Thread: ISA Certification Exam

What did you peoples think of the exam? Was it too hard or easy? Did you think the Study Guide was adequate preparation for the test? What would you change in the program if you had the choice?

Nickrosis

P.S. It's no coincidence I'm posting this the evening of the Wisconsin certification test...

The test seemed pretty easy to me, but hard enough to to eliminate the total slackers. Quite a bit harder than the pesticide applicator test.
The ID part kinda had me freaked out, just identifying trees from sticks laying on the table, no leaves, but then it was multiple guess, so it turned out to be easy. You will have no problem passing.

I'm lousy at studying. What saved my butt on this was the 4 hour review the day before the test. When I took it, I was working for a local municpality and they paid for the whole shootin' match, including the review class the day before the test.

You just had sticks with no leaves on the ID part? We had leaves, but then everything here in FL typically has leaves most of the year.

I agree with Mike, 'cept I never took a pesticide app. test. It's hard enough to weed out the worst of the morons. About 85% or so of the questions are directly out of the study guide. The rest is stuff ya gotta know If you have been in the industry a while.

Wasn't too bad , except the id part for me too, we didn't have samples that I remember though just slides? I thought it was just right for what it was, not like we're supposed to be experts but lots of info we should know. The pesticide test was a joke here in Va too, makes you wonder

I heard that the WDNR Applicator test has improved some. When i took it a few years ago I found I could just back studdy from the practice test and got like a 97% on it.

The WI chapter ISA CA exam ID section has improved. Now they have Ricker (SP?) mounts so you have leaf, bark, but... to look at. Like mke said it used top be soly winter twig.

With your background you should have no problem with it.

I took it yesterday. Now, if I passed, I'll say it was easy! If I failed, I'll say it was too hard! Comparing the test to the study guide, the hardest of the sample test questions showed up, and the questions got progessively more difficult. I was a little upset because the test had not been proofread well - words were missing from a couple questions and so on. Yes, they had Riker mounts (correct speeling) which I found easy because that's how I learn them in school. They showed twig, leaf top and underside, bark, flowers, and fruit. Scientific and common names were provided.

Conceptual questions seemed to be lacking throughout the test - most of them were technical, pointing to very specific situations, and very few about climbing. In general, I would have liked better-written questions. Compared to our pesticide test, it was much more difficult, but it should be. Enough people fail the pesticide test that I think its difficulty is appropriate.

For the CA test, 1 in 3 pass the first time according to Paul Markworth, WAA Certification Liaison, and his 1/02 business report. The renewal rate is 75%, and 13,434 CAs last October. I hope I passed...I'll let you know. If I did, I could get 75 CEU's for next semester, and the 11 semesters after that... We're really trying to promote getting certified while you're in school - before you get a degree, even. This weekend is devoted to publishing a Shigo section of the website.

What about ArborLearn?