Originally Posted By: rray This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Vince Santos wrote:
I believe testing should shadow what we as HI's are really doing in the field. And I don't care how long you have been an HI, you simply do not know everything. Would it a bad idea to allow test takers to use notes or other means of information?
Totally agree.
Absolutely true.
No.
Timed tests, for the most part, are absolutely stupid, especially when they involve such a short time frame, like an hour or two. I understand the need for a short time frame if one is paying someone to proctor an on-site exam, such as in college where the professor and proctors get paid. But this isn't college anymore, and I refuse to go back to college. I'm a professional home inspector now.
I actually would like to see us have a series of tests. In fact, maybe that could tie in well with the Certified Master Inspector designation that so many people wanted.
(By the way, whatever happened to the CMI designation? I was the only one who did not want it, and I can't believe lonely ol' me was able to stop it dead in its tracks.)
We could have a basic exam that has a one-hour time frame to determine if someone even has an inkling of what this profession is all about. That would be our on-line Tier I test and would qualify you for the Tier II test which determines if you qualify for NACHI membership.
The Tier II test would go something like this: When you sign in for a Tier II test, the program verifies that you passed Tier I. Then, if you did pass, it provides you with 200 questions, randomly generated from the question database. These questions are harder than the basic Tier I questions. Then you have 24 hours (many home inspectors provide 24-hour turnaround on their reports) to provide the answers. You can log on and off as desired during the 24 hours, or find all the answers and then log on and complete the answer form, or whatever. That, to me, would be more realistic since it allows you to use reference books or even ask online at inspectionnews.com. The only caveat might be that you cannot ask the question at nachi.org. But even then, that might be okay.
Then, to get the CMI designation, you would take the Tier III test, which Jerry Peck and Joe Tedesco, just to name a couple?I'm sure there are others; it just would not include me?would devise. I'll let them devise whether the Tier III test would be a timed test, a proctored test at a community college, an online test, or whatever. I'd like to see it be another realistic testing procedure rather than a timed test in three hours or so.
As I told someone privately, I took the online test about 100 times before I applied to NACHI. For most of those times, it was just to add humor to the days for me and my employees. We made absolutely no attempt to change the answers from the default, except for a couple of times when we chose all the stupid and/or humorous answers in an attempt to score a zero. I know other inspectors have done the same thing, which is why I expressed my desire to see the default answers and the stupid/humorous answers removed. Of course, I only expressed that desire once I was a serious, contributing member of NACHI.
Originally Posted By: gbeaumont This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Russel wrote:
I actually would like to see us have a series of tests. In fact, maybe that could tie in well with the Certified Master Inspector designation that so many people wanted.
Funny you should say that 
Originally Posted By: Scott Patterson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I passed!
Below is your online score. You have completed NACHI's Online Inspector Examination in 29.75 minutes.
Your online score is:
You answered 104 questions correctly, totaling 417 points
You answered 16 questions incorrectly, totaling 63 points
Giving you a final score of: 87 (a passing grade)
Test needs some work still. Some things that would make it better:
Get rid of the True/False and the Double Negative answer questions.
Many questions have local terminology.
Some of the answer choices are bogus and are not realistic to the question.
Need to check on a several questions, I think you have multiple answers.
Originally Posted By: gbeaumont This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi to all,
Scott, come on now give us a break  this is when all's said and done an entry level exam. the next exam that we release will not be so easy.
Gerry 98% in 34 mins (and copying down some dubious questions) yes I know its easy for a seasoned inspector, but that is not the target.
Originally Posted By: rray This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Below is your online score. You have completed NACHI’s Online Inspector Examination in 15.00 minutes.
Your online score is:
You answered 120 questions correctly, totaling 800 points
You answered 0 questions incorrectly, totaling 0 points
Giving you a final score of: 100 (a passing grade)
Originally Posted By: Scott Patterson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
gbeaumont wrote:
Hi to all,
Scott, come on now give us a break  this is when all's said and done an entry level exam. the next exam that we release will not be so easy.
Gerry 98% in 34 mins (and copying down some dubious questions) yes I know its easy for a seasoned inspector, but that is not the target.
Regards
Gerry
To be honest I did not understand some of the questions. The water weight question on a flat roof? I had to reach way back and do a little math for that one.
The questions I did the worst on were the safety questions. I missed 21% of those.
Originally Posted By: jfarsetta This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Bravo to John Onofrey, and other members of the Steering Committee for this much improved NACHI entrance exam.
Bravo to the NACHI Beta Testers, who gave us tha all important feedback we so desperately needed, when checking whether the changes that were made were good or bad.
The entrance exam was one of the most talked about areas in this org which needed improvement. You asked, and the Steering Committee reacted.
We had the support of our Executive Director, and President on this important effort. Every Steering Committee member recognized the challenge, but it was John O who grabbed the bull by the horns and lead the charge!
-- Joe Farsetta
Illigitimi Non Carborundum
"Dont let the bastards grind you down..."
Originally Posted By: gbeaumont This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Todd wrote:
98% that's not bad Gerry considering you wrote the test
actually I didn't, the original test predates me joining Nachi, and I have had no hand in the subsequent updates of this, blame (I mean thank) John O for the last update to this.
Russel, you wish 
Scott P. I am proposing a change, that existing inspectors need to attain 90% plus to join us but seriously thanks for your input.
Originally Posted By: Russell Frame This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Non-member (yet)…I wanted to take the test but the site seems to be down.
I passed the other version about a month ago with a 91 on my first try without problem and without any formal HI training (hadn't so much as read an HI book at that point)....so I do hope it's tougher.
Originally Posted By: Chris Morrell This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Russell,
I looked into it on the 5th and everything seems to be working fine. If you're still having trouble getting onto the exam, e-mail me directly and I'll see if I can help.
Originally Posted By: Russell Frame This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I dont think it liked my satellite connection at home (some servers seem to have issue with the latency.
Russell,
Below is your online score. You have completed NACHI's Online Inspector Examination in 29.5 minutes.
Your online score is:
You answered 111 questions correctly, totaling 442 points
You answered 9 questions incorrectly, totaling 30 points
Giving you a final score of: 94 (a passing grade)
In my opinion it's pretty easy...
You know what I think would be an interesting/practical addition is to take some of the photo's that show problems and ask them to identify the issues.
Originally Posted By: jonofrey This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I found this thread while searching for something else . This must have snuck by me during the busy summer when I wasn’t able to keep up with this board.
Thanks for the atta boys. Perhaps we should consider round number two of editing the test. Seems like most reaction has been positive, however.
