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FAQ'S ABOUT THE NC GENERAL CONTRACTORS LICENSE EXAM
Q: How current are your study materials?
A: Our study materials are updated frequently as a result of continuous feedback from students who have taken the exam. We are the only company authorized to use Ben Aldridge's teaching methods and study materials. We keep the materials current and present up-to-the minute information as we receive it. It has not been uncommon to receive a phone call during a seminar and get information from someone who has just walked out of the test center. We present the information that same day! Others claim this type of update and claim they have new and improved materials. This information takes years to produce and claims of newly written materials can often be full of mistakes and lack all the information you need to truly pass the exam the first time.
Q: What is your success rate?
A: While no one can guarantee a 100% success rate on the first taking of the exam, we have been very successful in increasing the success rate of our students by providing current information on the test. New focus areas on the test are constantly being added and we have found that our policy of providing up-to-date information to our students just before they take the exam to be very effective. One of our instructors will be glad to talk to you and answer your questions before you take the exam. Afterwards, you will only need to call to tell us YOU PASSED!!
Q: How do I sign up to take the exam?
A: First you must obtain an application from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. You can download the application package and instructions on their website: www.nclbgc.org. Click on the Forms icon, then click on the link for the Application/Instruction Booklet document. Be sure and follow the rules for printing and completing the application. Or you can send a check or money order for $15 along with a request for an application package to: NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, PO Box 17187, Raleigh NC 27619. Once the Board has approved your application, you will receive a letter of eligibility. Once you have received this letter with your ID number, you will need to pay for your exam and schedule your date and time with PSI Exams.
Q: Do I need to purchase all of the reference books listed by PSI for the exam?
A: While you do need to have the appropriate code books, it is not necessary to purchase the additional $600-$700 in reference books to prepare for the exam. Our study manuals contain all the pertinent information from the reference sources in a condensed format that is easy to read and retain for the exam.
Q: What reference books do I need and where can I get them?
A: Please call us at 704.393.1553 or toll-free 866.393.1553 and we will discuss the necessary books you will need depending on the classification you are seeking.
Q: Is the Building Exam easier than the Residential Exam?
A: No. Many of our competitors say the Building Exam is easier simply because they do not teach a Residential Seminar. The Building Exam does contain a large area (fifteen questions) on structural metals that is taken from two different reference sources not allowed into the exam. The information on metals is in an area that can only be memorized which causes difficulty for many people taking this exam. There is also a significant additional area on concrete that is not contained in the code book, therefore it must also be memorized. We can prepare you with equal success for EITHER classification.
Q: I need an additional qualifier for my company. Do I have to submit an application package to the Licensing Board?
A: No. You only need to submit a two-page Exam Request Form to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. You can contact the Licensing Board and they will send you the appropriate form.
Q: What about the "blueprint" portion of the exam and how do I prepare for it?
A: The plan-reading questions tend to be ambiguous, complicated and time-consuming with great potential for error. We show you how to deal with these questions quickly without spending valuable exam time. It is not necessary to take a blueprint reading course to prepare for this portion of the exam.
Q: I have extensive experience in the construction industry. Why should I attend a seminar to prepare for the exam?
A: The exam is based on the information contained in the listed reference sources and not everyday construction practices. We provide the information you need to know to pass the exam.
Q: Will I pass the exam if I have limited construction experience?
A: YES! We have prepared persons with all ranges of experience to successfully complete the exam the first time.
Q: How soon after the exam will I know my score?
A: Once you complete the exam, you will know immediately if you passed or failed. Your official score will arrive by US Mail from the Licensing Board several days after you take the exam.
Q: Am I licensed immediately upon passing the exam?
A: No. The exam results will be forwarded to the Licensing Board for approval and licensing can take 3-6 weeks depending when the exam is taken.
Q: What if I need a license in South Carolina or Tennessee?
A: North Carolina has an exam waiver agreement with both South Carolina and Tennessee. Once you get your license in North Carolina, you can contact the Licensing Board in those states for further instructions on application and reciprocity with your North Carolina exam results.
Q. Why should I choose Aldridge Consulting?
A.We have been in business since 1995, first as a sole proprietorship, then a corporation beginning January 1998. Ben Aldridge spent years building his clientele and perfecting his study manuals and test-taking strategies. We continue to provide this same kind of product for you, with new updates, and instructors who know what they are doing, treat clients with respect, dress professionally and allow questions during the course of the day in the areas of the exam you don't understand. Be wary of new companies making big claims of high percentile pass rates and licensing thousands of general contractors. BEN ALDRIDGE WAS THE ONLY SEMINAR PROVIDER WHO COULD LEGALLY AND TRUTHFULLY MAKE THIS CLAIM AND EVERYONE ELSE IS just a copycat in the marketing arena. It's easy to make a claim, but proving it is entirely different. Trust the name you know! We will get you through the exam and instructors WILL TALK TO YOU BEFORE AND AFTERWARDS if you have questions or concerns. That's part of our guarantee!
Q. What is the big deal about teaching out of an office rather than a hotel meeting room?
Actually, a hotel meeting room is much better for several reasons. It is convenient for out-of-town clients who get special sleeping room pricing, the amenities, such as coffee and soda service are provided (we won't tell you to go to the Starbucks on the corner if you want a cup of coffee), FREE WI-FI is available, the restrooms are better maintained and cleaner, and bringing your lunch is not a problem. You don't have to share facilities or nasty break rooms with other offices and their employees, listen to loud machinery or noises from other companies in the building and hotel meeting room facilities are better maintained than office spaces.
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