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16 The Nevada Traverse Vol.51, No.3, 2024From Prep to Recovery: Mastering the FS and CST ExamsBy: Trent J. Keenan, PLSAn abstract from Mentoring Mondays, Week 130. Preparing for a professional exam can feel like drinking from a firehose. You need to know many things before you sit down on exam day, and taking a proactive approach can mean the difference between pass and fail.A recent Mentoring Mondays discussion led by Jerry Mahun, PLS, offered a deep dive into how to approach the FS and CST exams. With deep experience in both surveying and education, Jerry has worked for NLC Prep and helped students across the country get ready for exam day.Here, we%u2019ll go step-by-step to summarize how you can:%u25cf%u0009 Get ready%u25cf%u0009 Lay the foundation%u25cf%u0009 Complete pre-exam prep%u25cf%u0009 Master exam day tactics%u25cf%u0009 Conduct post-exam stepsAbout the Exams Before we dig in, we will quickly define each exam.The FS Exam: The Fundamentals of Surveying Exam is run by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). This exam leads to the path of professional licensure.The CST Exam: The Certified Survey Technician Exam is run by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). Passing the exam provides you with a professional certification (not a licensing credential). The two exams run in parallel and support each other, and many people elect to take both. If you do, it can be helpful to take the CST exam before the FS exam as the test is shorter in length and provides a good training ground to build up your testing stamina.Every new credential you receive and step you take provides you with additional perspective and job opportunities. While a surveying license is ultimately tied to a jurisdiction, The CST is a national program that is applicable in any state and jurisdiction you work in.Get ReadyWhether you are taking the FS or the CST, the first thing you need to do is gain a big-picture understanding of the exam format, the topic areas covered, and the reference materials and/or calculators you can use.Getting Ready for the FS ExamFor the FS Exam, start by going to the exam website and creating a free account. From there, you can download the Examinee Guide, Exam Specifications, and Reference Handbook. You also have the option of purchasing a practice exam.1. Download the Examinee GuideThis guide contains all the information you need to know about the exam administration and application process. The guide also provides the Sample Diagnostic Report for Exams in the appendix. A common source of confusion is how you get a passing grade. The Diagnostic Report explains how the computer-based exam pulls from separate pools of questions at random %u2014 which means that every test-taker receives a unique version of the exam.2. Download the FS Exam SpecificationsThis download covers the format of the exam. The six-hour exam is comprised of 110 questions. Question topics cover seven different %u201cKnowledge Areas.%u201d The download explains what those knowledge areas are, the sub-topics within each area, and the approximate number of exam questions associated with each category.3. Download the FS Reference HandbookThis handbook is the only open-book reference material that you may use while taking the FS exam. Ensure that you visit the website and obtain the latest edition, as an update was published in 2023. At 188 pages, the handbook covers a lot of ground %u2014 and the better you know its organization and contents, the faster you can find what you need on exam day. Some of the nomenclature used in the handbook may differ from what you are used to, so be sure to familiarize yourself with unique terminology ahead of time.In summary, the FS Reference Handbook covers the following:%u25cf%u0009 Section 1: Abbreviations and Acronyms%u25cf%u0009 Section 2: Conversions and Other Useful Relationships%u25cf%u0009 Section 3: Mathematical and Surveying-Related Formulas%u25cf%u0009 Section 4: Economics%u25cf%u0009 Section 5: Ethics%u25cf%u0009 Section 6: Safety%u25cf%u0009 Appendix:NSPS Model StandardsMinimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title SurveysU.S. National Map Accuracy StandardsFGCS Specifications and Procedures to Incorporate Digital/Bar-code Leveling SystemsFEMA Elevation Certificate and InstructionsGeospatial Positional Accuracy Standards4. Download an FS Practice Exam (Optional)The testing website provides the option to purchase a practice exam for $18.95. Containing 50 questions pulled from previous exams, the practice test follows the same format as the actual FS Exam. Solutions to all problems are provided in the back so you can see what the worked-out answers look like. If you are on the fence, you can preview a few pages of the practice exam before purchasing.