AQB's latest dumbing down by 'Stakeholders' Dropping the College Degree Requirement

[J Grant]

https://www.westpoint.edu/academics/academic-program#:~:text=Graduates%20apply%20concepts%20from%20the,in%20a%20variety%20of%20contexts.

West Point has humanities in their degree programs - these are top students and graduate to become commissioned officers - the humanities have a place in higher ed and they might not be used to get a job but they round out a person;s thinking and moral ethical perspective as well -

 

[J Grant]

A few points of order

1- you can't tell which is which between the HS and college educated.​

2- you're using college as a filter for dense and lack of critical thinking skills​

3- you're citing examples of appraisers running into atypical situations and asking for help as a blanket accusation of incompetence​

4- most of what you know about those examples you learned on this forum, which by extension means you also didn't know before you came here.​

​

and lastly​

5 - I never complain about appraisers being unqualified to do the job. My primary "competency" complaint about appraisers is that some of them don't work to their own capabilities (that includes some of the CGs). You're the one who is denigrating some appraisers as being incapable of performing to specs.​

Ihave a pretty good idea from reading posts and probably even looking at an appraisal wrt if the person went to college ( or has equivalent critical thinking skills ) - I posted that to mean when an appraiser signs an appraisal, they do not put down if they are a college grad or not ( just SRA or MAI) -

The atypical situations that the clueless post about are simple simon problems of a tiny bit of complexity, such as an adjacent lot is included -

 

[djd09]

I'm in at least partial agreement with this (we'll have to see what comes of the QE).

As for competition control, I'll be the first to admit that I have personally benefitted from the point that it's a little harder than average to pass the courses, pass the exam and accrue the non-residential experience required to earn a CG. Not everyone has what it takes as demonstrated by the failure rates, and those who can't do it will be left behind. But those QE and experience criteria are at least related to what it takes to become minimally competent on this side of the business. Taking courses on religion or history or social sciences or in any of the humanities or even STEM will not touch upon anything I've ever done as an appraiser.

The track records of the legion vast of HS-educated appraisers stand as proof that the analytical and critical thinking skills it takes to appraise are obviously not that difficult to attain outside of the college experience.

Denis DeSaix (and dozens of other Forum members over the years) was never an incompetent at what he was doing or a threat to the RE economy or a stain on our profession prior to earning his 4yr degree and his MAI and I will fight with anyone who says otherwise.

didn't he quit because of all the conspiracy theory talk...which all have come true

 

[djd09]

at this point, if they are going to let the scum bag mortgage brokers estimate value via waiver, they might as well let any tom, dick, or harry get their appraisal license

 

[George Hatch]

didn't he quit because of all the conspiracy theory talk...which all have come true

Lots of people have quit because of the general tone. That doesn't mean he was too poorly educated to appraise SFRs until after he earned his degree. I have used him as an example because everyone knows and respects his appraisal competency. But there have been literally dozens of other HS-educated appraisers who have participated here over the years whose competency *at what they were doing* is beyond reproach. Far too many of them to trivialize their competency as being an exception to the rule.

 

[djd09]

Lots of people have quit because of the general tone. That doesn't mean he was too poorly educated to appraise SFRs until after he earned his degree. I have used him as an example because everyone knows and respects his appraisal competency. But there have been literally dozens of other HS-educated appraisers who have participated here over the years whose competency *at what they were doing* is beyond reproach. Far too many of them to trivialize their competency as being an exception to the rule.

quitters quit...

 

[TerryRohrer]

From a Reddit post:

"In this thread on rTeachers, many high school teachers chime in to claim that today's students cannot read or write properly nor are capable of the most basic things, like arithmetic or googling. The picture that is painted of today's students is alarming to the degree that it would threaten the coherence of future society."

If there is a thread of truth to those teachers claims, I think today's high school education is equivalent to yesteryear's 8th grade education. Many college degrees are likely equivalent or less than former high school educations.

 

[ucbruin]

From a Reddit post:

"In this thread on rTeachers, many high school teachers chime in to claim that today's students cannot read or write properly nor are capable of the most basic things, like arithmetic or googling. The picture that is painted of today's students is alarming to the degree that it would threaten the coherence of future society."

If there is a thread of truth to those teachers claims, I think today's high school education is equivalent to yesteryear's 8th grade education. Many college degrees are likely equivalent or less than former high school educations.

Who do those teachers blame....
The students....
The parents....
The administrators....
The teachers (themselves)....

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

So end regulation of appraisers, then. Why the pretense? The minimum minimum qualification is none. We are so damned near that now that there is no appreciable difference. Anyone who can't become a residential appraiser now can't function well enough to tie their own shoes.

It seems the state tests are already a pretty big barrier as it is. I am not saying that we should remove all barriers, but the residential appraiser is not a high demand job as it is. I think the forum is overreacting to a possible scenario that really will have about as much effect as PAREA. Nothing adopted will be as good as hands supervisor training done properly.

The pass rates for appraiser state certification exams can vary depending on the specific level of certification. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Licensed Residential Appraiser Exam:
   • Pass rate: Less than 65%1.
   • This exam is for those seeking to become Licensed Residential Appraisers.
2. Certified Residential Appraiser Exam:
   • Pass rate: Less than 65%1.
   • This exam is for those aiming to become Certified Residential Appraisers.
3. Certified General Appraiser Exam:
   • Pass rate: Approximately 50%12.
   • This exam is the final step for those pursuing the Certified General Appraiser designation.

 

[TerryRohrer]

So 65% of anyone can become licensed, and within 5 years can become certified, and don't need a college degree. Why does it need dumbed down more than that? This is not about improving anything but ease with which anyone, without effort or application, can become an appraiser. Once that is achieved, you have to remove any repercussions for inept, sloppy, or unethical appraisal practice. You can't hold the ignorant accountable for that which they are too uneducated to fathom. This is not about fixing something broken. This is about rewarding lack of personal application and industry.