Anybody licensed as PE in Misssissippi that took SE1 prior to 2011? 1

[karicow]

I'm a practicing structural engineer and my home state is NC. I've applied for and had no issues with obtaining P.E. licenses by comity in several other states (AL, VA, LA), but have hit a snag with Mississippi. They are denying my application for licensure because they say I have not "fully completed a qualifying NCEES Principles and Practices of Engineering Examination". They state that Mississippi has always required the applicant to pass both the SE1 and the SE2 prior than 2011, or all 16 hours of the current Structural examination. I'm just trying to see if anyone else has run into this issue with MS or any other states. When I spoke to their board representative, he was surprised I have acquired licensure in other states because he doesn't think I've met the exam requirements. In fact, he made it seem like I should never have been licensed at all, having only taken the Structural 1 exam. I took the SE1 exam in 2008, three years before they changed the format to the required two part, 16 hour exam for structural. At that time, if you were in a structural engineering discipline, you could either take the Civil-Structural exam or the Structural 1 exam to be licensed as a P.E. The Structural 1 exam was generally considered the more difficult exam (45% pass rate), and you really only took it if you were going to consider sitting for the Structural 2 exam, which would allow you to be licensed as an S.E. in a few select states (Illinois, Hawaii, etc). I do not recall Mississippi being on that list back then, but they claim they were, and he thinks I will have difficulty obtaining future licenses in other states. They announced the exam change sometime in 2010 I think, and I just wasn't at a good place in my life to prepare for the SE2 before they changed the format. So now, if I want to be licensed as an S.E., I have to start all over and take both parts of the structural exam. Probably not going to happen. When the switch was made to a two part, 16 hour exam, those of us that took the SE1 were supposed to be "grandfathered in" with regard to P.E. licensure, so I just didn't worry about it.

Feeling like not taking the easier way out nine years ago is biting me in the rear, and it's made me nervous that this will keep impacting my career, so I'm just reaching out to see if anybody else has any experience with this. It may just be a quirk with MS. I looked back through website archives of their site, and I sort of think he might be wrong with what their requirements were back then (their archived rules and regulations state nothing about both structural exams begin required). And looking through their old board newsletters, they listed the pass rates and numbers for different exams, and over a several year time span in the mid-2000's, only 1 person even took the structural exam, so there may just be no precedent for this in MS.

Thanks all!

 

[WARose]

I think Georgia has gone that route as well. Makes me glad I took the SE II while it was available....because I figured some states would pull this on down the line. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised (at some point) if they stop considering the SE I & II as qualifying for anything. (Probably in the West coast states.)

I too got my first PE (in South Carolina) by passing the SE I. I took the SE II years later and it wasn't nearly as bad. (Although more expensive.)

Hopefully I'll retire before things get too crazy.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Interesting. I was under the impression that states still considered the SE1 as grandfathered in. The problem with the new 16-hour exam is they structured it so both days need to be completed for the exam to be complete. However, for the older SE1 and SE2 they were stand-alone parts. Thus, it always made sense to me that they could be compared to the PE exam as equivalent.

That said, I'm not surprised there's one or two hiccups with those that took the SE in lieu of the PE. For example, I took the 16-hour SE in lieu of the PE and New Jersey wont license me because for them it's the PE or nothing (I suspect you would have the same issue). That said, most places consider the 16-hour SE acceptable for now. You are making me wonder if there will be a time when I'll regret not taking the PE exam. Guess I should just get licensed in as many states as possible and keep them current to future-proof my licenses.

Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/

 

[Seppe]

I feel for you. Very frustrating.

In the situation you're up against, it's far more political than it is logical. As long as an organization like NSPE continues to generally oppose the notion that discipline-specific licensure has merit, state boards will have precedent and principle to do the same. It's a lazy and self-serving administrative mindset.

 

[karicow]

"Guess I should just get licensed in as many states as possible and keep them current to future-proof my licenses." I wish this was an affordable plan, or I'd do the same!

Some good news from Georgia. That was likely the next on on my list, so I sent their executive director a message requesting their stance on this situation. His response is below for anyone else that might be interested. I'm tempted to send this to the Mississippi board, because I think it's a somewhat more reasonable policy. I should be covered by part b...with both having taken an 8 hour structural exam prior to 2011 and having a minimum of 60 months of structural engineering experience.

10-01 Beginning with exams administered in April of 2011, the exam prescribed by the Board for
applicants whose experience is structural engineering as determined by the Board, shall be
the NCEES Structural exam which consists of two 8 - hour components.
a. Comity applicants whose experience is structural engineering as determined by the Board and who
first became registered as a Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer in another state on
or after January 1 of 2011, will be required to have passed the NCEES Structural exam
(totaling 16 hours) or another 16 - hour exam as approved by the Board.
b. Comity applicants whose experience is structural engineering as determined by the Board, who first became
registered as a Professional Engineer in another state before January 1, 2011, and who have
not passed at least an 8 – hour structural exam approved by the Board, will be required to
have a minimum of 60 months of structural engineering experience acceptable to the Board
following the pass date of their examination. (effective 12/07/2010 replacing Board Policy 03-
01).

 

[Bagman2524]

Have you gotten your NCEES registration? One of the best things I ever did. Has made getting licenses by comity in other states much easier.

All I know is P/A and Mc/I