I took the exam today and passed. Apparently the testing handbook states that you can’t wear a jacket with a hood or pockets. I found this out the hard way when they had me remove my hoodie before stepping into the exam room. I was only wearing a thin tank top underneath and the room was freezing, so I wish I would have known this beforehand. I guess I didn’t read the handbook closely enough.
I studied TWE, Woo, CalGreen, Wetlands Permitting Guide and PassX Flashcards for 2 months. I probably could have done without the PassX flash cards. I have 9 years of experience with a pretty diverse background, working on everything from custom homes and commercial/ retail to mixed use and hospital buildings, so I already had a solid grasp on code/ CBC stuff going into the exam.
The test was difficult, and if I had not passed I really wouldn’t know what else to study. The hardest part for me was more about test taking skills rather than the content covered. Maintaining endurance for a 3.5 hour exam with no break was difficult, and watching the clock run down with all the really wordy questions heightened my test-taking anxiety. I found myself reading almost every question twice, sometimes three times, to make sure I understood what it was asking. Time was definitely a challenge for me on this exam as I’m pretty sure I answered the last question with about 1 second left and no time to review. I recommend taking as many timed practice tests as you can beforehand to really get your head in the game.
Well it all paid off in the end and the struggle was certainly worth it. Good Luck, everyone— It’s truly a surreal feeling to be done!