California Surveyors Forums

Wattles, Legal Descriptions
Brown, Boundary Control and Legal Principles
ACSM, Definitions of Surveying and Associated Terms
Black's Law Dictionary
Board Rules (under the Laws tab on BPELS website)

If you are taking the national portion also, get the requirements for ALTA surveys if you don't already have them. A copy of the CLSA Exam Guide that came out a couple of years ago was helpful for me too.

I would get this study manual totally worth the $75.00.

http://www.hp33ssurveyor.com/LS/

The CALTRANS video exam guide workbook should be a part of your study program. See http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/row/landsurvey ... okTOC.html

CCS83 a practical guide by Vince Sincek is good reference although much of that material is in the CALTRANS workbook.

A photogrammetry text such as Elements of Photogrammetry by Wolf is a good idea.

GPS for Land Surveyors by Van Sickle

B. Austin Barry's Errors in Practical Measurments is also good.

Did anybody mention GW Wattles little green workbook yet?

If you have access to a CLSA Chapter LS exam prep program, I would highly recommend attending one. Much of the material in the book or "reference binder" that Vance recommends was put together from a San Diego Chapter CLSA exam prep program.

There is a wealth of material out there, the fun part is learning about all of it.

you can always take a look at the program I posted on this site for the HP 48gx.

CLSA study manual

1973 BLM Manual

Laws for the California Surveyor from Paul Cuomo Press. There is more to know of CA law than just the PLSA and SMA.

I want to echo the idea of organized materials. I didn't go in having just read my references, I had them extensively tagged with those itty bitty page tag post it notes. On each tag, I had written the code section AND a 1 to 3 word description of the subject matter. For example: "8765 - RS Not Required".

I can't imagine something much more frustrating in an exam than pretty much knowing the answer to a question, but then getting the question wrong because you only pretty much knew it and couldn't recall where to look to check your answer.

When I prepared for the exam, I had several dozen such tags in my copies of Laws for the CA Surveyor, Clark, Evidence & Procedures, 73 Manual, and BCLP, as well as in my study materials from Pacific Land Seminars.

If your near the minimum competency level, then reference organization can make the difference between passing and getting an invitation to retake the exam at some later date.

When I passed I made it a point to study at LEAST

I appreciate this list as well. Adding more (good) texts to my library is always appealing, especially for those of us studying for the PLS.

Here are my notes for the method and controlling elements to locate lost corners along with the applicable cite from the 1973 manual. I have passed this on to my staff that have recently taken and passed the exam and they said it was very beneficial. I hope you find it helpful as well in quickly solving the types of Public Lands problems that show up on the exams. I tried to identify as many different possibilities as I could. The notes are hand written on this pdf. I know I typed them up to look more presentable, but I don't have the file here at home.

Read the subdivision map act in the morning when you wake up. At lunch, read it again and when you go to bed, read it again. Keep a copy at the office so you can read it there.

Read anything by Curt Brown and read it frontwards and backwards. The Wattles' works related to land descriptions are excellent.

As an aside, there are two principal paths to consider. On the one hand, you can learn the material to become a good surveyor and embed the information in your head. That is the long term goal. The second approach is to study for the exam and that involves a different approach. Too many people study only to pass the exam. They have to go hand in hand.

The attached might be of help also. Good luck.

I realize this is an old thread, but, it contains plenty of good info.

my question is, I've got printed materials that are unbound. I know I can't have anything thats stapled... it says spiral bound is ok, but what about comb binding? I've got a few materials from my college days that are comb bound that I'm hoping to be bringing with me just in case... are they allowed? if comb bound is allowed, can you bring any thing that is bound or just official looking things?

You are allowed to bring anything that is in a three ring binder, Comb or glue bound and it does not have to be official

You might want to check with the Board about the binding. It used to be, and may still be unless changed in the last couple of years that spiral and comb-bound were not allowed, supposedly because it was some sort of security issue that pages would be too easy to take in and out - but see if you understand this one - a 3-ring binder was OK.

There was some flap 2 or 3 years ago (might be 4 or 5 now - time flies) where several people taking the PE exam had brought the spiral bound manual from a review course and all those manuals were confiscated.

OK, I suppose that if someone were really patient and had really good finger dexterity, were able to sneak in a rectangular hole punch, and were sneaky enough to take their comb-bound materials apart, make 36 or so well aligned rectangular holes along the edge of a sheet, put all of those curvy, flippy comb-binding teeth back into the stak of pages they took out along with the page they just punched, and were sneaky enough to do it all while making it all appear as if they were looking up info and writing answers, one might be able to sneak out with a page of something they shouldn't be sneaking out with. It might be possible.

With a 3-ring binder, though? Oh, no, I'm sure that wouldn't be possible. (where's that "sarcasm" font popularized on that other forum?)

I hope that BPELSG, or NCEES, or whoever's stupid rule that was has demonstrated a little sense and done away with it.

with the new format of the exam you should check with the Board on what is allowed and how much space you have, with the CTB it is different

Read the rules carefully. They are different for both tests since they are administered by different companies.

For example at the State specific only one box of books is allowed. IIRC 11x15x24, that's one heavy box and the luggage cart Chris took was not allowed in the exam area. They have lockers for everything you bring that isn't allowed in the exam area inc keys, coats, etc.
Shirt and shoes ok, but pants are not - j/k
And the list of allowed calculators is longer.

Speaking of calculators, I'm guessing that smart phones are verboten? They have graphic QWERTY keyboards...

NCEES has already initiated steps to eliminate this "stupid rule" (sarcastic font firmly in place Evan)

The October national PS exam will be the last time as open book. Starting April 2013, no references allowed.

Ric7308 wrote:NCEES has already initiated steps to eliminate this "stupid rule" (sarcastic font firmly in place Evan)

The October national PS exam will be the last time as open book. Starting April 2013, no references allowed.

Seriously???

Wow, that's gonna make my brain hurt a little more i think this year.

Will they still be giving out the packet of standard formulas and such?

I would assume they will be adjusting the national test will be adjusted accordingly with no ref materials allowed. (I hope at least)

http://www.aelslagid.state.mn.us/NCEESchanges_2012.pdf

answers that question LOL.

and I hate to sound needy.... but can someone point me to a link for the state and national pages that state what's allowed to be brought as far as ref materials? I've only found the one page that said something about no stapled materials and such....

http://www.ncees.org/Documents/Public/E ... 0Agree.pdf
for at least the 2012 tests

someone above mentioned that with the CTB testing they are changing what you can bring, does the 11x15x24 still apply?

Shaunb, that is all the info that NCEES has published at this time. I would expect more details after the October national exams are administered.

NCEES makes their examinee instructions available with the exam authorization form that each candidate downloads to bring to the exam site. These instructions explain NCEES rules and each candidate signs a disclosure when seated that states that they read the instructions.

I've attached the Candidate Information Bulletin applicable to the most recent California Professional Land Surveyor exam administered by CBT. This was available as a download right next to the scheduling button on the Prometric web site.

This can also be found at: http://www.prometric.com/California/Professional+Land+Surveyor+Exam.htm

Thank You Ric. My searching skills on the boards website have been lacking apparently.

and Heck, I took the FE exam years ago and it was closed book and passed, I supposed i can do it on the PS exam also! LOL

thanks for the help!

VANCE wrote:I would get this study manual totally worth the $75.00.

http://www.hp33ssurveyor.com/LS/

It certainly is.

Ric7308 wrote:NCEES has already initiated steps to eliminate this "stupid rule" (sarcastic font firmly in place Evan)

The October national PS exam will be the last time as open book. Starting April 2013, no references allowed.

Well, I'm glad that they recognized that the "stupid rule" had to be fixed, but the fix is even stupider than the rule itself.

How can you test at a professional level and not allow the examinees to have appropriate professional reference materials?

I sense that this portends a very bad trend of moving from land surveying as a licensed profession to geomatics as a certified technical trade.


I don't like it.

I don't like it!

I DON'T LIKE IT!!!

Dealing with a group like prometrics is even more stupid than some of the other changes.

I have to agree with both Evan and Steven.

Prometrics is another industry giant like NCEES with the narrow attitude - Our way only.

Take the no keys allowed issue. The reason, the car interface on the key chain is a transmitter. Morse code anyone? And keys without the interface - still not allowed - got me, but you can take the key to your locker in.

I suppose the only thing stupider would be numerous questions on what constitutes a material discrepancy.