Didn't Pass! Help..!

[JefeAK]

I failed last October and signed up immediately, the day I found out, for the April Exam which I passed. MDM for both. Here is what I did differently:

1. Started studying that day (when I got my results) with the goal of hitting 300 hours total before the test. (I was mostlikely at 300 to 350 but I stopped counting in February)

2. I purchased several new practice problem books, and then worked through them all.
3. I read textbooks. 1.5 hours everyday (Taking the light rail) plus 2 to 3 hours of problems.

4. I tabbed as I went along.

5. I focused on 4 resources (MERM, Mechanical design book, materials book, and machinist handbook) so that I could navigate it with out much effort. I brought about 10 books in total, but only if the others had a table I thought I needed. During the test, I only opened books I focused on.

6. I made notes of what I needed to brush up on, tables I used and stuff I needed to go back to before the test and then went back to it the weeks leading up to the test.

7. I took a day off occasionally. 

Really, when I received my diagnostic I took an honest look at my study habits before the failed test and determined that I tried to get away with doing the bare minimum of effort. I spent so much time  studying the second time around that by the end I couldn't come up with something I needed to look at. It is safe to say I was burnt out. I think doing it again was the way to go. It can be done! Hope this helps!

My only mistake the second time might have been studying up to 2 days before the test hard, and then skimming over my materails the night before. I was burnt out going into the exam, wish i stopped studying a week before and just spent a week skimming over

 

[ThisTestisKillingMe]

I'm sorry you didn't pass! I passed this round, which was my third round of the Civil WRE. My experiences were strange, but I'll try to be helpful. I took the first round after taking School of PE and studying with a coworker A TON. While studying, I got engaged. I took the next round immediately (DUMB IDEA). My wedding was in August, 2-week honeymoon in September, and then I sat for round 2 in October 2018. After not passing a second time, my father passed away and I decided "Eh, why not, let's do Round 3". 

THE BIG differentiation for me between rounds 1, 2 and 3 were the following: 

Rounds 1 and 2: Studied with coworkers, watched a lot of the School of PE videos (I found their afternoon lessons to be LACKING), no real timed exams until the weekend and week of PE exam. I also had TERRIBLE anxiety (dreaming about the exam, panic attacks, the whole 9) and talked about the exam a lot. the anxiety also made me feel like "If I have free time, I need to be studying" and therefore I didn't give myself the breaks I think I needed. 

Round 3: I kept it pretty down-low that I was taking another go at it. I studied alone, meditated a lot at night, and took time to enjoy things. I did not watch many videos at all this round and mostly did practice exams. About a month before the exam, I started taking practice exams for time.

In summary (for me): practice exams are where it's at (as long as you're already pretty comfortable with the material, which I was after 2 rounds), and controlling anxiety. Good luck next time, and don't let it get ya down!!!

 

[txjennah PE]

I'm so sorry to hear you didn't pass. I failed twice. It sucks to see that red box, especially when it seems like everyone else on this board is celebrating.

I failed the April 2017 and October 2017 exams. I decided to skip the next exam cycle since my wedding was a week before the April 2018 exam. Honestly, having that break really helped. I was sooo angry and frustrated with myself, but several weeks after my honeymoon, I decided to get started with studying again.

The biggest thing you can do is identify your weaker study habits and see how you can improve those right away. My mistake the second time around was thinking I was "close" and not changing much about how I studied. I completely rehauled my study approach the third time around - took a different review course (I'm enviro but took EET - could not recommend it enough).  I stopped studying on the couch while my husband watched TV and instead studied at the kitchen table . I worked as many problem sets as I could. By the last month of the exam, I was studying both before and after work. I then tallied my study hours and set a goal that I knew I'd be comfortable passing with. I knew if I could reach the 200 hr mark, that would give me the confidence I needed to walk in the exam and pass. I reached exactly 200 hrs, and phew, finally passed the third time.

I would say the best thing you can do is determine a study strategy and be really disciplined about it.

Best of luck - I know you can do this!