Survival pack for exam day

[Techie_Junkie_PE_LEED_AP]

Here's my list of stash:

1) Admission slip: No admission without it.

2) Your ID: Driver's license, etc. No test without it.

3) Seat cushion: memory foam or regular kitchen chair type. You're sitting for a long time and them bones get tired. You don't need the distraction. (I also brought a lumbar memory foam cushion, I was stylin')

4) Ginseng: I used red panax liquid. It relaxes and sharpens mental functions.

5) Ear plugs: You never know what else is going on around the building. My EIT (FE) was taken under a hockey rink during a game. Lots of crowd noise and stomping. Also cold as hell. No..I'm NOT kidding!

6) Tylenol or aspirin: Need I say more?

7) Power bars or snacks: You can't eat in there, but you can snack enroute to the bathroom. Hunger pangs will distract.

8) Extra Calculator and batteries: Just in case. You've come this far, be prepared.

9) Watch and stop watch: One to watch the time, one in case you want to time each question. Just turn off ALL beeping features and alarms. you'll get dirty looks and a visit from a proctologist. Oops I mean proctor.

10) Cough drops, gum or hard candy: Coughing will get you dirty looks and blowing bubbles may get you booted.

11) Bottled water or soda: Just in case there is no drinking fountain.

12) Layer clothing: A T-shirt, a long sleeve T-shirt and a heavy button up or sweat shirt. Any combination of these should cover you. (No pun intended)

WARNING: Check to ensure your State allows these. I had no problems, but every State is different and you don't want surprises that morning.

Misc tips

1) Check all books for loose papers and remove them all, especially borrowed books.

2) If you're not familiar wih the test area, google it for morning coffee and eating places for lunch. If in doubt, leave a lunch in the car on ice.

3) If your car is unreliable, have someone on call to drive you or have a taxi number on hand. This involves a very long story from a friend/coworker involving a tow truck the morning of....

4) DO NOT bring your own pencils. You'll be the first one out of the exam, guaranteed.

5) Declare any missed restricted items at check-in and leave them in the contraband bags at the registration desk.

 

[kevo_55]

I would like to add some pepto tablets to the list.

We wouldn't want a fudgey incident, wouldn't we?

 

[TXengrChickPE]

Good list! I'm just going to comment on a few of these...

4) Ginseng: I used red panax liquid. It relaxes and sharpens mental functions.

Skip this unless you've used it before and know how you react to it. Every body is different... side effects of ginseng may include nervousness, agitation, insomnia, diarrhea, headaches, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations. It also has quite a list of drug interaction warnings.

7) Power bars or snacks: You can't eat in there, but you can snack enroute to the bathroom. Hunger pangs will distract.

Some states allow eating in the exam room... or maybe they let me get away with it cuz I was pregnant... just make sure your snacks are quiet... remove them from crinkly plastic and put them in a ziploc baggie

9) Watch and stop watch: One to watch the time, one in case you want to time each question. Just turn off ALL beeping features and alarms. you'll get dirty looks and a visit from a proctologist. Oops I mean proctor.

Some states do not allow ANY stop watches... most allow watches, but they have to be on your wrist. When I tested, lots of people brought clocks, which they were not allowed to keep on their table...

 

[Techie_Junkie_PE_LEED_AP]

True, you should make sure you're not going to freak out on Ginseng. That would suck.

And of course, as my warning disclaimer mentioned, check with your State and test admin to ensure there are no breaches in security. I've heard some of the test monitors are trained in Kung-Fu (Northern Shaolin!)

 

[bigtrees]

Here's my list of things I'll be bringing with me to the PE exam:

1) TI-89 Calculator

2) Ample supply of erasers and mechanical pencils

3) Cell phone to keep track of time

4) Brimmed hat to shield my eyes from glare of florescent lighting

5) Hooded sweatshirt in case it gets cold

6) Staples "Easy button" to motivate people sitting next to me.

7) My girlfriend is very excited for me in this exam, so she wants to sit outside the exam room for moral support.

There are a few things I am sure not to bring with me:

1) Retired college instructors (from when I was an undergrad). This is a closed professor exam.

2) Laptop computer. As noted in answer sheet, I'm not allowed to post exam questions on message boards and then check in an hour to see if anyone has posted the answer.

3) Boilers, turbines, condensers, refrigerant, thermometers. Running "lab tests" to validate answers is not permitted in the exam room.

Good luck to all!

 

[kevo_55]

^^ I hope you're kidding.

 

[MEPE2B]

Here's my list of things I'll be bringing with me to the PE exam:
1) TI-89 Calculator

2) Ample supply of erasers and mechanical pencils

3) Cell phone to keep track of time

4) Brimmed hat to shield my eyes from glare of florescent lighting

5) Hooded sweatshirt in case it gets cold

6) Staples "Easy button" to motivate people sitting next to me.

7) My girlfriend is very excited for me in this exam, so she wants to sit outside the exam room for moral support.

There are a few things I am sure not to bring with me:

1) Retired college instructors (from when I was an undergrad). This is a closed professor exam.

2) Laptop computer. As noted in answer sheet, I'm not allowed to post exam questions on message boards and then check in an hour to see if anyone has posted the answer.

3) Boilers, turbines, condensers, refrigerant, thermometers. Running "lab tests" to validate answers is not permitted in the exam room.

Good luck to all!

I would add to the list: digital camera, to get pictures for your "The Long Road to My PE" scrap book.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

1) Retired college instructors (from when I was an undergrad). This is a closed professor exam.

Rumor was the one prof at my school was open like 7-11, if you get my drift.

 

[Melanie11]

Here's my list of things I'll be bringing with me to the PE exam:
1) TI-89 Calculator

2) Ample supply of erasers and mechanical pencils

3) Cell phone to keep track of time

4) Brimmed hat to shield my eyes from glare of florescent lighting

5) Hooded sweatshirt in case it gets cold

6) Staples "Easy button" to motivate people sitting next to me.

7) My girlfriend is very excited for me in this exam, so she wants to sit outside the exam room for moral support.

Good luck to all!

Number 6 cracked me up! I could just imagine someone doing that after every question! Hilarious

 

[ALBin517]

Tylenol or aspirin: Much like Ginseng, know how your body will react. Don't go shopping for pain relievers tonight and say, "I have to buy something... and I always wanted to try this."

Food: Think about unwrapping. Among my grub was a small bag of chocolates. There were perfect with a little sugar to keep me awake. But they were foil wrapped so I took care of that the night before.

Extra calculator: I did not do it. My calculator was 8 months old and I changed batteries a week or two before. So I figured if the calculator died during the exam, it just wasn't my day.

Loose papers: If you have not been through borrowed books enough to find the loose papers, leave them at home. They won't do you any good anyway.

Know the area: Great idea. I went about 45 minutes early and got a muffin or something. And the extra 45 minutes will come in handy if you hit a deer on the way. You'll have to go without breakfast but it's better than missing the exam.

Know the area some more: Pack a lunch if there are not numerous food options around the test center. Many folks at my site were complaining that the local fast food places were packed and lunchtime was even more stress. The locals said, "Those places are always packed - even without a hundred people from here trying to get food."

And most importantly, GO ON FRIDAY. I know the fundamentals exam was on Saturday but the principles exam is not. Don't try to take the PE on Saturday. I've seen it happen.

 

[mudpuppy]

Loose papers: If you have not been through borrowed books enough to find the loose papers, leave them at home. They won't do you any good anyway.

I disagree on this one. I borrowed a book that I had never seen before on Power Electronics the day before the exam and it really helped me on one problem.

 

[Jennifer]

I disagree on this one. I borrowed a book that I had never seen before on Power Electronics the day before the exam and it really helped me on one problem.

Me. too...I used one of the books I'd never flipped through in the exam. Found an equation I needed.

 

[ALBin517]

Me. too...I used one of the books I'd never flipped through in the exam. Found an equation I needed.

I personally think you're more likely to waste time than quickly find a "needle in a haystack."

I'm glad to hear it worked for a couple of you though.

 

[TXengrChickPE]

I personally think you're more likely to waste time than quickly find a "needle in a haystack."
I'm glad to hear it worked for a couple of you though.

I don't think that anyone is saying that they would look in a book they had never opened *first*... but if you're down to a couple of problems left, and you're not out of time, it can't hurt.

 

[Jennifer]

I personally think you're more likely to waste time than quickly find a "needle in a haystack."
I'm glad to hear it worked for a couple of you though.

My only point is that don't not take something because you have never used it as part of your studying. I took some of my basics books...statics, solids, structural analysis...that I hadn't used since school and they came in handy. I feel like it's better to take too much than not enough. If you don't touch it...fine, but if you need it and you don't have it, that's worse than worrying about taking it in the first place.