For the last few years I have been a Licenced Final Assessor for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). I sit as part of a panel of three and we are the final hurdle for students to ‘gaining their letters’.

My papers for the Autumn group have arrived in the last week – we get to assess four candidates – in one day. Each assessment lasts one hour – including a ten minute formal presentation by the candidate. They are then tested on their chosen competencies. My ‘specialities’ include landlord & tenant, valuation and management – although I have also examined on Rating and agency.

My involvement does two things – it forces me to keep up to date – I need to be able to test students on current issues and practices. But we also employ a number of graduate surveyors in the firm – it helps me to help them understand and de-mystify the process.

Candidates either ‘pass’ or are ‘referred’ – ‘fail’ is politically incorrect. The bar is reasonably high – we do expect candidates to know their chosen subject. The pass rate is around 65%.

Generally speaking the standard is good, but sometimes we come across candidates who simply don’t make the mark. In some ways it is not their fault as they have been signed off by two qualified surveyors and you cannot help but wonder sometimes what they were thinking…

I do feel for some of the students, there is a tremendous pressure on them. We try to calm nerves, but so often I think it is the nerves that actually let them down.

Other times it’s the things they say – like “let me take a wild guess” – one of my favourites! I was thinking, “Oh please don’t”. He did. And got it wrong. Refer.

I didn’t enjoy my interview – which was in the dark ages of 1989. I can still recall the whole nightmare!

We are often accused in society of dumbing down exams. In fact I think the test is harder today than when I sat. I think today’s students have more to learn and absorb. But the real difference is that they can’t just learn it – they must be able to apply their knowledge – and this is where the vast majority fall down.