Have the State Tests Changed?

[Anonymous]

I believe all testing should be fair without softball questions and without trick questions. Just straight forward factual questions.

One of my subs flunked the OK Cert. Res. test again....

i attribute part of it to a really bad school in Claremore, OK. She and another appraiser took 2 classes there and learned almost nothing. In fact, it was so bad, one of the two instructors had to take complaints about the other from the students. He provided the answers to questions in order for them to pass the class. That school needs closed.

But she reported several questions on the test were about things she had never heard of, and neither have I.

One question dealt with "Zoning in Bulk"

Does anyone have a clue what zoning in bulk is?

Ter

 

[Oregon Doug]

Terrel - no, the state exams have not changed. There are only a few approved test providers across the nation and most are trying to get out of the business as it really dosn't pay very well. As far as I know, there are three companies (Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc, Assessment Systems, Inc and Professional Examination Services) providing appraiser testing services along with two states (Mississippi & Florida).

There is supposed to be a national exam being developed by the AQB that was to be available last October to all the states. It hasn't happened yet and don't hold your breath.

Does your state include questions regarding state regulations?

Oregon Doug

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

There is supposed to be a national exam being developed by the AQB that was to be available last October to all the states. It hasn't happened yet and don't hold your breath.

Rumor: The AQB was waiting for the State of Florida to provide their security protected exams to them to use for that national exam. Florida was refusing to give it to them. I don't know for sure where that issue stands right now.

 

[Anonymous]

I am convinced the quizzes are more difficult. I believe AR also raised the minimum passing grade by 5%, too. Okla does ask a few state specific questions I was told. I don't recall the Ar test doing so (but has been 5 yr since i took the CG, 10 since the CR test.) I still have never heard of zoning in bulk, don't know anyone that has.

I know that the highest grade one year in AR was supposedly only 94% and about 50% of the takers were failing. The state now requires you interview with them before they will even allow you to take the test. Some people had tried to avoid this by taking the exam in Mo. but the state has now stopped accepting Mo. tests except under unusual conditions.

Ar only offers the exam twice a year. If you fail the exam, you can usually take the test in Mo. in a couple of weeks. I don't know if they are going to continue that practice or not.

ter

 

[wyecoyote]

Could be the floriday butterfly questions and answers. You know that florida doesn't like straight across Q&A.

Ryan :twisted:

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Hey Ryan,

I think that if you can't figure out the ballot (that was approved by all parties) you don't deserve the PRIVILEGE of having your vote count. Bussing in the mentally challenged to the polls...... doesn't say much for the people that do that and the candidates they support.

 

[Sam Martin]

I teach appraisal classes in IL, and the feedback I am getting from students who have recently taken their state licensing exams is: the intro exam is much tougher now: 25% math vs 10-15%, questions about debt service and mortgage constants (things we taught for cert classes in the past), and mortgage questions (balance of mortgages after x years, etc).
I welcome the changes, as I think the entry requirements should be tougher. I am now adapting my classes to cover these topics in greater detail (we covered them before, but I emphasize them more now).
Sam

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

My subcontractor said there were several questions about mortgage lending terms and concessions. I only recall 1 on the tests I took in 98 that dealt with concessions. Quite a few about surveying terms and architectural terms like pilasters. And lots about calculation of external obsolescence. One in particular was about the market value of a property after construction of a new store which was not the highest and best use of the site. And the site had to be cured, i.e.- has a building to be demolished for X dollars....

 

[Francois K. Gregoire]

My subcontractor said there were several questions about mortgage lending terms and concessions. I only recall 1 on the tests I took in 98 that dealt with concessions. Quite a few about surveying terms and architectural terms like pilasters. And lots about calculation of external obsolescence. One in particular was about the market value of a property after construction of a new store which was not the highest and best use of the site. And the site had to be cured, i.e.- has a building to be demolished for X dollars....

Terrel,

Over the past eighteen months or so, the Appraiser Qualifications Board has revised what they call the "National Uniform Examination Content Outlines" for each classification of real property appraiser. Each examination provider (all are private with the exception of three states) were required to submit their test blueprint and examination question bank to the AQB for its blessing. Use of the new examination blueprint and question bank was supposed to be mandatory on March 1, 2002. Failure to do so brings the risk of threats by the AQB and ASC to pull a jurisdiction's ability to license and certify appraisers.

The most significant changes to the Residential Examination were an increase in the emphasis in the areas of Sales Comparison Approach, Valuation of Partial Interests and everyone's favorite - USPAP.

Because of one test provider's inability to freshen up their test software on time, the AQB extended the deadline until early August. As far as I know, however, most providers are using the new blueprint and questions. I've got a copy of the blueprint. Drop me an email with your fax number and I'll zip in on over to you.

francois1@compuserve.com

As an aside, the Florida stats for Certified Residential December, 2001, are:

1st take - 44% pass
2nd take - 50% pass
3rd take - 25% pass

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

The states need a uniform method of testing for sure. Arkansas once said they passed 50% and they now require an applicant to personally interview with them before they will even let you sit the test.

There was a lot of students failing Arkansas that went on to Missouri and took the test about 2 weeks after Arkansas's test. A much higher percentage passed there according to one of the people I took the pre-test course with that I talked with later.