Lugging Reference Material to the Test

Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum

Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

pleasepass

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Can anyone tell me how or what they used to carry in their references to the test for the breadth and depth construction portion of the exam (or for any test for that matter)? Also, did you carry in only those you needed for the morning exam, then, after lunch bring in the afternoon refs? Just trying to figure out how to move them around cause there are a bunch. Thanks.

 
Nearly everyone uses some type of wheeled luggage cart, I had a folding cart with a milk crate and books piled ontop. It is amazing how much stuff some people bring. Please do not take regular luggage with wheels, its really looks bad. At Pomona its quite a hike from the parking lot, other places carring a pack may be more practical. I suggest take all your books in at one time, that way you can relax at lunch, and they will not let you in until sitting for the next part of the exam.

 
I got a nifty little cart thingy at Office Depot for like $20. It was perfect cause it folds up neatly when you're not using it.

cart.jpg

 
4 milk crates, one cart with a fold down handle. I use bungee cords to keep everything together. I did reinforce the crates for supporting them on top of one another. Amazing how you never have enough books, or at least think you don't.

 
I got a nifty little cart thingy at Office Depot for like $20. It was perfect cause it folds up neatly when you're not using it.
View attachment 3236

thats what I used, it broke on the way out to the parking lot afterward but worked to and from the exam (& lugging books around while studying)

 
1 letter-sized banker's box. That's it. Instead of partially knowing a ton of references, I focused on knowing a few key references very well.

 
2 copier paper boxes. I carried it in as a demonstration of my manly strength for all the ladies. :p10940623:

 
I used a wheeled carry on luggage thing that my gf had.

I think I had abou 7 books, actually used 4, I also had some 3 ring binders that I had put notes and stuff in that I used extensively.

I just brought all my stuff in the morning and it stayed the entire time, left it there at lunch.

 
I took the transpo depth exam so this is what I brought for the 8-hour:

AM: CERM (used a little bit), Copies of the Six-minute solutions and answers bound together (hardly used), "All-in-One Civil PE Exam Guide by Indrani Goswami" (used a lot) ... all in one backpack and handsfree so I can drink my coffee. :)

PM: HCM, AASHTO (Green Book), plus references above... I left the AM references at my seat and brought in the transpo binders in a tote bag after lunch. Actually I used the "All-in-One" text the most for the depth portion.

After the exam I had my backpack and a tote bag to carry back to my car. No wheels required and I passed the first time.

For those taking the structural depth, I can understand the necessity to bring a dolly with stacked boxes, but for other disciplines, there's no reason to overpack, especially if you've properly prepared for the exam.

 
I took 2 milk crates they weighed a hundred pounds a piece and Im pretty sure I looked like an idiot since I couldn' carry them both at the same time...it took a while to get in and out of the exam and to my car...Something with wheels seems worth the money.

 
tall_cart_blue_black.jpg


This is what I used....got it at Office Max for about $20

 
I have looked at several mobile file folding carts similar to this (http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/987304/Office-Depot-Brand-Mobile-Folding-File/) but all seem to be junk. Cheap, flimsy, and thin plastic seems to be the norm. They might last for one use and then they're ready to be tossed in the dumpster. I have a few milk crates at home and know they can take a good bit of abuse. All the crates I have on hand are oily so I purchased these from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/24qt-Blue-Red-Green-Crates/dp/B007IUPR0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355508810&sr=8-1&keywords=milk+crates) and a cart to roll the crates into the testing site. This is the cart that I purchased (http://www.amazon.com/Magna-Cart-Personal-Hand-Truck/dp/B000HVVSDU/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1355508871&sr=1-1&keywords=personal+cart). I've gotten lazy when it comes to physical labor and I don't like lugging heavy things around. This seems to work well for me. I wanted something that will last beyond the exam so this seems to fit the bill. The extra crates are nice for storage for all that Christmas decoration stuff my wife has.

 
I have looked at several mobile file folding carts similar to this (http://www.officedep...e-Folding-File/) but all seem to be junk. Cheap, flimsy, and thin plastic seems to be the norm. They might last for one use and then they're ready to be tossed in the dumpster. I have a few milk crates at home and know they can take a good bit of abuse. All the crates I have on hand are oily so I purchased these from Amazon (http://www.amazon.co...rds=milk+crates) and a cart to roll the crates into the testing site. This is the cart that I purchased (http://www.amazon.co...s=personal+cart). I've gotten lazy when it comes to physical labor and I don't like lugging heavy things around. This seems to work well for me. I wanted something that will last beyond the exam so this seems to fit the bill. The extra crates are nice for storage for all that Christmas decoration stuff my wife has.
Thanks for the 2.5 year bump Dan. ;)

 
I have looked at several mobile file folding carts similar to this (http://www.officedep...e-Folding-File/) but all seem to be junk. Cheap, flimsy, and thin plastic seems to be the norm. They might last for one use and then they're ready to be tossed in the dumpster. I have a few milk crates at home and know they can take a good bit of abuse. All the crates I have on hand are oily so I purchased these from Amazon (http://www.amazon.co...rds=milk+crates) and a cart to roll the crates into the testing site. This is the cart that I purchased (http://www.amazon.co...s=personal+cart). I've gotten lazy when it comes to physical labor and I don't like lugging heavy things around. This seems to work well for me. I wanted something that will last beyond the exam so this seems to fit the bill. The extra crates are nice for storage for all that Christmas decoration stuff my wife has.
Thanks for the 2.5 year bump Dan. ;)
But if he started a new thread, someone would have called him out for not reviewing previous threads........ :laugh:

 
I have looked at several mobile file folding carts similar to this (http://www.officedep...e-Folding-File/) but all seem to be junk. Cheap, flimsy, and thin plastic seems to be the norm. They might last for one use and then they're ready to be tossed in the dumpster. I have a few milk crates at home and know they can take a good bit of abuse. All the crates I have on hand are oily so I purchased these from Amazon (http://www.amazon.co...rds=milk+crates) and a cart to roll the crates into the testing site. This is the cart that I purchased (http://www.amazon.co...s=personal+cart). I've gotten lazy when it comes to physical labor and I don't like lugging heavy things around. This seems to work well for me. I wanted something that will last beyond the exam so this seems to fit the bill. The extra crates are nice for storage for all that Christmas decoration stuff my wife has.
Thanks for the 2.5 year bump Dan. ;)
But if he started a new thread, someone would have called him out for not reviewing previous threads........ :laugh:
LOL. Veryt true. I'm just teasing anyway. I've been known to do some grave digging myself. ;)

 
I used a folding "shopping" cart with plastic file folder boxes that look like milk crates. They stack in multiple directions and I used it like a bookshelf. A lot of us had carts - they had us put all of the carts up front in one area. I also had a cooler with snacks and beverages.

 
Backpack, which I carried 2K through Seoul. I had the CERM, Rajapakse x 2, NCEES probs, PPI probs, 6 min solutions, School of PE, Test Masters, and both the CE and Construction PPI quick refs.

Builds character, breaks you back.

 
Borrowed the wife's wheeled carry on luggage. Served me well!

 
I lugged one of the plastic file bins (from staples) full of books and only used about half of them.

 
Back
Top