FE Exam Oct. 2008

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m151755

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Hello people,

I'm two years out of school, feel pretty fresh, but have always been a wreck when studying for a big test. I feel like I can't learn enough and I'm afraid that some problems on the test will fly right over my head. How should I prepare for this test? My background is mechanical. Should I do the general or mechanical? Which is easier? Are the answers equally weighed? What sample exams are similar/identical to this upcoming exam in October? I greatly appreciate any advise. Thanks people...

 
PM section is half as many quests, weighted twice as much. I am of civil background, most likely taking the general section. there is the argument to take the pm section of your discipline, and the argument to just take the general, needing only the FERM to study from, and thats what I'm leaning towards. I got all summer to study (no job to speak of) but finding out a lot of crap that i'm just not wrapping my brain around (Laplace transforms, z-transforms :wacko: ) No f'n clue. . . .

good luck in your efforts -

 
I say go general on both AM and PM... and the argument is, why study extra material when you don't have to?

And if you can do the questions in the FERM easily, then you should be fine for the test. The questions in the FERM are a little bit harder than what is on the exam.

 
I hope not! - But Lindeburg's got em in the math section of the manual (w/ differential eq's). . .

 
I say go general on both AM and PM... and the argument is, why study extra material when you don't have to?

And if you can do the questions in the FERM easily, then you should be fine for the test. The questions in the FERM are a little bit harder than what is on the exam.
Cool!!! Lindenburg material is actually a bit harder than the FE Exam. What about the afternoon (general)? How should I study for this? I hear nothing out there comes close to what is seen on the FE Exam. Is this true?

 
Cool!!! Lindenburg material is actually a bit harder than the FE Exam. What about the afternoon (general)? How should I study for this? I hear nothing out there comes close to what is seen on the FE Exam. Is this true?
For the PM general I would still stick with what I said above; Lindenburg and your course notes are all you need. I didn't find the afternoon significantly harder than the morning... Some questions just had a few extra steps, that's all.

Also, get yourself a copy of the FE formula book (or whatever they call it) from the NCEES webpage and use it as you study. If you need to look up a formula, refer to the NCEES book instead of the FERM. This will be helpful for you in the exam.

Note: when printing off the exam book, make sure you have the pages in the right order (i.e. if page 5 should be on the right side, then make sure you print it out that way).... or I think you can buy the book, but I wouldn't bother.... My association gave me a copy when I signed up for the exam anyways.

 
Lindeburg's material better be f'n harder!! Cripes, magna cum laude, and i'm stumbling thru some of those sample problems. . . :brickwall:

 
I hope not! - But Lindeburg's got em in the math section of the manual (w/ differential eq's). . .
Don't know if other disciplines use these transforms, but I would only expect a few questions that use these transforms on the EE afternoon--and none in the morning.

Lindeburg's material better be f'n harder!! Cripes, magna cum laude, and i'm stumbling thru some of those sample problems. . . :brickwall:
Feel free ask questions here.

 
Is the exam equally weighed? Are the number of A's equal to the number of B's (ex. A's = B's = C's = D's)? I think I'm going with the general afternoon. A co-worker (w/ mechanical background), going into the afternoon portion, said they were given the opportunity to look over the test booklet to decide on the afternoon disciplne before taking the test. He went with general simply because he saw that the mechanical section included...HVAC, Control Systems, Heat Transfer, and more in-depth mechanical problems. He said the general's tough mechanical problems were equivalent to the easy problems in the mechanical afternoon.

I think (for a mechanical) going general is the way to go. If the exam answers are equally weighed, then this test should'nt be that hard.

 
If you plan to take FE Gen AM and PM , Differential Eqn and Advance math will come out in the PM section, this is in sequence FE Pts system for FE Gen AM and PM, and study it by importance.

1. Math

2. Mechanics Statics/Dynamics

3. Fluids

4. Thermo.

5. Chem.

6. Elect

7. Mat Prop

8. Prob Stats

9. Eng. Economics

10. Strength Mat

11. Ethics

12. Computer

13. Biology

Good Luck!

 
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Is anyone trying to sell their FERM? I am ready to buy USED! If so contact me.

Thanks,

Kunjal

Hello people,
I'm two years out of school, feel pretty fresh, but have always been a wreck when studying for a big test. I feel like I can't learn enough and I'm afraid that some problems on the test will fly right over my head. How should I prepare for this test? My background is mechanical. Should I do the general or mechanical? Which is easier? Are the answers equally weighed? What sample exams are similar/identical to this upcoming exam in October? I greatly appreciate any advise. Thanks people...
 
They have LaPlace and z-transforms on the general FE? Wow!
That they do.

My biggest issue was being so drained mentally (after the AM session) while taking the PM. I kept thinking, "Man, I wish I could look at what I did on the AM portion."

 
Ugh, now my state board says they never got my Verification of Education form from my alma mater. The university registrar claims it was mailed weeks ago, and that they mailed it to the correct address.

The state board sent me a letter dated July 25th indicating that if they didn't get the form before August 1st, I would not be able to take the exam until next April! Since the board insists on the university mailing the form directly, I would have had to hand-carry the form to the registrar today, watch them fill it out, and pay for Priority Mail to get it the 30 miles from the university to the state office building by Thursday.

The lady at the state board was very casual about it, like it's no big deal to have to wait until April to take the exam. She said to just wait and "eventually" the form would arrive. I was NOT pleased.

 
OMG!!! To say you are not pleased is probably downplaying it. I can't believe they only notify you 5 days prior to getting it due.

What are you going to do?

 
OMG!!! To say you are not pleased is probably downplaying it. I can't believe they only notify you 5 days prior to getting it due.
What are you going to do?
I didn't even have that much notice! The letter was dated the 25th, I got the letter when I got home from work on Monday the 28th, so I realistically had two days to get it dealt with by Thursday. Tuesday was spent in mandatory work related training from 7:30 AM-4:30 PM, not enough time to drive the hour up to Storrs to hand-deliver it to the registrar. I called UConn and offered to drive up this afternoon with a new form and would pay for next-day mail service but the idiot at the registrar's office says they can't handle it same-day (i.e. fill out the form, stamp it with the university seal and get it out in the afternoon mail).

UConn's registrar insists that they sent it back in June and mailed it to the correct address. The state board has no record of getting the form. Part of the problem may be that I graduated under my maiden name but am applying for this using my married name (my maiden name is my legal middle name now). Or, at least that's what the person answering the phone on the state's end has to say about it. UConn had my SSN and other necessary identifying information to match the form up to my graduation record.

Basically, if the board doesn't find it/get it by close of business tomorrow, I'm out of luck to take the exam in October. :(

 
That just plain old sucks!

Hopefully the state will find it. They are not willing to budge on the date (maybe have them talk to the Registrars office on a conference call - hear it from the horses mouth...)? Or can the school fax it and mail the "official" copy again?

 
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PM section is half as many quests, weighted twice as much. I am of civil background, most likely taking the general section. there is the argument to take the pm section of your discipline, and the argument to just take the general, needing only the FERM to study from, and thats what I'm leaning towards. I got all summer to study (no job to speak of) but finding out a lot of crap that i'm just not wrapping my brain around (Laplace transforms, z-transforms :wacko: ) No f'n clue. . . .
good luck in your efforts -
And I thought I was the only one having difficulty with the Laplace transforms. etc.

 
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