NFHS exam nerves

[stewcall]

This will be the 4th year taking the exam and frankly it makes me more nervous then ANY exam I have ever taken. It's almost embarrassing how many hours of study I put into the exam.
I guess I'm wondering is this true across the country? I do well scoring between 91-99 each year, BUT the exam just freaks me out

Stew in VA
CVBOA

BTW it's only part 1--- score of 70 required

[zebraman]

Originally posted by stewcall
This will be the 4th year taking the exam and frankly it makes me more nervous then ANY exam I have ever taken. It's almost embarrassing how many hours of study I put into the exam.
I guess I'm wondering is this true across the country? I do well scoring between 91-99 each year, BUT the exam just freaks me out

Stew in VA
CVBOA

BTW it's only part 1--- score of 70 required

Here in Washington State, the exam is open book. I usually get between a 97 and 100 depending on how many extremely poorly written questions are on the test from the NFHS test editor.

I can't remember what we need to pass - maybe 70 also?

Regardless of the fact that it's open book, we still have the occasional veteran official who fails the test. I guess they don't understand that they aren't just supposed to open the book, but they're supposed to read and study it also. I think they believe that when they perused the book 20 years ago in their rookie year, they are covered for life.

Those are the same officials who call a travel on a player when he leans over and touches the ball to the floor with both hands.

Z

[sndevil99]

I get nervous on test day but then again I am only a 2nd year official in Arizona. We also are allowed to use our books and since the test is broken down into sections...its really isin't that hard or time consuming to search for the answers. I failed the test on my first attempt last year with a 76 but I took it again a few eeks later and got an 93. I had to get an 85 or better to fulfill my requirement to get to the next level.

[stewcall]

Virginia has gotten very tight. Last year there were 4 versions (same test just the order of questions changed). This year the exam is to be given on Nov. 14. 90 minutes, no open book- period.
That's the rule and I honor it.... Nerves will be running high

Stew in VA

[IREFU2]

I know the feeling. I am in VA and my nerves are tingling. We need at least an 80 to get to post season.

[jmkbball]

I'm calling bball again after a 20 year absence due to raising kids, coaching and following a daughter play college ball. I think I missed one question in our recent exam, BUT the exam struck me as somewhat missing the point for improving the vast majority of officiating.

The questions and their answers (while valid in their formal context), seemed for the most part to hinge on one's ability to recognize the mistake in the exact phrasing and realize when a portion of a sentence did not match the text in either the rules or case book.

The test was interesting but I think it might be difficult to achieve a fair degree of success on it without an open book or years of experience in the minutia of the rules.

And perhaps that's the goal of the test -- to make people go back to the rules/case/manual books every year to refresh themselves.

Yet, when I watch a few college or (most of the) pro games these days, I'm wondering how those guys in the striped shirts could (I'm guessing) do so well at the written portion of the exam and fail so often to manage the game that's taking place a few feet in front of their eyes.

Good luck on your exam.....I thought I was the only one who worried about it.

[Jurassic Referee]

http://www.officialforum.com/showthr...8&pagenumber=1

No need to worry about passing those bothersome NFHS exams just because you need to for your state certification, or to get to the next level, or to gain marks for playoff assignments, or even if you want to find out if you actually know a little about the rules. Simply click on the link above and have the exam e-mailed to you- well before you have to write it. Answers are available too.

-Brought to you as a public service.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Nov 10th, 2005 at 03:33 PM]

[blindzebra]

The problem is that there are always around 5-10 questions that are poorly written, a trick question, and at times word for word from the rule book, but the answer sheet is incorrect.

I'd much rather take a test that tested what I know instead of how well I take tests.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee
http://www.officialforum.com/showthr...8&pagenumber=1

No need to worry about passing those bothersome NFHS exams just because you need to for your state certification, or to get to the next level, or to gain marks for playoff assignments, or even if you want to find out if you actually know a little about the rules. Simply click on the link above and have the exam e-mailed to you- well before you have to write it. Answers are available too.

-Brought to you as a public service.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Nov 10th, 2005 at 03:33 PM]

Answers too? Are you providing those, JR?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Whistles & Stripes

Answers too? Are you providing those, JR?

Well, I've had the NFHS Pt. 1 exam and answers since mid-September. However, I'd never dream of sending either out on the internet before other groups had written that exam. That's just me though. Obviously, other people would send the exam and answers out. And, also obviously, other people are.

Silly me....and all the silly universities too that think that there might be something...well...just a tad unethical about disseminating exams before they are written. But hey, who cares about old-fashioned concepts like an Honor Code anyway.

You and your buds just keep doing what you do best, W&S.

[Oklahoma official]

In Oklahoma, it is open book. Most of the time, we all get together and do it, usually making around a 98.

[rainmaker]

We use Part 1 for study, and then take Part 2 as the actual exam. I almost always beat 90, but I"ve never gotten 100. doesn't matter much, since we only need a 70 to pass, and if we don't get that, we can re-take it.

[Stripes33]

In our association we take the test individually but go over anything we think is questionable as a group before mailing them out. Also, one thing I've noticed taking the test is that some officials tend to really over analyze the questions instead of going with there first instinct. Just my opinion!

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by jmkbball
The test was interesting but I think it might be difficult to achieve a fair degree of success on it without an open book or years of experience in the minutia of the rules.

My rookie year, I made 100. Kinda throws your theory out the window.

I don't think I've ever made lower than 95. stewcall, you fretting over nothing. You could probably take the test in May as s urprise and make better than 90. Stop fretting.

[stewcall]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

My rookie year, I made 100. Kinda throws your theory out the window.

I don't think I've ever made lower than 95. stewcall, you fretting over nothing. You could probably take the test in May as s urprise and make better than 90. Stop fretting.

thanks---
ok 15 hours this week--- I'll stop
Frankly- it's always a tricky test-- change a word---- then it is false----- Last year seemed the first year they actually had court Mechanics on the test--- where the L is etc.
ok
No more REAL worries
Stew in VA
CVBOA