April 2007 PE: What you did right

[kevo_55]

I took and passed the PE Structural II this time around. (2nd attempt)

I studied maybe 1-2 hours every night. This isn't much by all means. What really helped me was thinking of possible problems and getting a flowchart in my head on what to do.

Also on the SE2 exam, KNOW YOUR DETAILING. You will be asked to design something in one question, and then draw a sketch of it in the next.

To be honest, I thought that the Structural I exam was harder though.

 

[Dark Knight]

I did not pass April 2007. I passed April 2006 but I think I can post here an advice without hijacking the thread.

I first tried April 2005 and failed....64. Very bad.

What did I do? Studied. Simple as it is. For April 2005 I did not study. I was arrogant and stupid. So for October 2005 I studied like my life depended on it. OK, too theatrical. I will keep it simple. I studied really hard.

Result? Failed again. No score given. A simple Exam Status: Failed

What did I do right? I did not give up and went for it again. Keeping this simple I did study smart this time.

Bottom line on this my friends. Do not give up and as much as it hurts failing...

DO NOT GIVE UP

 

[ApontePR]

I took a review course for the Electrical PE, basically forcing me to somewhat study for at least three hours a week, and that helped out a lot! I also didn't study the day before, and I think that was key because I wasn't too stressed during the exam. If I couldn't cram it all in before, then I probably wouldn't be able to do so in 48 hours.

Good Luck!

 

[JPGOLF]

Suggest that folks post their passing stories before memories get too cold

Here is what I did:

I procrastinated for 3 years to take my EIT after college, so finally I took it (April 2006) and passed it. For the April 2007 PE exam, I started studying on late January, using the same strategy I used for the EIT a year earlier: I reviewed the MERM (at least all the chapters worth reviewing) and worked all the examples as I was going along. I only studied weekends, 8 hours each day. At the beginning of April I realized I needed some more time so I used some unused vacation days and studied Fri-Sat-Sun 8 hrs a day, until the exam. Once I was done with the MERM, I used the NCEES Practice Exam Book and did all the morning problems and my chosen afternoon section only, without timing myself. After that I used the CD that came with the NCEES Sample PE Exam (that one was timed automatically so it gave you an idea). Book and CD took about 2 days to complete, and that was it!

The funny part is that I think taking the EIT 1 year earlier obviously helped at least with the time constrain factor of the exams, so in retrospect, procrastinating does pay off!!

JPGOLF

 

[NCcarguy]

I was picking C, but switched to B

Now I'll have someone to blame if I fail this time......I'm switching to B!!!! :thankyou:

 

[user 788]

The funny part is that I think taking the EIT 1 year earlier obviously helped at least with the time constrain factor of the exams, so in retrospect, procrastinating does pay off!!
JPGOLF

That's a good point. I took the EIT in April 2006 too and I think it somewhat helped me just getting into this whole studying thing.

I started studying for the PE in December, at first just an hour a day, a little more at the weekends. Then about 2 months before the exam I got into panic and went full speed. I studied in my lunch breaks, and about 2 or 3 hours at night. Sometimes I was too tired at night, then I would go to bed early and get up at 3 a.m. in the morning and study until I had to go to work. Man, that was hard. I probably studied 2 or 3 hours a day at the weekends.

I had tons of books, signed up with "the other board" Passing Zone (which I don't think helped that much), and ordered the review course by MGI. Then I took off work a few days before the exam, but only used the time to get all my notes and books together for exam day. Thinking back I was a real nerd. But it paid off. And I don't think I'll ever touch another study book again. I've had it.

 

[bridge_guy]

That's a good point. I took the EIT in April 2006 too and I think it somewhat helped me just getting into this whole studying thing. I started studying for the PE in December, at first just an hour a day, a little more at the weekends. Then about 2 months before the exam I got into panic and went full speed. I studied in my lunch breaks, and about 2 or 3 hours at night. Sometimes I was too tired at night, then I would go to bed early and get up at 3 a.m. in the morning and study until I had to go to work. Man, that was hard. I probably studied 2 or 3 hours a day at the weekends.

I had tons of books, signed up with "the other board" Passing Zone (which I don't think helped that much), and ordered the review course by MGI. Then I took off work a few days before the exam, but only used the time to get all my notes and books together for exam day. Thinking back I was a real nerd. But it paid off. And I don't think I'll ever touch another study book again. I've had it.

Tina: How did you find the review course by MGI? useful?

 

[user 788]

Tina: How did you find the review course by MGI? useful?

It was somewhat helpful, especially the mini-exams that are graded by an instructor and the fact you have someone to ask questions to. There are a few things that I didn't like.

First off, parts of the structural section were based on an older code.

Also they give you a money back guarantee if you pass all their exams with 80% but fail the actual PE exam. Now you have to remember that if you want to choose let's say structural in the PM exam, you still have to score 80% on all MGI tests. And they go into a lot of details for environmental that we structural guys don't need. So with MGI you prepare as if all afternoon subjects were the ones you choose unless you don't really care about the money back guarantee. That's just one thing to think about.

I was also disappointed with how the material is presented. They should have done a better job on that.

All in all I don't think studying the MGI course alone will help you pass the exam. The absolute best book for studying and during the exam is the CERM. That's my opinion.

 

[IlPadrino]

Also they give you a money back guarantee if you pass all their exams with 80% but fail the actual PE exam. Now you have to remember that if you want to choose let's say structural in the PM exam, you still have to score 80% on all MGI tests..

.

.

All in all I don't think studying the MGI course alone will help you pass the exam. The absolute best book for studying and during the exam is the CERM. That's my opinion.

So did you score at least an 80% on all the tests? That seems hard to do and then fail the exam... I bet it's easier to not get an 80% and pass the exam! Testmasters has a "pass or retake the course free" guarantee.

I almost (almost, but not quite!) felt like the Testmasters course alone would have been enough to pass the exam. There were probably five questions or so that came straight from the CERM and the appendices were certainly useful. But I did *not* study from the CERM.

 

[RVincent]

I passed the April 2007 ME exam, themo-fluids, first attempt.

These are the things that I did, listed in no particular order, that I think helped the most:

1) Visited this board frequently, and got really sound advice from others who had previously passed.

2) Worked every problem in the breadth portion of the NCEES sample problems book, the thermo-fluids afternoon section, and the Six-Minute Solutions, Thermo-fluids book. Any problems that I struggled with - and there were plenty - I worked and worked until I completely understood the solution. I went a little overboard in purchasing prep material, and wound up with stuff that I never used. Don't make the same mistake that I did!

3) Initially I tabbed my MERM just at each chapter, but then I tabbed it in greater detail as I studied more and identified specific sections or pages that had important info to reference. And I alternated colors to make it as easy as possible to find the section I needed. Remember speed is VERY important!

4) I started studying about 3 1/2 months before the exam, which was enough in advance that minor lapses in the study schedule were not a big problem.

5) Bought and got very familiar with the calculator that I planned to use for the exam. I used it the entire time that I studied.

6) Got a hotel room walking distance to the exam site. This a good way to make sure you arrive on time, and as relaxed as possible.

7) Had lunch waiting for me in the car.

8) Made sure my bladder was EMPTY before the test started.

9) Dressed comfortably and in layers, and brought a pillow to sit on. Do everything you can to make sure that you are as comfortable as possible.

Good luck to you future test takers!

-Randy

 

[maryannette]

and brought a pillow to sit on. Do everything you can to make sure that you are as comfortable as possible.

Pillow or cushion or folded towel to sit on is a good suggestion. I didn't have any and I felt short in my chair all day.

 

[bigray76]

Set your study area up at home like you would be working during the exam. Put your crates on the table/floor, limit the items on the table to what you'll be able to use during the test. I took over my dining room table and when I was taking practice exams or doing problems, it really helped me figure out how to best organize my crates and realize what I was going to need to use the most during the test.

-Ray

 

[tumbleweed]

This is what I did, I can't really recommend it but it all worked out ok in the end:

- December. Got transferred within the company to manage the engineering department in a different office. This required me to get a PE license. So I signed up.

- January. Started my new job with a 100 mile (one way) commute.

- January. Start looking for a house closer to work.

- January. Bet my boss I could lose more weight than him in 4 months.

- February. Found a fixer upper house to buy.

- February. Mother in law died.

- February. Crashed my car. Almost totaled, but not quite, took 2 months to fix.

- March. Moved into new house and started making it habitable for the wife and kids.

- Weekend before exam. Started studying.

- Day before exam. Took off from work so I could study some more.

- Day of exam and move in date for my wife and kids. After the exam I had to finish helping the movers unpack the truck.

- May. Won the bet with my boss by losing 45 pounds.

- August. Received notice that I passed.

The Six minute solution manual was what I primarily used to study.

In the end it was the most stressful time of my life, but it makes for a good story now and gave me some really good excuses if I had failed. On top of all of it no one in my company had failed the PE exam in 20 years a fact that all the PEs remind you of right before you take the exam... now I am one of those people for the 3 engineers taking it in October.

 

[Dark Knight]

This is what I did, I can't really recommend it but it all worked out ok in the end:
- December. Got transferred within the company to manage the engineering department in a different office. This required me to get a PE license. So I signed up.

- January. Started my new job with a 100 mile (one way) commute.

- January. Start looking for a house closer to work.

- January. Bet my boss I could lose more weight than him in 4 months.

- February. Found a fixer upper house to buy.

- February. Mother in law died.

- February. Crashed my car. Almost totaled, but not quite, took 2 months to fix.

- March. Moved into new house and started making it habitable for the wife and kids.

- Weekend before exam. Started studying.

- Day before exam. Took off from work so I could study some more.

- Day of exam and move in date for my wife and kids. After the exam I had to finish helping the movers unpack the truck.

- May. Won the bet with my boss by losing 45 pounds.

- August. Received notice that I passed.

The Six minute solution manual was what I primarily used to study.

In the end it was the most stressful time of my life, but it makes for a good story now and gave me some really good excuses if I had failed. On top of all of it no one in my company had failed the PE exam in 20 years a fact that all the PEs remind you of right before you take the exam... now I am one of those people for the 3 engineers taking it in October.

Remarkable but I would not advice anyone here to try that stunt.

 

[IlPadrino]

- December. Got transferred within the company to manage the engineering department in a different office. This required me to get a PE license. So I signed up.- Weekend before exam. Started studying.

- Day before exam. Took off from work so I could study some more.

- August. Received notice that I passed.

That's as efficient as one can get. I'll bet I spent more time preparing my application than you did from start to finish! How long did you spend "signing up"?

 

[tumbleweed]

That's as efficient as one can get. I'll bet I spent more time preparing my application than you did from start to finish! How long did you spend "signing up"?

I spent about a day filling out the forms and was able to get all my stamped recommendation letters back the next day, everyone was in my building already.

I had every intention of properly preparing for the exam, but too many other things started getting piled on and studying for the PE exam seemed to be the easiest thing to push off.