Took the Lindeburg Sample Exam...

[Bman]

So I took the Lindeburg sample exam this weekend (HVAC depth). I know this practice exam is a little harder than the actual, so I'm not too worried just yet. I got 31/80 correct and definitely identified some areas that I need to work on a bit more. I'm pretty sure I made some mistakes becuase I felt pretty confident in about half of the questions, but not sure until I go back and review.

My question is, should I: 1) take the next week to study up on areas that I know I was weak in and re-take the exam next weekend (without reviewing which problems I got right or wrong), or 2) spend the next week working out each of the problems and identifying where I went wrong?

I can see the benefit in both approaches and I'm leaning toward the first one even though I know my re-take score will be a little biased since I already took the exam, but I feel like spending that 8 hours taking the practice exam will help condition me to take the actual exam. Any thoughts on this?

I still have the 6 min solutions books to go through and I have the NCEES 2008 sample exam, but I am saving the NCEES exam until the week before the actual exam since the consensus seems to be that it is closer in difficulty to the actual exam. I also looked for the 2001 NCEES exam, but the cheapest I found it for was $175 on Amazon!!! No thanks....

 

[Kephart P.E.]

I did basically something similiar to what you are proposing above and here is my advice.

Don't waste your time on Lindeburg's Sample Exam (LSE). I got a similiar score (T&F Depth) but passed the first time. The LSE questions are much more complex than 90% of the real exam.

Take the 2008 NCEES Sample Exam as soon as possible. Take it like a real 8 hour test if possible.

Then go over each and every problem you missed and figure out why and how you made a mistake. Then practice working the problems again.

If there is certain area you seemed to have missed work more of the 6 min solutions and problems from the MERM to solidify those subjects in your mind.

Above all else, keep working problems -even the ones you got correct and get really good at solving them quickly.

The weekend before the Exam retake the NCEES Sample Exam to keep your practice up. When you are grading it try to be aware if you have any bad habits (making stupid mistakes) in solving problems and correct them.

I don't think I passed by knowing every subject 100%, but the stuff I did know I could arrive at the correct solution very quickly.

 

[Bman]

Kephart,

I've still got the 6 minute solutions to go through. Do you think I should take the NCEES exam before or after the I go through the 6 minute solutions (particularly the HVAC for my depth)?

I am thinking that I may review the problems I got wrong on the LSE to see where I went wrong and why (1- 3 days). Spend about 1 1/2 weeks working weak areas and the 6 minute HVAC solutions book, then take the NCEES sample exam in about 2 weeks. That gives me a solid two weeks to work additional problems to shore up my weak areas before the exam.

 

[Shanks]

Kephart,I've still got the 6 minute solutions to go through. Do you think I should take the NCEES exam before or after the I go through the 6 minute solutions (particularly the HVAC for my depth)?

I am thinking that I may review the problems I got wrong on the LSE to see where I went wrong and why (1- 3 days). Spend about 1 1/2 weeks working weak areas and the 6 minute HVAC solutions book, then take the NCEES sample exam in about 2 weeks. That gives me a solid two weeks to work additional problems to shore up my weak areas before the exam.

Bman, your approach sounds good to me because that's what I am doing. I practiced Lindeburg problems along w/MERM. But before taking NCEES exam (2wks from now), I am planning to work on all SMS, that way I'll have lot of problems practiced and hopefully I'll feel more confident for NCEES exam. After NCEES exam, I still have 2 wks to go through additional problems like Lindeburg Sample Exam.

 

[Kephart P.E.]

You could, I just wouldn't wait until you only have a week to go to do the NCEES Sample Exam.

I took the LSE about 2 weeks prior, got my ass totally handed to me, freaked out, studied like a mad man, made myself sick. Took a couple of days off to recover, then took the NCEES right before the test. I felt a bunch better after this as I could see that while I didn't score 100%, the mistakes I made where fixable and I could work all these problems in the allotted time. I didn't have enough time to really pour over the NCEES as much as I wanted to, but if I had I felt it would have really helped me a bunch.

The NCEES Sample Exam was really helpful in the morning session IMHO. I destroyed the morning session, I only had 5 problems I didn't work straight thru and I had like +1 hour to work them out at the end.

The 6 minute stuff was most helpful to me for the T&F depth problems. When you start to be able to figure out some common types of problems faster (in your head) than you can run them thru the calculator you are prepared.

 

[Bman]

Thanks for the advice. From reading past posts, it looks like the 6 min solutions is pretty helpful for the HVAC depth as well. Most people seem to feel those problems are similar in difficulty to the actual exam questions, so I'm going to work through those and then take the NCEES exam probably two weeks before the actual exam date.

 

[Kephart P.E.]

After I took the exam I was thinking about what else I could have done and one thing I really missed was this.

I didn't feel I did too well on the Machine Design depth. I looked over the MD afternoon portion of the NCEES Sample Exam and if I had studied it it definitely would have helped me a lot.

So my advice would be to work the other afternoon portions of the Sample Exam if you have any time left.

 

[MechGuy]

I agree with Kephart, don't worry about taking the Lindberg Sample Exam again. Do the 6 min solutions books and the NCEES exam, and you'll be fine. I wouldn't worry about the order of which you do so much, but agree you should take the sample exam like a real exam in 8 hrs. It helps!

 

[kkelley]

I am glad that I read these posts...I was just going to take the Lindeburg Sample Exam tomorrow. When you say the NCEES Sample Exam is that the NCEES PE Mechanical Sample Questions and Solutions Book?? I have that (and it is essentially a sample exam....but I was just checking if there is another version that is titled Sample Exam that I could get also?)

Thanks for the input!

KK

 

[Shanks]

I am glad that I read these posts...I was just going to take the Lindeburg Sample Exam tomorrow. When you say the NCEES Sample Exam is that the NCEES PE Mechanical Sample Questions and Solutions Book?? I have that (and it is essentially a sample exam....but I was just checking if there is another version that is titled Sample Exam that I could get also?)
Thanks for the input!

KK

I believe you've the right book. This is the one everyone is talking about.

NCEES PE Mechanical Engineering Sample Questions and Solutions (NCPEM5)

 

[MechGuy]

I am glad that I read these posts...I was just going to take the Lindeburg Sample Exam tomorrow. When you say the NCEES Sample Exam is that the NCEES PE Mechanical Sample Questions and Solutions Book?? I have that (and it is essentially a sample exam....but I was just checking if there is another version that is titled Sample Exam that I could get also?)
Thanks for the input!

KK

Yep, here is the link http://www.ncees.org/Exams/Study_materials...&product=1M

The older version was called a sample exam, so I think that's why everyone still calls it that.

 

[Bman]

Yes, taking the sample exams like real 8 hour exams definitely helps. I took the Lindeburg Sample as an 8 hour exam and already moved some of my tabs in the MERM around to be able to find things faster. I also printed out the MERM index right before the exam and that helped a ton! Having the index separate from the book saved me a lot of time looking things up because I didn't have to flip back and forth.

 

[ChemORME]

Bman - you've got a good idea with printing out the MERM index. I saw a thread discussing what people thought they did right on previous exams...one person said that they went beyond the index and actually copied the entire appendix into a separate binder so that they wouldn't have to flip back and forth in the book at all. They had their appendix and the section of the book they were looking at open at the same time.

Seemed like a great idea to me - so I'll be giving it a shot on my sample exam this weekend!

 

[Firefly]

The index idea sounds like a good one.

Do either of you have a link to where I can find this compiled OR do I have to spend some time getting to know my copier?

 

[MechGuy]

Try this link to a previous thread. Buick455 had a good index that he posted on a yahoo site.

http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showto...p;#entry6788636

 

[Shanks]

I agree! Having MERM index in a separate binder tons a lot of time. I've tabbed it based on the alphabet, that makes it easier to go to the keyword. I find myself using index more than my tabs. For commonly used topics like psychometric charts and MOI equations, I get quick access through MERM tabs though.

 

[Bman]

Here is a link to the MERM Index

 

[Bman]

Having the appendices separate would also be nice, but I don't think I have the time or patience to scan them in.... The index is nice because they provide a separate digital copy specifically for the purpose of having separate from the book.

 

[Kephart P.E.]

I scanned the MERM appendix

I think I still have them for the 11th Ed if anyone wants one or the other send me a PM with an email.

 

[jldavis2]

I too have the PPI and NCEES Sample Exams and was planning on taking them on back-to-back weekends, first 2 weekends of April. Now I'm thinking about re-focusing the approach.

Just now finishing almost 4 months of review of the MERM and so (unfortunately) will have to do some "re-review" of what I covered in December/January. Then it sounds like the best approach would be to hit NCEES practice exam ASAP, comb through errors/weak spots, and then work more problems. I too have all of the 6 min solutions books but likely will only have time to work thru the T&F depth. I imagine that will take me right up to the week of the exam.

Thanks to all for the for the feedback, very timely advice.