Prioritizing questions

[Katiebug]

One of the things I find that I'm struggling with while going through my FERM diagnostic questions is that I tend to get stuck on hard problems and spend 10 minutes trying to solve them, only to run out of time on the moderate and easy ones. It's pretty clear that I need to prioritize which questions to hit and which to leave for the end if I have time.

My idea is to quickly glance at all the questions and divide into 3 groups: Easy (no lookup, quick calculation), Moderate (know how to solve the problem and where to find the formula), Hard (no freaking clue). Then get the Easy ones out of the way, then Moderate, then hit the Hard ones towards the end and just finish as many as possible while still leaving time to bubble in my answers.

Anything wrong with that strategy? I think I should start using it while doing the FERM subject diagnostics (which I do after reviewing each chapter and doing the chapter practice problems).

I have the NCEES practice exam and just glancing through it seems as if the FERM questions and the Lindeburg practice exams are harder than the NCEES sample problems. Seriously, some of the FERM problems take me a lot of time and half a sheet of paper! I devoutly hope that the FERM's goal is to over-prepare you for the real thing...

 

[mudpuppy]

Your approach to prioritizing questions sounds reasonable and I think I've read many others here use the same method for the PE. The only word of caution I have is the FE has a lot of questions (you only have 2 minutes per question in the morning) so be careful that you don't spend too much time just reading through and doing the prioritization.

As for the complexity of study questions versus the actual exam I don't have a comparison for the FE, but in my experience for the PE, the Camara ("the other board") exam and the six minutes solutions required much more complex calculations/computations than the actual exam. Heck there was one question that required the use of convolution, which took two printed pages in the book of solutions! Now this doesn't necessarily mean the questions are any more or less difficult, just that they take more time. But the NCEES sample exam is definitely the best indicator of the time required to solve the problems.

 

[EM_PS]

I've heard of this recommendation before. . . do a quick (it has to be quick!) scan of the probs, ranking as you go like w/ a 1, 2, or 3, as you had mentioned Katie. That just seems to go against everything in my test taking instincts. I have enuff OCD i suppose that i feel i have to plow thru the test in the order the probs are presented. Also, scanning the probs places my brain in the position of having to rank or judge the problems (not solving them yet), seeming to add to the duty already upon it of raw problem solving. That said, however, I've learned from enuff of the practice exams & certainly the FS to totally bail on a problem when it seems its unsolvable. Thus far, i have not run out of time, having enuff to go back and check the ones I've passed by. sometimes coming back to a difficult problem, everything will all of a sudden click thru solving a similar problem after you've bypassed this one or whatever. So i'm a big advocate of just bailing or skipping on a difficult one & moving on to the next, and as time allows, going back to put down the final 'guesses. That alleviates the chore of ranking or judging, while ensuring you're not spending too much time on a hairy one.

 

[Katiebug]

Your approach to prioritizing questions sounds reasonable and I think I've read many others here use the same method for the PE. The only word of caution I have is the FE has a lot of questions (you only have 2 minutes per question in the morning) so be careful that you don't spend too much time just reading through and doing the prioritization.

True. I think that's my one big concern - I read fast, but I don't want to waste time. Even if it takes me 5 seconds to scan a question and make a decision, that's still 10 minutes of just categorizing questions before I even get started on the AM section.

So i'm a big advocate of just bailing or skipping on a difficult one & moving on to the next, and as time allows, going back to put down the final 'guesses. That alleviates the chore of ranking or judging, while ensuring you're not spending too much time on a hairy one.

THAT is an interesting idea - hit the questions in order and if I'm really struggling, just move on. It's certainly simpler and then when I get an easy one I can just answer as soon as I read it, rather than categorizing first and then coming back.

I also have that feeling that I'm somehow doing something wrong if I don't answer the questions in order and with the right answers. It's tough to overcome that! I think it stems from having so many exams in school being only 3-4 questions and having 2 hours to solve them - on those, you'd darn well better answer them all, and correctly. This is a very different type of test and I definitely need to address it in a different way.

 

[IlPadrino]

Your approach to prioritizing questions sounds reasonable and I think I've read many others here use the same method for the PE. The only word of caution I have is the FE has a lot of questions (you only have 2 minutes per question in the morning) so be careful that you don't spend too much time just reading through and doing the prioritization.

From PE Notes - Exam Strategies

# Do spend up to a minute (some suggest just 30 seconds) on each problem before deciding to, either
* Move on because you've already solved it.

* Decide you can finish the problem in another two to three minutes and continue working.

* Stop working the problem, grade it as either 1 (you know how to solve it but it will take some time), 2 (you think you have an idea on how to approach the problem, but the process isn't yet clear), or 3 (you have no idea how to solve the problem)

# Do finish all the "1" problems before moving on to the "2s" and then on to the "3s. Using this strategy will maximize your chances of getting the most questions absolutely correct and it should allow you to work the uncertain problems with greater calm knowing you've already made good progress towards the magic 56 correct and you'll have more than six minutes (probably more than ten minutes!) to answer the 2s and 3s.

Given the increased number of questions on the FE, you'd probably want to spend just 30 seconds per question and spend just another minute or so working to solution. The point here is to accept you'll need to answer most questions to pass... so spend enough time on each question to get the easy and moderate ones out of the way. After that, prioritize so you spend the remaining time on the 1s and 2s. The 3s are probably not going to get answered - but that's OK.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^^ Agree wholeheartedly with IlPadrino.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

I like Sraymond's strategy.

I think spending all that time "pre-ranking" problems is just cutting into valuable exam time.

 

[squishles10]

Testmasters likes to encourage the ranking problems idea but I just can't see why- it would take so long! You have to read everything at least twice- once to rank, then again to do the problem. Makes no sense. I agree with the above-If it's obvious, just do it. If it's not too hard, just do it. If it's neither move on. You will NOT finish everything on the EIT and everything is worth the same- if you go through form the first question to the last and do every problem in order, you will not pass. Your goal should be at halftime to have 1/2 the questions done, and at the end to be as close to finished as possible, then pick your favorite letter. The hard questions go after halftime, NOT before. Most your points will come before because you are not tired, you are not freaked out, and you are doing all the easy ones.

 

[IlPadrino]

You have to read everything at least twice- once to rank, then again to do the problem. Makes no sense.

You could read and rank in as little as five seconds... not a large part of two minutes. But I agree no one should "waste" time ranking. The theory is you have to read any question to answer it right more than 25% of the time. You have to answer most questions to pass. Therefore, reading the easy ones cost you nothing (you don't have to rank). Reading the moderate ones allow you to spend most of the rest of the time working questions you should eventually answer right. Reading the difficult/impossible ones is a complete waste of time, but should return the investment on the time spent working the moderate ones.