Study Approach

[JSteven]

Took the exam twice in 09, failed both times and the breakdown is as follows.

--

Breadth - Construction 63

Breadth - Geotech 88

Breadth - Structural 75

Breadth - Transpo 50

Breadth - Water 88

Subsurface Inv. 67

Eng. Properties 60

Soil Mechanics 60

Earthquake 50

Earth Structures 25

Shallow Foundations 33

Earth Retaining Structures 67

Deep Foundations 50

Other topics 20

--

Took the School of PE review course prior to the 2nd exam try, and while it helped me out big time with the morning stuff (75 hours of classroom lectures and problem solving) , the geotech afternoon course material (A measley 3 hour bogus "bonus" review webinar full of technical problems) did not prepare me at all. I have loads of review books.. Lindeberg, 6 Minute Solutions, etc etc etc.

School of PE offers a full rebate in the form of taking the class again but I doubt its going to help address my test issues (afternoon exam). Is there a review course any of you would reccomend? My dim-bulb of a boss tells me now that it's hard to pass the PE without a masters degree and I should have taken some graduate level soils classes. I'm glad this muttonhead waited until hearing I failed the exam for a second time, well over a year after writing my initial reccomendation, to impart this sage wisdom.

Should I just bury my head back into these practice problems and grind through? (thats how i passed the FE first time no course after 2 years after graduating from college) Maybe theres a better review course out there?

 

[PE_2009]

JSteven,
Please email me to discuss at [email protected]

Took the exam twice in 09, failed both times and the breakdown is as follows.

--

Breadth - Construction 63

Breadth - Geotech 88

Breadth - Structural 75

Breadth - Transpo 50

Breadth - Water 88

Subsurface Inv. 67

Eng. Properties 60

Soil Mechanics 60

Earthquake 50

Earth Structures 25

Shallow Foundations 33

Earth Retaining Structures 67

Deep Foundations 50

Other topics 20

--

Took the School of PE review course prior to the 2nd exam try, and while it helped me out big time with the morning stuff (75 hours of classroom lectures and problem solving) , the geotech afternoon course material (A measley 3 hour bogus "bonus" review webinar full of technical problems) did not prepare me at all. I have loads of review books.. Lindeberg, 6 Minute Solutions, etc etc etc.

School of PE offers a full rebate in the form of taking the class again but I doubt its going to help address my test issues (afternoon exam). Is there a review course any of you would reccomend? My dim-bulb of a boss tells me now that it's hard to pass the PE without a masters degree and I should have taken some graduate level soils classes. I'm glad this muttonhead waited until hearing I failed the exam for a second time, well over a year after writing my initial reccomendation, to impart this sage wisdom.

Should I just bury my head back into these practice problems and grind through? (thats how i passed the FE first time no course after 2 years after graduating from college) Maybe theres a better review course out there?

 

[Mike_NC]

I took a review class overed at a local university college of engineering program (NC State) and passed the first time.

I did however use the class review as a starting point and spend many many more hours studying/reviewing/practicing problems based on what they went over.

The review class did excellent in the AM. (I knew how to do 85% of the problems), and worked my way through the other 15%. I did not guess on any in the AM and had plenty of time. I feel if you make good use of the CERM and study the outline of the AM, you should be in great shape for the breadth section.

As I was told, if you do really well in the AM, then you obviously can miss more in the PM. I feel that was my case. I took the Construction depth and my review class left a lot to be desired for the Depth portion. I studied possibly more for the depth than I did the Breadth and I felt like I took a beating in the PM.

I guess to sum it up, I would try to hit the AM hard, review, study, practice all topics listed for the AM outline and hopefully that can carry you through.

By looking at your %'s, the AM is what is holding you back..

Hope that helps.

 

[alison]

I took a review class at my local university (same as above - NC State), and one of my co-workers took the School of PE review and I was able to read through the geotech notes. I found both the geotechnical portion of the review class that I took and the notes put forth by School of PE lacking for the PM portion (but great for AM), and found that I learned the most by crunching through as many geotech problems that I possibly could. I wound up working through all the problems in 6 minutes solutions, quite a few in the Das textbooks, as well as all the practice problems and a practice exam from the review class. I wound up passing the exam this past October on my first try, which I found surprising since I found the exam to be extremely difficult - I work in structures, but it was recommended that I take geotech.

 

[chess5329]

I took a review class at my local university (same as above - NC State), and one of my co-workers took the School of PE review and I was able to read through the geotech notes. I found both the geotechnical portion of the review class that I took and the notes put forth by School of PE lacking for the PM portion (but great for AM), and found that I learned the most by crunching through as many geotech problems that I possibly could. I wound up working through all the problems in 6 minutes solutions, quite a few in the Das textbooks, as well as all the practice problems and a practice exam from the review class. I wound up passing the exam this past October on my first try, which I found surprising since I found the exam to be extremely difficult - I work in structures, but it was recommended that I take geotech.

Hi Alison, I would like to know if you can tell me a few tips for the Geotech afternoon section, please send me an e-mail to: [email protected]

Thanks

 

[Venpr]

I took a review class at my local university (same as above - NC State), and one of my co-workers took the School of PE review and I was able to read through the geotech notes. I found both the geotechnical portion of the review class that I took and the notes put forth by School of PE lacking for the PM portion (but great for AM), and found that I learned the most by crunching through as many geotech problems that I possibly could. I wound up working through all the problems in 6 minutes solutions, quite a few in the Das textbooks, as well as all the practice problems and a practice exam from the review class. I wound up passing the exam this past October on my first try, which I found surprising since I found the exam to be extremely difficult - I work in structures, but it was recommended that I take geotech.

Alison could you do the same to me at [email protected]

This test become the grearest challenge that I has been in all my life.

thanks

 

[alison]

I'm honestly not sure what tips I could tell you via e-mail that you don't already know - basically, work a ton of problems and read the material, making sure you understand the concepts so you're prepared for both the calculation-type questions as well as the word-type questions. Regardless, if you have specific questions, feel free to send me a message here on EB.com.

 

[svg1]

well, I have taken the exam twice already... and not have to take it again in April (sigh)

Hopefully this time the study material and method will be different.

I did notice that the exams were very different both times. harder? and concentrated on one topic a lot.

 

[txguy]

Review course and the work shops helps a lot. they will tell u what u actually need to study in a selective way.