it's so people don't quibble with the test proctors about their wrong answer.

No, this has nothing to do with bothering the testing staff.

 

[wwhitney]

No, this has nothing to do with bothering the testing staff.

Oh? You've interviewed the policy makers and asked them their reasons?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[texie]

Oh? You've interviewed the policy makers and asked them their reasons?

Cheers, Wayne

I was one.

 

[wwhitney]

I was one.

OK. And your co policy makers, they said the reason for the policy is to avoid upsetting test takers? I agree that seems questionable.

But that has nothing to do with "wokeness." That term has obviously been the subject of different sides trying to redefine it in different ways. Fundamentally I would think the idea is not to assume your individual experience and preferences are universal; other people's experiences differ. It's easy to take things for granted without realizing that they can vary for different people.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[petersonra]

As a practical matter, what difference does it make if you get 70% right or 100%. It would just be about bragging rights. If you pass you get a license regardless of the score.

There does seem to be a long term trend toward this kind of thing. Probably at least part of the reason is wokeness. Certain groups have historically done poorly on standardized tests, so to get around the political ramifications of admitting to the obvious. It is easier to dumb down the tests and make them pass/fail. That way employers will not use the test results to discriminate against those who scored lower.

I do pretty well on tests so it would be to my advantage if I could point to my high score, if nothing else to brag.

 

[jap]

It's because it's not about a number on a piece of paper.

In the end, It's about how you can throw down in the field.

Generally, those same traumatized individuals that may not have scored as high as others on a written test are usually the same ones who can show you you're not quite as good as you thought your were out in the field.

JAP>

 

[wwhitney]

Probably at least part of the reason is wokeness. Certain groups have historically done poorly on standardized tests, so to get around the political ramifications of admitting to the obvious. It is easier to dumb down the tests and make them pass/fail. That way employers will not use the test results to discriminate against those who scored lower.

To be clear, making the test easier and pass/fail is the band-aid non-"woke" response to the problem. Versus doing the hard work to understand the reasons for the disparity. Which are likely a combination of (a) the test reflects some non-universal background assumptions that have nothing to do with the technical matter and are unnecessarily disadvantaging some test takers and (b) (much harder to address) the disparity of educational opportunities earlier in life.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[drcampbell]

... Probably at least part of the reason is wokeness. Certain groups have historically done poorly on standardized tests, so to get around the political ramifications of admitting to the obvious. It is easier to dumb down the tests and make them pass/fail. That way employers will not use the test results to discriminate against those who scored lower.

I do pretty well on tests so it would be to my advantage if I could point to my high score, if nothing else to brag.

I took my professional engineer's exams a long time ago. They were graded pass/fail then, long before anybody ever heard the word "wokeness", least of all the state licensing boards.
(one exception: At the time, they would let you know if you failed by 5 points or fewer and qualified for an appeal to the grading. I have no idea whether that's still the case.)

I never asked about exam scores (or school grade-point averages) when hiring people; I've never been asked about them when being hired, and I'm a little suspicious of anybody who puts a lot of emphasis on theirs.

I'm also an effective test-taker. (not that it has much value in the real world) Due to an administrative wrinkle, (taking Part 1 and Part 2 in different states) I had to appear at the office in person and walk my paperwork through by hand. They still wouldn't tell me my score, but upon examining my file, the clerk let out a spontaneous "Oh, my!", saying that they almost never saw scores that high.

 

[jap]

and I'm a little suspicious of anybody who puts a lot of emphasis on theirs.

the clerk let out a spontaneous "Oh, my!", saying that they almost never saw scores that high.

Hmmm....This seems suspicious to me,,,

Jap>

 

[__dan]

No, she sees the high score. Now she's flirting.