Page 13 - NYS_ESS_09-2021

Getting your hands on the Black’s Boundary Control and Legal Principles, Elementary
books is one thing. Are you Surveying and Writing Legal Descriptions at a minimum, you will
making steps to acquire be taking the exam again.
a library of professional
books? A professional has
to have a library. You don’t have to have it all when you become
licensed, but you need to be on your way. Some early books to
consider: Definition of Surveying and Related Terms prepared by
NSPS. Another: Black’s Law Dictionary. There’s a pocket edition
that you may want to buy or the giant unabridged version.
Brown’s Boundary Control and Legal Principles and Evidence
and Procedures for Property Boundary Location are essential. So
is a general comprehensive surveying text such as Elementary
Surveying by Ghilani. Then there’s Writing Legal Descriptions by
Wattles. You need to read these texts cover to cover (no, not Many people approach the exams with the attitude of “I’ve gotta
the dictionaries and definitions books, but you need to flip take it, even if I flunk it, just to see what it is like.” The problem
through them and learn, and sometimes relearn things you is that frequently they tell themselves this three, four, five or
already knew). Now, when I say cover to cover, you may object. even more times. I think this is a lazy way to approach it (and
“I really don’t want to learn geodetic computations” discussed expensive). I prefer “forearmed is forewarned.”
in Ghilani’s book. That’s fine, but you still need to read the
chapters and absorb what you can. This is why I recommend study groups as a vital resource for
information and incentive to learn. Having study buddies
My understanding of the reasons why test-takers fail them is lack improves the level of information shared and the level of
of preparation. Keep in mind that the FS and PS exams are information retained. My philosophy, when I teach an exam prep
designed assuming that the test taker has graduated from a college course is to not only help the learners pass the exam; it is to help
surveying program. If nothing else, the way surveying processes them become better professional land surveyors. Having this
are described in a surveying text must be understood. Surveying mindset helps you to make the most meaningful and long-lasting
terms must be known to the level of having an understanding of
what they are. How many people can describe how the “vertical” achievements, not only with licensure, but with all projects you
will take on in your life.
direction is defined by surveyors? Yet, this is often covered in the
first chapter of most general surveying textbooks. Think about Making a decision to become a licensed professional land
this, can you describe the process of breaking lock on a GPS surveyor is a decision not to be taken lightly. It means
RTK rover or how you measure angles with a total station if they committing to much work. It includes preparation, working
are to be measured twice and averaged with the telescope in the on writing the application properly, accurately and concisely,
direct and inverted positions? Surveying textbooks can give you studying the process and studying the material. It doesn’t mean
insight on how to describe these procedures. This is the same that it all stops once the exams are passed. Achieving licensure
language you’ll see on the exams. means committing to a professional practice that has many
requirements that you may not have considered until you started
NCEES and the licensing board give you huge clues as to what
the exams will be like. Do you log into NCEES, download the the journey. Good luck on becoming the best surveyor possible!
“handbook” (each exam has one of them), which is the only About the Author:
reference material you are allowed to access during the FS and PS Dr. Joseph Paiva, PS, PE is CEO of GeoLearn, an online
exams, and go through them page by page? This is another area education company providing courses for continuing
education, exam preparation and general training of
where licensing applicants fail. They don’t realize the breadth professionals and paraprofessionals in surveying and other
of the exam because they haven’t studied the syllabus, read the geospatial businesses. In addition to working in surveying
handbook, verifying that the equations given in it are all familiar, and engineering firms, including having an ownership
and gotten their hands on the practice tests NCEES makes interest in some of the firms, Joe has been an educator
available. Plus, the exam environment itself, computer-based since the 1970s, teaching surveying at the University of Missouri-Columbia full
time for 11 years. He continues this teaching on a pat-time basis today at several
testing, has its own learning curve. But NCEES has a YouTube institutions and mostly in an online environment. Joe joined Sokkia and worked
channel where all of these matters are covered too. So…with the there for 11 years in research and development where he pioneered electronic data
right preparation very little should come as a surprise. collection for surveyors with the design and engineering of the SDR2, 20 and 30
series of electronic field books. He became VP there and managed a team that
The New York board publishes a specification as well. They developed many other advanced products. He moved into similar roles, including
tell what types of questions to expect and the approximate VP of the Land Survey Division at Trimble. As a consultant he has done a variety
numbers in each category. The New York exam is currently of technical and business-oriented work for many clients, including a series of
open book. So, if you don’t take the NSPS Definition book, successful stints as an expert witness. His entry into the world of UAS was with
Gatewing in 2010, eventually becoming COO of this Belgian firm.
EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 57 • NO 5/ 2021 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 11