Scott,
I just took the new Florida Exam a few weeks ago and it was pure hell but I passed it on my first attempt. The description of the exam said "National Appraisers Exam" so I guess this means it’s a more standardized nation wide exam now??? But I'm not really sure. Anyways, I received the best advice from a fellow forum member who recently took the exam before I did. Here is his email to me and I have to say he was spot on.
Hi Tyler -
>
> Let me first wish you luck on the exam. It is the hardest test I've ever
> taken in my life. I read well and read fast, but there were questions I had
> to read five and six times trying to understand what in the bejesus they
> wanted answered. I took the blasted thing twice - I missed passing by two
> questions the first time.
>
> I did XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX online and frankly it was a waste of money. The
> questions are complex and XXXXX's looked more like what I've heard about the
> old test. There was a lot of Potential Gross Income through Effective Gross
> Income (make sure you know all of the steps). I had questions that you'd
> have to work through PGI all the way to EGI and then the question would give
> you a number and ask what it corresponded to in the sequence.
>
> Yes, know USPAP and what all the standards relate to (and the different
> parts of USPAP and what is mandatory and what is simply extra material to
> help you understand). There is a huge amount of math so review all of your
> math questions you can find.
>
> Know your ethics, know the order in which you make adjustments, know the
> order in which you do an appraisal (at what point do you determine the SOW,
> etc).
>
>
> Take your time, get plenty of sleep, and read every question twice. You can
> have a thirty minute break in the middle of the test.
>
> I hate to say it, but the best prep I got for the test was taking it the
> first time. I don't have any great study material to recommend. I had the
> book from XXXXX XXXXXXXXX which was pretty good, just his online questions
> were crummy and not of the same complexity of the actual test.
>
> Hopefully you'll do great and won't have to fork out another $54 to sit for
> it again.
>
> Good luck!
>
> PS - I started studying 6 weeks before I took the test the first time and
> really buckled down the immediate 3 weeks prior. It is really that hard.
> If you don't pass the first time, you have to wait 24 hours to schedule your
> next exam. The Orlando area testing centers had a three week wait so I
> ended up driving to Ormond Beach and took it the second time 5 days after
> the first.
I did not disclose the forum members name as I didn't ask him prior to writing this response. I'm sure he won't mind me posting the general content of our emails as we are here to help one another.
GOOD LUCK!
Now I'm waiting on the moderator to update my professional status!!! hint hint. :new_smile-l:
