PE Electrical - how to prepare

I had originally planned to start studying at the beginning of June, but was slightly delayed. I am now looking to acquire study material for the Electrical PE exam with focus in Electronics, Controls, Communications. I saw an old thread in the Yard Sale forum that listed the following:

1. Electrical Engineering Reference Manual, 7th Ed., John Camara ($161.28 @ Amazon)

2. Practice Problems for Electrical and Computer Engineering PE Exam, 7th Ed., John Camara ($56.70)

3. Electrical and Computer PE Sample Examination, John Camara, ($50.40)

4. Quick Reference for the Electrical and Computer Engineering PE Exam, John Camara, ($49.60)

5. Six-Minute Solutions for Electrical and Computer PE Exam Problems, John Camara, ($50.18)

6. PE Sample Questions and Solutions: Electrical and Computer Engineering (Book & CD-ROM) (Paperback) ISBN: 1-932613-11-0 & 978-1-932613-11-7 by Ncees (Author) ($76.95)

7. Electrical & Computer Engineering Sample Exam, Edward D. Graham

8. PE Readiness: Electrical Engineering, Vol. I, Course Manual, The MGI Management Institute,

9. PE Readiness: Electrical Engineering, Vol. II, Theory and Problems

Manual, The MGI Management Institute

10. PE Readiness: Electrical Engineering, Vol. III, Solutions Manual, The MGI Management Institute

I can't go drop $500 on books right now. What are the "must-haves" for passing the EE PE???

Thanks.

The following is simply my opinion and what worked for me:

The Camara books (Items 1 &2) are really good for the morning session. The practice problems are NOT formatted like the real exam but they were useful for practice. They also serve to get you familiar with where everything is in the EERM.

The Camara sample exam (Item 3) is in the same category as the sample problems. The questions don't have the same "feel" as the exam problems but they are good for practice.

The sample problems and solutions produced by NCEES (Item 6) is by far the closest thing you will find to the actual test. For me, at least, they gave me an idea of how the questions would be asked.

I took the power depth module so the rest of my references would have minimal value for you.

Hope this helps.

Jim

Of the books you have listed I had used the first six. From experience the NCESS sample problems are very close to what you will see in the exam and the six minute solutions has some interesting problems. You might also consider to try the latest online questions at NCESS.org. Since you are doing the electronics, communication & control option I would consider a detail text for each area that pretty much covers an in depth course in all the three areas. I would also add a couple of the Schuam series to this list such as Electric Power Systems, Control Systems, Electric Machines, electric circuits. Analog & Digital Communications & Electronics. Try to do as many problems as possible. You will also need your NEC 2005 electric codes or the NEC Handbook.

Remember the Electrical Engineering Reference manual is just that, dont feel that it will touch all the topics you need in all the areas of your option so that is why you have to go extra & increase your references in your chosen afternoon preference. It is pretty much a morning section exam book to an extent, so be prepared for the afternoon.

Remember dont stop working problems the closer you can find them to NCEES ones the better for you.

Good luck !!

Ordered #1 and #6 today.

Trying to justify the $$$ for #2-#4.

Will likely pass on #7-#10. Darn gas prices...

I am wondering if I start July 1 (or whenever the books arrive if sooner) and put in at least an hour a day, how much material I'll be able to cover before Oct 24th.

I don't think I still have my college textbooks for the afternoon section, but will come up with something. Bleh, I'm nervous already.

OSPE said:

I had originally planned to start studying at the beginning of June, but was slightly delayed. I am now looking to acquire study material for the Electrical PE exam with focus in Electronics, Controls, Communications. I saw an old thread in the Yard Sale forum that listed the following:
1. Electrical Engineering Reference Manual, 7th Ed., John Camara ($161.28 @ Amazon)

2. Practice Problems for Electrical and Computer Engineering PE Exam, 7th Ed., John Camara ($56.70)

3. Electrical and Computer PE Sample Examination, John Camara, ($50.40)

4. Quick Reference for the Electrical and Computer Engineering PE Exam, John Camara, ($49.60)

5. Six-Minute Solutions for Electrical and Computer PE Exam Problems, John Camara, ($50.18)

6. PE Sample Questions and Solutions: Electrical and Computer Engineering (Book & CD-ROM) (Paperback) ISBN: 1-932613-11-0 & 978-1-932613-11-7 by Ncees (Author) ($76.95)

7. Electrical & Computer Engineering Sample Exam, Edward D. Graham

8. PE Readiness: Electrical Engineering, Vol. I, Course Manual, The MGI Management Institute,

9. PE Readiness: Electrical Engineering, Vol. II, Theory and Problems

Manual, The MGI Management Institute

10. PE Readiness: Electrical Engineering, Vol. III, Solutions Manual, The MGI Management Institute

I can't go drop $500 on books right now. What are the "must-haves" for passing the EE PE???

Thanks.

Click to expand...

:multiplespotting: I Have the top six items which I will sell for half the price, plus shipping. I also have many other books; some are for the power module. I passed the PE in April 08 after taking it the first time. I have been out of school for 17 years and I have an EET degree and I'm not that smart. So if I can do it with these books anyone can.

The only 2 books that I had from your list were #1 and #6. I also had the Kaplan books, which I don't recommend, and a few Shaum's Outlines, which I also didn't use much. I think the 6 Minute Solutions or Camera sample problems would be better study aides than Kaplan or Schaum's.

For a free morning-only sample exam, I strongly suggest you download Dr. Kaiser's exam. You need to email him for the solutions, but that is the only compensation he requests for his exam (name, location, and a note when you pass).

October gives you 3.5 months. If you use your time well, it is doable. I studied 2.5 months and passed some 15 years after graduation. But the "principles" are only half the battle. If you have good work experience, it will make the "practices" part that much easier.

See the Electrical section for tips on the ECC.

OSPE said:

I had originally planned to start studying at the beginning of June, but was slightly delayed.

Click to expand...

Something that really worked well for me was to create a rigid schedule for working practice exam problems. My particular schedule is included below as an example. I basically followed the 12 week study schedule recommended in the EERM (but cut the duration down to 6 weeks) and then jumped into the below review problem schedule.

Feb 11-17 NCEES Morning 101-140

Feb 18-24 NCEES Power PM 501-540

Feb 25-Mar 2 Kaiser Sample AM 101-140

Mar 3-9 EERM Practice Exam Morning & Afternoon:

Mar 3 - 101 thru 115

Mar 4 - 116 thru 130

Mar 5 - 131 thru 140

Mar 6 - 501 thru 510

Mar 7 - 511 thru 520

Mar 8 - 521 thru 530

Mar 9 - 531 thru 540

Mar 10-16 Six Minute Solutions Topics 1-5

Mar 17-23 Six Minute Solutions Topics 6-10

Mar 24-30 Schaum's outlines review

Mar 31-Apr6 Re-do NCEES Morning & Afternoon (101-540)

Apr 7-10 Miscellaneous Review / Tab References

When working the NCEES sample exam the first time I just took my time to understand the problems and mark my references. However, when re-working this exam later in the cycle I always used a stop watch to insure I wasn't spending too much time on any one question. In fact, I ended up working it in 4, two hour blocks of 20 questions each to simulate test conditions in small doses.

You have time. Just keep track of it and use it wisely. Keeping a hard schedule and trying to stay ahead of it really worked for me.

Good luck. You will find a lot of help on this board.

I passed PE Electrical (POWER PM) using following reference books.

Reference Books :

1) National Electrical Code Handbook 2005

Mark W. Earley (Editor), John M. Caloggero (Editor), Joseph

V. Sheehan (Editor), Jeffrey S. Sargent (Editor),

Manufactured by Nfpa

2) American Electricians' Handbook

Terrell Croft, Wilford I. Summers, Wilford Summers

3) Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers

Donald G. Fink, H. Wayne Beaty, H. Wayne Beaty

4) Electrical Machines, Drives and Power Systems

Theodore Wildi

5) Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering

Leonard S. Bobrow

6) Power System Analysis

John Grainger, William Stevenson, Jr. Stevenson

7) Schaum's Outline of Basic Electrical Engineering

J. J. Cathey, Jimmy J. Cathey, Syed A. Nasar

8) Schaum's Outline of Electric Machines and

Electromechanics

9) Schaum's Outline of Electric Power Systems

Syed A. Nasar, S. A. Nasar

10) Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of Electric

Circuits (Schaum's Outline Series)

Mahmood Nahvi, Joseph Edminister, Joseph A. Edminister

"the other board" Publications books:

1) Six Minutes solutions

2) Sample exams

3) E E Reference Manual by Camara

4) Practice Problems and solutions.

5) NCEES Q and Answers.

6) Flash Cards.

Courses :

1) TestMasters

2) MGI

Approximate hours of study :

Courses : 120 hours

Self study : 250 hours.

Practice exams : at least four !!