Who failed the PE?

I am one of the unlucky people who failed the Structural 1 PE the first time and I was wondering who else failed the PE and where you think you went wrong and how you might approach it differently next time around. Personally the amount of bridge questions on the structural PE was my downfall as I am a building engineer not bridge. I think I need to concentrate most of my energy on AASHTO and become real familiar with it.

I would just like to put in a word of advice for everyone who failed the PE.

Take a really hard look at your diagnostic. Don't simply dismiss it. Use it as a tool to do better on your next try at the PE.

:2cents:

I second the AASHTO part. I took the SE-1 in April and passed. I am a building guy too, but there were a lot of bridge problems. Familiarize yourself with Chapter 3 and 4, know to use the load combination etc. There were a lot of problems but nothing that you could not work out provided you familiarize yourself with the AASHTO Code. One other piece of advice, use the Table of Contents and Index wisely. It is well documented and you can find things that you did not know also.

Don't lose heart. Go ace it the next time.

I also took it in April and was sitting near a bunch of bridge guys (I'm in building design). They were all saying how even they thought the bridge questions were difficult. They were certianly much harder than the NCEES sample exam.

Good luck studying.

steve1997 said:

I am one of the unlucky people who failed the Structural 1 PE the first time and I was wondering who else failed the PE and where you think you went wrong and how you might approach it differently next time around. Personally the amount of bridge questions on the structural PE was my downfall as I am a building engineer not bridge. I think I need to concentrate most of my energy on AASHTO and become real familiar with it.

Click to expand...

Steve-Does your state recognize the Structural 1 as an S.E.? If they do not, then I must ask why you are taking the Structural 1 PE exam. My state (Tennessee) doesn't allow the use of SE behind your name so why take a test with a 30% failure rate if you get no benefit from taking it. Wouldn't the civil with structural afternoon also work (65% passing)? Even if you pass the Structural 1 this fall you will still have to take the 16 hour test in 2011 to get your SE---