Time to Begin

This is the first post of what I hope will become a very useful blog.

I (and some other knowledgeable friends) will post tips and resources for those persons who are preparing to take one of the Land Surveying Exams.

If you are deep into studying for one of the exams you probably already know this, but for those who might stumble upon this site, I'm going to take a moment to explain the basic process.

First, each state (and US Territory) has it's own Land Surveying licensing laws. If you want to become a Professional Land Surveyor you should first contact the surveying board in your state. (Here is a page with links to the websites of each of the boards.)

Some states require a 4 year degree in a field directly related to Land Surveying. If you do not hold such a degree you might wish to first find out whether you are eligible to apply to take the first exam.

That's right, I said first exam.

Here is how the basic process. License candidates (after meeting the application criteria) take a standard 8 hour exam. This exam is called the Fundamentals Exam.

Those who work hard and are able to pass the Fundamentals Exam can move forward in the process.

After passing the Fundamentals Exam (and meeting additional requirements) candidates take a second exam. This second exam (the Principles and Practice of Surveying ) is a multi-part exam. Part of this exam is a national standard exam and part is jurisdiction specific.

For a more detailed explanation of the entire process you see this page from NCEES. NCEES is the organization that writes and administers the standard exams. I'll be posting more information about those exams in future blog entries.

Finally, let me leave you with a thought. I work regularly with people wanting to become Professional Land Surveyors. Over the years I've heard lots of other people wish these candidates "good luck". I do not do that.

If you are trusting luck to help you through this process, you should quit right now. Don't do anything more. Luck has nothing to do with being successful. Hard work and perseverance are the keys to success. There is are no substitutes.

Now, if you are serious about this, get to work.

Larry P