Opinions Wanted CPF Exam

retzy1014

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Feb 6, 2012
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Charlotte, NC
After 17 years in the biz I finally have a sponsor to pay for the CPF test... took the practice test - so vague the questions, and verbiage! -what the hell is a "Monroe Corner"?? LOL

SO, Any advice on passing the test will be Very much appreciated! My boss is giving me 1 shot at it...
 
Remember, it's their football.......It's not how YOU do it, it is how THEY expect it to be done.

Read the study materials word for word and paragraph by paragraph. Everything that is on the test is in the reference materials listed. If you do not study, you will substantially diminish your chances of passing.

Read the questions carefully. What is it that they are looking for?

I would suggest that even if you do not agree with what is being asked (for example, YOU may not ever sell etched non-glare glass but ARE expected to know its properties and drawbacks (such as the number of mats you should limit yourself to when designing) - One can't say, "well I don't ever use non-glare so the question doesn't apply to me.")

Understand test taking strategy and time management. In my review class I suggest that when reading through, answer the questions you definitely know the answers to and put an "x" through the number (since there is a separate answer sheet- write in the question book). Once you reach the end, go back to the beginning and work through those you didn't immediately answer. You may find the answer you are looking for is in a different question elsewhere. Continue doing so and crossing off the questions answered until you have either answered all the questions or reduced the number of "incorrect" choices in the multiple choice to increase you odds of a "correct guess."
 
ROB, thanks for the great advice...
Did you pass your 1st time?
 
READ the material! Do not assume you know anything from experience. The test is on the reading material not what you do.

Rob's advice is good. You pass by getting correct answers and there is no penalty for wrong answers, so get as many of the right ones as you can first. Don't leave any blank at the end.

Bring a calculator.

I'm currently on the Certification Board and we revamped the exam this year. We tried to eliminate things that we truly ambiguous. That DOESN'T mean the answers are obvious. There is usually an answer that is almost correct, but there is always a "most correct" answer. In some cases the absolute best answer isn't there, but one of the available answers is the best of the available ones. It's ALL in the reading material. The biggest reason for failure is an assumption that the framer knows the material from experience. READ the material.

This is not an easy exam. We don't think it should be. READ the material.
 
Did you guys fix the mistake I pointed out on the study test? (I mentioned it in the PPFA forum a year or so ago.) it was the one concerning yield from a stick of moulding but the "correct" answer failed to take blade width loss into account. Picking the "real world" answer (as a true professional would) was considered wrong, which should never be the case!

Andrew
 
Did you guys fix the mistake I pointed out on the study test? (I mentioned it in the PPFA forum a year or so ago.) it was the one concerning yield from a stick of moulding but the "correct" answer failed to take blade width loss into account. Picking the "real world" answer (as a true professional would) was considered wrong, which should never be the case!

Andrew
I don't remember the specific question, but we went through every comment.
There was a "breach of security" (ie. someone made copies of the previous exam), so everything got a hard look and most questions were at least tweaked a little if not completely changed.
After Christmas I'll try to remember to look for any questions that might be effected by Kerf and check them out.

OH WAIT, I just realized you are talking about the sample questions. I don't remember looking at the sample questions. Again, I'll try to take a look after I get some sleep. Another week or so! ;)
 
-what the **** is a "Monroe Corner"?? LOL
It's a confluence of three streets in a tiny town in Kentucky named after a president .

Sheesh, I thought everyone knew that. :D

(Seriously, never heard of a Monroe corner.)
 
There's a really good reason why the CPF exam has a 40% failure rate for first-time candidates. That is, experienced framers think their years of back-room experience will pull them through. Nope. The CPF exam is all about preservation framing and details that most back-room experience would not teach.

The advice above is good. Study and learn everything that is specified in the Study Guide. If you short-cut the studying, then you will probably fail the exam. But if you study diligently, then you will probably pass.

Good luck!
 

Also the final, mathmatical question on the practice test - 25
What is the angle of the mitre when cutting a regular 8 sided polygon frame?
... of course 67.5 degrees (being the inner slice of the pie, if you will) makes more sense than the other options---
But each mitred cut to make an octoganal frame is 22.5 degrees.
Or am I just crazy...
 
What is the angle of the mitre when cutting a regular 8 sided polygon frame?

Your hint is contained in the wording of the question. What angle will you set your saw guide to before making the cuts.
 
ROB, thanks for the great advice...
Did you pass your 1st time?

Yes, but I was in the first group of framers to ever take the test. I sat next to Vivian Kistler and after the test was over, we had no idea if we passed or not. The test has changed a bit since those days and now we have electric light illuminating the rooms and also indoor plumbing. (actually one can use a calculator today which was prohibited when we were taking it).
 
Does the new test still make numerous references to Upson board? I've only ever come across Upson board once in my career, and that was a painting from an artist who pretty much painted on whatever was available at the time...
 
As I recall, the CPF exam never did make "numerous references" to Upson board. The only reason to mention it at all would be to bait wrong selections from the multiple-choice answers for preservation mounting questions.
 
I don't even remember a reference to Upson board as a bad answer? It may be in there, but not that I recall??
 
Yes, but I was in the first group of framers to ever take the test. I sat next to Vivian Kistler and after the test was over, we had no idea if we passed or not. The test has changed a bit since those days and now we have electric light illuminating the rooms and also indoor plumbing. (actually one can use a calculator today which was prohibited when we were taking it).

I was in that same room with Rob and Vivian...and actually about 125 others as I recall - July 1986 in San Francisco!

Rob's tips are spot on. As I have shared with most folks, those with a few years of Real framing experience, combined with a diet of attending seminar and READING the recommended material and you have increased the odds of passing the exam.

Good Luck!

John
 
I was in that same room with Rob and Vivian...and actually about 125 others as I recall - July 1986 in San Francisco!

Rob's tips are spot on. As I have shared with most folks, those with a few years of Real framing experience, combined with a diet of attending seminar and READING the recommended material and you have increased the odds of passing the exam.

Good Luck!

John

What is the percent of right answers needed to pass?
 
We're still making sure we're all on the same page, (I don't have access to our written guideline document yet. The definitive answer is in there.) but, the introduction to the CPF document says, "... a minimum score of 104 correct answers is required" – there are 150 questions, so that would be 69.333 (%).
 
My boss wants me to try for CPF at some point- I am assuming I need to purchase a set of study guides? or is the info available on the interweb? After 2 years at WCAF (hoping I get to go again next year- this year I can't :( ) and many classes, I have heard from some of those who would know, that even though the CPF exam doesn't mirror 'real life framing' it is incredibly useful. So, I am all over it. And the initials, well... OK call me egotistical but it would be nice if our shop could say we have a CPF on premises.
 
skye said:
...I am assuming I need to purchase a set of study guides?.

Find your local PPFA Chapter and see if they have the required reading in their Chapter Library. I know that many chapters established these in the past 20 years and this is an economical way to review the reading material. Combine that with your real life experiences in the frame shop and the seminars you've taken...and you should be in fine shape to pass the exam! ;)

John
 
My boss wants me to try for CPF at some point- I am assuming I need to purchase a set of study guides? or is the info available on the interweb? After 2 years at WCAF (hoping I get to go again next year- this year I can't :( ) and many classes, I have heard from some of those who would know, that even though the CPF exam doesn't mirror 'real life framing' it is incredibly useful. So, I am all over it. And the initials, well... OK call me egotistical but it would be nice if our shop could say we have a CPF on premises.

Your boss should pick up the books for the shop, they are a handy reference. I will be managing the PPFA booth at WCAF16, we will have all the books on hand and are running a package deal for the bundle. They will also be up on the new PPFA bookstore when it goes live, sometime after the show, no firm date. However we can always make it happen.
 
Your boss should pick up the books for the shop, they are a handy reference. I will be managing the PPFA booth at WCAF16, we will have all the books on hand and are running a package deal for the bundle. They will also be up on the new PPFA bookstore when it goes live, sometime after the show, no firm date. However we can always make it happen.

Randy,

I might in for a set. How many books and how much will they cost? Do you offer ship them out or I have to carry them with me?
 
Your boss should pick up the books for the shop, they are a handy reference. I will be managing the PPFA booth at WCAF16, we will have all the books on hand and are running a package deal for the bundle. They will also be up on the new PPFA bookstore when it goes live, sometime after the show, no firm date. However we can always make it happen.


Ahh fooey. Thought the boss was going to WCAF this year and he isn't, so I will have to find another avenue... keep me apprised about the line bookstore, pretty please!
 
The "CPF Package and study guide (free) are $188. PPFA members will get 20% off. Yes they can be shipped out, I do not know the cost of shipping yet. If you are interested PM me.

Study Materials
The PPFA® Certification Board strongly recommends that any framer planning to take the Certified Picture Framer® exam first readandstudythematerialslistedbelow.AllbookslistedarepresentlyinprintandavailablethroughPPFAandvariousindustry sources. This material has been compiled to help you prepare for the CPF® exam, but is not intended to be a complete bibliography of resource material. Although this material is beneficial in preparation for the CPF exam, the use of these references can in no way guarantee successful completion of theexam.

While the answers to exam questions can be found in the following materials, PPFA strongly recommends keeping your knowledge and skills current by attending workshops and seminars and by regularly reading technical articles in trade publications.


Current edition of the following study materials:
CPF Study guide –PPFA

1. The Complete Guide to Shadowboxes and Framing Objects James Miller, MCPF, GCF

2. Picture Framing, Volume 1 – Vivian Kistler, MCPF,GCF

3. Mat Cutting and Decoration, Volume 2 – Vivian Kistler, MCPF,GCF

4. PPFA Guidelines for Framing Works of Art on Paper –PPFA

5. PPFA Guidelines for Framing Works of Art on Canvas –PPFA

6. PPFA Guidelines for Framing Textiles and Needlework –PPFA

7. The Mounting and Laminating Handbook, Edition 3 – Chris Paschke, CPF, GCF
 
The "CPF Package and study guide (free) are $188. PPFA members will get 20% off. Yes they can be shipped out, I do not know the cost of shipping yet. If you are interested PM me.

Study Materials
The PPFA® Certification Board strongly recommends that any framer planning to take the Certified Picture Framer® exam first readandstudythematerialslistedbelow.AllbookslistedarepresentlyinprintandavailablethroughPPFAandvariousindustry sources. This material has been compiled to help you prepare for the CPF® exam, but is not intended to be a complete bibliography of resource material. Although this material is beneficial in preparation for the CPF exam, the use of these references can in no way guarantee successful completion of theexam.

While the answers to exam questions can be found in the following materials, PPFA strongly recommends keeping your knowledge and skills current by attending workshops and seminars and by regularly reading technical articles in trade publications.


Current edition of the following study materials:
CPF Study guide –PPFA

1. The Complete Guide to Shadowboxes and Framing Objects James Miller, MCPF, GCF

2. Picture Framing, Volume 1 – Vivian Kistler, MCPF,GCF

3. Mat Cutting and Decoration, Volume 2 – Vivian Kistler, MCPF,GCF

4. PPFA Guidelines for Framing Works of Art on Paper –PPFA

5. PPFA Guidelines for Framing Works of Art on Canvas –PPFA

6. PPFA Guidelines for Framing Textiles and Needlework –PPFA

7. The Mounting and Laminating Handbook, Edition 3 – Chris Paschke, CPF, GCF
I will be getting back to you fairly soon (I hope).
 
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