Going to take the AQB USPAP Course

[George Hatch]

The last piece of free advice I would hand out (note the market value of "free") about this course is that, contrary to what I originally thought it would be, this course is not about the practical applications of USPAP or about most of the material you see in the 15-hour and 7-hour courses.

The Instructor's course is a principles and concepts course that deals with the "why & how" of the various requirements rather than focusing just on what those requirements are. "Why" is the confidentiality rule important to appraisal practice? "How" does it contribute to the public trust? "Why" do we need to identify the intended users and intended uses, and "How" do they affect the SOW decision?

The Appraisal Foundation doesn't just want the instructors to be familiar with the nuts-n-bolts, they want instructors to be able to follow the underlying reasoning behind those applications. The entire realm of appraisal practice is so wide and involves so many variables that it's not possible to memorize a solution for each individual problem. It is the familiarity with the underlying principles and concepts that enable consistency when faced with scenarios that haven't already been specifically addressed.

There have been a lot of course participants who have been unable or in some cases unwilling to turn that particular corner, which is why they don't pass the course.

 

[amacinnes]

Going to Dallas also in September so I'll meet some of you there and THANKS for the advice and info from those who have been through the mill already.

 

[Tom Eichholz]

For every exam I've ever taken, the best advice I ever got was: RTDQ.

"Read The D#mn Question!" (and then, "Re-Read The D#mn Question!").

Or (What exactly is the question asking? No more, no less...).

 

[Lee Lansford]

And...the course and the exam was one of the most intense 3-day periods in my adult life.

Of course, it probably didn't help any that I didn't open the book until the day before the course began...I don't recommend that you do as I did (though I did pass the exam on my first atempt).

 

[Truett Neathery]

Good luck to you!

Good luck to all of you!

OOPS, isn't that what Joe Hill's last words were?

 

[Kali the Boston Terrier]

Any current USPAP instructors be willing to share their materials to us newbies? Seeing that we will not be able to get our materials for another month or so? I asked a friend of mine who is an instructor...ut his stuff is prior to SOW and the departue rule, departure.

 

[Don Clark]

Any current USPAP instructors be willing to share their materials to us newbies? Seeing that we will not be able to get our materials for another month or so? I asked a friend of mine who is an instructor...ut his stuff is prior to SOW and the departue rule, departure.

That would be a violation of the Instructor Confidentiality Agreement that each instructor signs. It would be a breach of course material confidentiality.

 

[Kali the Boston Terrier]

Well I did not know that, guess that solves that thought bubble.

 

[DWiley]

Any current USPAP instructors be willing to share their materials to us newbies?

The Foundation had the book for the course posted on the Interenet for any interested party to download. The title of the book is Concepts and Principles of USPAP. I suspect that if one puts the title into an Internet search engine one might be able to find a copy. It may not be the most recent version, but it would allow students to get a flavor of the material.

 

[Kali the Boston Terrier]

The most recent one I found was 2006. Thanks for the heads up!