I'm a writer for an electrical trade magazine, and I'm working on an article on passing the electrician's journeyman test - but more specifically, I'd like to investigate how prevalent cheating is. If you cut corners or found a way to circumvent the system, email me - I'd like to hear your story.
Positive responses as to what you did to study and prepare for the test without cheating are welcome as well. All of your personal identification will obviously be withheld from the story.
firedancer53@hotmail.com

Cheat??
I did the apprenticeship thing, went to trade school at nite. Studied. Took a "Code Course" with a great instructor. Took the test and almost "aced" it. The way it was run, I think it would have been pretty hard to cheat, if you were so inclined.

After the test, I did the paper trail thru the State Board, got a Business Permit, and opened shop. Hired a guy, then another then another, etc.
In the interim, I got the bug to take the Electrical Inspectors Course. (NIGHTS).
Put the time in for the courses, and took the tests. (Three) We have 3 levels, ICS (1-2 family) HHS (Everything else) & Plan Review
"Aced" all three, was a mental veg after 8 hrs of tests, but it was worth it. Now, I'm going for the "Sub-Code" license; 45 hrs course. (Piece of cake???) (Nights too)

Point I'm trying to make is, if you try hard enough, you should be able to suceed without CHEATING.

NJ has a pretty good system, (I think), and I hope it's very difficult to "Cheat". A "master" should not have to even think about cheating.
John

BTW: Please do not think that I'm "patting myself on the back", or "blowing my horn".
I, like all the rest of us professionals at this forum, take pride in what we do, how we do it, and how we got where we are.

[This message has been edited by HotLine1 (edited 10-07-2002).]

many tests are proctored, open book, requiring much cross reference, in a monitored room.
i did not see much of a way to 'cheat'

Interesting post. let me, if I may interject a twist to your post. I applied to take a Master Electrical Exam for a local town near me. I took the test and thought that I passed. Pretty good at taking tests from years of college. Pretty good at guessing my grade for the same reason. 85% passes. Got a letter in the mail which informed me that I failed and needed to re-apply. 2 months before the next exam. I protested the grade and asked for a hearing. I went to the hearing and asked to see my exam because I was sure that I passed. I was told that I could go into a cubicle with an exam administrator and he would go over a few things with me but I could not see the exam. Here is where is gets weird...
While in the cubicle with the administrator he proceeded to show me the exam. I found at least 6 code questions that were absolutly 100% correct but were marked wrongI confronted them and they said they would look into it. I got a letter in the mail which read that upon further review I still failed. I believe there was something fishy going on but I can't prove it. It took three exams before I passed. I know I passed the first time.

Tom

[This message has been edited by tsolanto (edited 10-07-2002).]

Writerguy,

Most real tradespeople are not interested in beating the system, but do you really think that anyone who did figure out a way, would tell a writer for a trade magazine. Ha Ha ha.

We may only be tradespeople, but we're not stupid.

Ed

ElectricEd
Well said....

Hey 66 (Virgil) Ya got anything to say about this???????

John

In Georgia there isn't an official Journeyman license. You either become a licensed electrical contactor or you don't. There are 2 classifications, one allowing you to work on systems up to 200 amps and an unrestricted license. I took the up to 200 amp test thinking it would be easier, but found out it was almost the same test, I scored 91. I went back 3 months later and took the unresticted test and scored a 87. Considering that over half fail I think I did pretty good.

I wouldn't have even thought of cheating and don't know how you could anyway. The test is open book, but heavily monitored. I took a prep course that was worth every dollar ($750). It didn't teach you to cheat, but did show you what types of questions to prepare for and how to look the answers up and how to properly use the formulas.

I have taken tests in several states. Have found that almost all are open book in a proctored room. Most do not allow code books that are highlighted. Some do not allow code books that are tabbed. None has allowed written notes in any reference book.
Have found that if you are prepared you will pass. The exception bieng those areas that have inspectors who do not want strangers in THIER area. Those are the ones that will not allow you to look at your test with an inspector if you choose to question the result.
The only one who need to cheat do not have the knowledge to be a licensed electrician or cannot take a test.
BTW the lowest score I have gotten was 79. Most were in the 90s.
Like the others here, if you prepare you will know enough to find the correct answer on just about any question. You do not need to cheat.

Hotline,

I ditto your response, I did the same thing as you did here in NJ. The courses here are pretty tough, but with a little willpower, a great teacher, (Like Joe Tedesco) a lot of studying and you can pass the test too. The only thing I did different was that I took parts A & B of the ICS test on 1 day, Then I went back for the Part C on a different day. I heard that taking all 3 parts on the same day is very tough. I also have my sub code and my construction official lic. As you said all at night.

Caper

Thanks for all your responses. I'd like to clarify my earlier post, just so there isn't any confusion. First of all, I'm not condoning cheating on a test as important as this one - the electrical trade is a proud profession, and anyone who would try to "beat the system" would only be doing themselves and the trade a disservice. That being said, there are those among us who will try to take the easy way out regardless of the situation. As you guys have pointed out, it's not exactly an easy test to cheat on, but if there were holes in the system, an article pointing them out would hopefully help the administrators of the test shore up those gaps in the system, so to speak.
And electric-ed, I wasn't trying to suggest tradespeople are stupid. But have you ever read "The Tell-tale Heart" by Poe? Those who get away with something have a hard time not bragging about their "accomplishment" to someone.
Again, thanks for all your posts. If any of you would like to discuss your stories with me further for possible inclusion in the article, let me know - I'd be interested in talking to you.

No cheating here.

I passes the test the first time around because I studied and went through 4 years of hell as an apprentice.

Dare I say if someone had cheated they would only be cheating themselves.

I think that if someone was caught cheating,they should be banned from the electrical trade for life.If they don't care enough to learn the code to pass the test,what do you think they may be cheating on out in the field,that may endanger the lives of others?


[This message has been edited by txsparky (edited 10-08-2002).]

I teach at an apprenticeship school and we have a strict no cheating policy. If you are caught, you are out of the program. Three apprentices in the last 6 months have been booted out for this reason. We are definitely of the opinion that if you cheat in school, you are more apt to cheat on the job, and those are not the kind of people we want to be out there working with.

I'm just a student in an electrical program right now, so I haven't taken a journeyman test yet, but how exactly would you cheat on a test like that? All I can think of is something like Chevy Chase did in "Spies Like Us"