u/Wild-Can-2760

I’m taking the California surveying exam and I’m currently using CPESR to prepare.

For those who have taken the actual exam, how similar did you find CPESR to the real exam? Is CPESR enough on its own, or would you recommend using another resource as well?

Also, for those who didn’t pass on their first attempt, what was the main reason? Was it mostly time management, or were the questions themselves significantly more challenging/different from the practice exams?

I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from anyone who recently took the exam. Thank you!

I failed the California Seismic exam, and honestly I’m pretty worried. 😭

I only have one more quarter/attempt before the exam changes in 2027, so if I fail the next attempt, I’ll have to deal with the new exam/code changes.

I used AEI for my preparation.

• Do I reuse AEI and focus mainly on practice?
• Do you recommend buying Jacob Petro or Hiner/SDR for additional practice?
• Is AEI enough if I go through it again, but this time focus much more on speed and weak areas?
• What would you do if you were in my position with only one attempt left before the 2027 changes?

I’d really appreciate any advice

Thank you! 🙏

how similar is the actual test to CPERS 3 practice exams? any advice before the exam please! thanks

Do people usually pay for the insurance? I went with sky road rental the standard car was $100+tax which was good /day .. but unfortunately ended up paying over $200 with the insurance package!! From the reviews people say if any dent to the car they will make me pay the deductible so I was worried and used their insurance package the one with $0 deductible so that added up to the price!
This won’t be affordable for me renting the whole week with them!
Any ideas? What do people usually do with the car rentals? Specially the insurance :(

I got approved for asylum and received my new I-94; that was over 6 months ago, though when I check online (USCIS Website) looking up my I-94 it is still showing my old I-94 not the newer approved one?
I'm worried if this might cause a problem?

Hi everyone! I just got out of the California Seismic exam today (July 18), and now the waiting begins.
For those who took it today or even recently how did you feel walking out of the exam? About how many questions did you flag, and did you end up passing or not?
I’m curious to hear others’ experiences while waiting for the results. The wait feels so long! Good luck to everyone who tested today!

is it okay for approved asylees to fly domestically? I heard about detentions happening in airports, for pending asylums though!
what paper work should I carry with me? other than my real ID

what helped you the most for the exam ,, the practice exams (which one of the 3 exams is the most similar to the actual exam) ??? OR the practice questions after each chapter were more helpful?

Hi everyone!

I've been doing a lot of research and reading through this subreddit, but I'd love some feedback from those who know Oahu well.

We're a family of 4 visiting in a couple of weeks and staying in Waikiki for 4 full days. Our goal is a relaxing trip with beautiful beaches, scenic drives, and seeing as much of the island as we reasonably can without feeling rushed.

Here's what I'm thinking so far:

• 1–2 days exploring Waikiki, Diamond Head, and nearby beaches.
• 1–2 days with a rental car to drive around the island (North Shore, Kailua, viewpoints, etc.).

I'd appreciate any recommendations on:

• Is one day with a rental car enough, or is two days worth it?
• Best place to rent a car for a good price?
• Favorite local restaurants or food trucks that won't break the budget?
• Best grocery stores near Waikiki for breakfast, snacks, and beach lunches?
• Any family-friendly spots that are often overlooked but worth visiting?
• Anything on my list that you'd skip or replace?

Just looking to make the most of our time while keeping the trip relaxing and budget-friendly.

Thanks!

I booked a vacation package to Hawaii (ONT → HNL) through Expedia, and I'm a little confused.

On Expedia, my itinerary says "carry-on not allowed," but when I look at Southwest's website, it says carry-on bags are free, even for the Basic fare. Has anyone else run into this? Which one is actually correct?

Also, this will be my first time flying Southwest, so I'd appreciate any advice.

• How reliable is Southwest for flights from Ontario (ONT) to Honolulu (HNL) in late July?
• Do they tend to have a lot of delays or cancellations on this route?
• Is there anything I should know before flying with Southwest?
• How is the overall service and experience compared to other airlines?

I know booking through Expedia means changes can be more complicated, but it was part of a package deal and ended up being much cheaper than booking everything separately.

Thanks in advance for any tips or experiences!

I've scheduled my seismic exam in 10 days! using AEI .. what do u advice me? TIA

I’m really struggling with AEI exams, they are so time consuming to me and hard!
How are they compared to actual exam?
Also do I get SDR? Which book is more important for wrapping up for the exam? The workbook or the exams? Or just get the bundle?
Running out of time!!

For those who passed the California Seismic exam using AEI..
I just took my first AEI practice exam and scored 47%. I am planning to take my actual exam in 3 weeks.

How does the actual exam compare to AEI in terms of difficulty? Were your AEI scores similar to your actual exam performance?

Based on a 47% first practice exam score with 3 weeks remaining, would you keep the exam date or postpone it?

Also, what would you focus on during the final 3 weeks to be as prepared as possible for the exam?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

did you guys get questions in AEI chapter 9 - Wood Structures?
this is my weakest subject so I'm worried I get many questions? also if u got questions on it what it was asking?

is this a possible exam question? I am really confused .. can someone please explain it to me?
Thanks

https://preview.redd.it/jj7j620to41h1.png?width=745&format=png&auto=webp&s=1f876840785e9e732c0e5c09b798bc8ecbc7f060

https://preview.redd.it/4byzju4uo41h1.png?width=703&format=png&auto=webp&s=a1192cf8020495d932893bd502daa2edf4d33a14

https://preview.redd.it/c39enxvuo41h1.png?width=735&format=png&auto=webp&s=d7f30945defef57b35eaefecc16d21c990605cd3

Do I need the videos? Or the fundamentals workbook and practice exams bundle would be enough?
Thinking I have no time to watch the videos and already watched “older” materials videos from AEI too..
Or I will need the videos to get back to how he answered the questions?
Help me decide! Also how long it took you to finish everything and be ready for the exam?

Hey guys,

My son really wants a tortoise and honestly… I’ve never raised anything before lol so I have NO idea what I’m getting into.

We live in Southern California, so I’m wondering:

• What type of tortoise is best for beginners?
• What should I expect overall (difficulty level, daily care, etc)?
• Price range to get one + setup?
• What’s the must-have starter setup (habitat, lighting, food, etc)?
• Indoor vs outdoor in SoCal weather?
• How big do they actually get over time?

Also — what happens if we travel for like 3–4 days?
Can I leave it with enough food/water or do I need someone to watch it?

I’ve seen a lot about sulcata / Russian tortoises but I’m not sure if that’s a good idea for a beginner or not.

Would really appreciate honest advice (pros/cons too)… don’t want to get one and regret it or not take proper care of it.

Thanks!! 🐢

I already went through the old AEI seismic videos/materials (at 1.5–2x speed) just to get a basic idea since I had zero seismic background. Now I’m getting ready to take the exam soon and planning to buy the updated AEI materials.

Do I really need to buy the on-demand course and rewatch all the videos? Codes have changed and honestly I didn’t focus much on the example problems the first time.

Or is it enough to just focus on the new workbook + practice exams?

How helpful did you actually find the videos? Did you go through all the example explanations or mostly self-study?

Thanks!!