78 replies to this topic

[Dleg]

Congratulations joenv!

[dwhydro]

Hello Env-PE group,

I am Dale and work at a state EPA (Ohio) doing water quality analysis. My work centers on TMDLs, models, and WQ standards. I completed a MS in env engr from Ohio State in Jun'09 (no BS in engr) in my mid-career. I completed BS/MS/PhD in physical geog from Penn State in the 80's - but always wanted to be an engineer!

Passed my FE in Apr'10 and plan to take the PE in Apr'11. Glad you have this forum - I appreciate the knowledge shared. I hope I can help the cause, too.

Dale White
Columbus OH

[Dleg]

Hi Dale, welcome to the enviro forum! Good luck with studying for the PE exam, and congrats on finally becoming a real engineer. LOL.

I do some of the same things you do, but in a much smaller place that allows me to do a lot more, but at the same time know it all in a lot less detail. I just recently finished writing our "state" 305b & 303d integrated water quality assessment report, and am scheduled to run our WQ standards through the triennial review process later this year. Ugh. On top of a dozen other unrelated things.

[frankingfang]

I am a master student working on groundwater modeling. I am preparing the FE exams now~

[engineergurl]

It just dawned on me that I have never posted here.... oh wait, that's cause I started in Civil and my forestry background got pullled back into things when we moved. Well, I just found out that I got an engineer that will back my last nearly 3 years of experience.... which means that I can actually qualify for my my EIT... any way, I guess I am still a new enviro member just cause it's not traffic.... but.... I make engineers cringe

[WaterPE]

Hi All, I am a PhD in Environmental Sciences and Engineering and a Bcahelors in Civil Engineering both from abroad. I have been working in the US since 2007 and I am finally thinking to get this awesome credentail. I looked at the material covered in the FE and PE exams and it does not seem very frightening but still I want to cover all my bases and would appreciate any recommendations for prep stuff.
I am planning to take my F.E in Environmental Engineering from GA in April and will hopefully take the PE in October (if I pass the FE in April of course ). I am looking for any used Books/DVDs/Study Materials that you may have for both PE as well as FE exams in Environmental Engineering. Again I will also appreciate any recommendations.

Thank you and waiting to hear from you.

[WaterPE]

I also wanted to know the difference between the NCEES FE Environmental Sample Questions and Solutions Book and their online practice exam. Do they have the same questions or they are different?

Thanks

[ENVEguy]

Hello, new to the forum looking for advice on the Environmental PE. My undergrad was in computer engineering back in 2002, all but my thesis done for my masters in Environmental Engineering now and kind of looking forward to taking the PE in October (IL). As a computer engineer grad I never took the FE after graduation (mistake) and had to take it last October and thankfully passed it. Been in the environmental world for awhile now and hoping that the Environmental PE will go the same as my FE did.

Are the DVD's that are mentioned around the forums really worth it? They are a bigger expence and well if they help they would be well worth it but looking for other's opinions.

[VTEnviro]

Welcome to the board, as for the DVDs, I don't have any experience with them. I just shoved my nose in a book for 4 months and did it the old fashioned way.

Which series are you looking into? There are mixed reviews on some of the DVDs/review courses out there.

[Dleg]

The DVD's were not available when I took the exam in 2006 (or maybe they had just become available). I also had no trouble passing just with books.

[Massalia13]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and I've just started studying for the Environmental PE Exam October 2011 Session.

Good luck to you all!!

[FLBuff PE]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and I've just started studying for the Environmental PE Exam October 2011 Session.

Good luck to you all!!

Welcome! Make sure to check out some of the 'stickied' threads for ideas on references and where to get started. Good luck!

[VTEnviro]

Be sure to study based on the revised exam spec that came into play in April 2011.

Good luck and welcome aboard.

Grab a beer, don't cost nuthin...

[depolarization]

Hi guys,

BS Interdisciplinary Studies: Biology, Geography, Philosophy (from UMBC)

MS Environmental Engineering & Science (from Johns Hopkins)

6-7 years of environmental science experience. Started out in Land-development & permitting for storm-water management, mostly as a GIS analyst/intern. Later got into the asbestos/lead/indoor-air quality business, with some sub-surface site-characterization & construction inspection/management in there. Now I mainly do site characterization and remediation (aquifer air-sparge, soil-vapor extraction, in-situ bio-enhancement etc...).

Passed my FE in April 2011.

I work in Alexandria VA and live in MD. I hope to qualify to sit for the NCEES P&P exam next year (I'm taking it easy). MD is pretty strict for us non-ABET undergraduate degree holders. I really hate the experience part of the application because of all of my jumping around companies in the enviro/health&safety-business has made it complicated.

Fortunately, my experience makes a lot of the hazardous waste, Heath and Safety, and sampling questions that a lot of colleagues here have trouble with, intuitive for me. Although I love solving "fluids" problems, it never seems to apply to what I do. The calcs for remediation designs are so loosy goosy, you kinda size and round up to the closest available skiff mounted modules, like a S, M, L, & XL. And maybe you tweak the PLC and valves to push and suck air into the ground at a psi of 3-9. Would love to get deeper into this, but would also like to get into water/wastewater treatment as well.

Look forward to contributing.

Edited by depolarization, 08 July 2011 - 08:01 PM.

[nsarkany]

Hey folks,

B.S. and M.S. in Civil/Environmental Engineering here. Was in an NSF fellowship PhD program, but decided it just wasn't for me. Currently looking for employment in environmental or water resources and beginning my preparation for the PE. Looking to be ready by this October. GL everyone!

[CU07]

Hey! First off, thanks to everyone who posts their impressions of the exam, how they studied, and what references they bring. It's very much appreciated.

I just submitted my application to NY for the April 2012 exam. Fingers crossed it's accepted, because I know a lot of coworkers who were denied on their first try.

Good luck to everyone taking the exam on Friday. Oh, and if any of you pass and have reference materials you want to sell, let me know!

[VTEnviro]

^If NY fails, try Vermont. I took the exam in Vermont in 2006 (lived there at the time), and a number of people there were from NY.

[VT-Matt]

Hi everyone! B.S. in Civil Engineering w/ a military background in Environmental Science and Engineering. After a little over 4 years in the Army seperated and found a job in the EH&S field. Just completed my CSP and finally got the motivation to apply for and be approved for the April PE. Hopefully will lead to an employement change.

Was wondering if anyone out there has used the University of Delaware distance learning course. thanks

Edited by VT-Matt, 21 November 2011 - 05:53 PM.

[okeng]

I didn't take the University of Delaware distance learning course but I did watch their videos and accompanying lecture notes. I thought it was an excellent refresher and the showed many helpful tips and tricks I used during the PE exam. I have been out of school for 10 years and was worried about getting up to speed but the videos really helped cement some key concepts that I was fuzzy with. If you use them, be sure to complete all the assignments they provide. I also used the PPI materials and did every problem I could find. Ive read on this board that you should get 300-400 hours of study in before the exam if you want to feel comfortable. After taking the exam the first time this October, I think that is about right!

[VT-Matt]

I appreciate the advice. Just received the course notes yesterday w/ all the DVDs. The course looks very thorough.

[GatorDawg]

Hi everybody. I'm a B.S. Biological Engineering/Environmental Emphasis. I graduated from in Dec 04. I recently just passed my FE Exam ( Oct 2011). I worked for three years in the HAZ waste field before joining the State Environmental agency where I currently write Env Permits ( NPDES, Title V., Synthetic Minors, Pretreatments, and Stormwaters). I will be sitting for my PE in October 2012. Anybody have any pointers for me.

[okeng]

I have a similar background and passed the FE and PE the first time back to back. Check the pinned advice thread for some great tips. I selected the books I wanted to take to the exam by comparing the comments and finding the most frequently recommended books to cover the range of sections on the exam. Then I read the EERM cover to cover, watched the University of Vermont and NC videos and worked hundreds of problems. As I worked problems and found I needed an additional reference to clarify, I purchased it. The PPI and NCEES material worked great but there still may be more material on the exam. Use the NCEES recommendations as a guide for information you should be familiar with. Study religiously and you will make it. Engineer Boards is a fantastic resource for information and questions as you progress.

I like the UV and NC videos and course notes so much, I am going to sell the videos but I will make a copy of the course notes for future reference as I found them very useful. Though expensive new, I was able to purchase them both used for a slightly reduce cost and I'm glad because they compliment each other well. Passing the first time is worth a little extra cost for me...

Best of Luck!

[David315]

Hi from Northern NY.

I've been putting off writing my application for a long time, but this week I finally forced myself to sit down and get it done. In fact, I literally just finished stuffing it into envelopes and it will go in the mail tomorrow. What a relief!

Anyway, I've poked around here a tiny bit, and I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all the great info. I'm not sure If I'll take the exam in October or next April, but I'm going to start reading more and getting my references ready.

Thanks again!

[Dleg]

Good luck! Completing the application, and the psychological commitment that represents, is probably the biggest step in the process.

[Env_eng_grrl]

Hi, I'm looking to take the PE exam this October. My goal is to pass the first time.

I have a B.S. in Environmental Engineer (MTU) and am working on a M.S. (WSU). I have been out of school for 4 years. I work as a consultant and luckily, get to work on a wide range of environmental projects including remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater, hazardous waste management and RCRA inspections, geotechnical drilling and design, building assessments for asbestos, lead, mold, and PCBs, construction contractor health and safety oversight, computer programming and data management, and a little air emissions permitting and tracking.

[VTEnviro]

Welcome!!

[beachbrew]

Greetings to All!

Shooting for taking the Environmental PE in the Fall of 2013. Currently overseas with DOD and look to test in Korea. Will probably register with Oregon as others here have done the same and it has worked out as a Special Accomodations testing site. Not sure what other States I could also register with instead of OR if another State is "better" to get a PE within. No set Home State so no preference. Been out of school for more than 20 years (BS ME and ME EnvE), passed the EIT way back then. Have not taken the PE yet, many reason why not....need to check that block now though. Been searching the EB and it loks to be very informative. Scratching my head if I should go through an online course or not; like the ability to have help focus since its been so long from school. Been working the Env field for almost 20 years in many areas so have a good foundation. Any guidance is much appreciated. Good luck to everyone and Happy New Year, Hopefulyl this wil be Year of the PE!

[Dleg]

Welcome! You should do fine. I also have a BS ME and I took the PE Env. exam about 16 years out of college, but I didn't have a masters degree so you should be able to do quite well. I was able to study and pass on my own just using the reference manuals and practice problems to guide my study, along with the appropriate text books. But hey, anything that helps - if test prep courses on DVD or on-line had been available at the time I took the exam, I probably would have gone for it.

Good luck!

[Dleg]

Also, if taking the exam in Korea doesn't work out for you, you could consider Guam. I took the exam there (proxied for another state), and I met two DoD engineers from Korea who were also there to take the exam, proxied for Oregon, I think. I had not heard that you could take the exam in Korea - that might be a new thing.