Kaplan Material

My last class for the PE review was yesterday. They gave out a Kaplan PE Sample exam.

I have not had a chance to go over any of it yet. But I was surprised not to have heard about the Kaplan materials on this board. It looks like they have another book for 175 problems and solutions.

http://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Engineeri...7998&sr=1-1

I bought one of the Kaplan books when I was studying, but never used it. I skimmed through it and it seemed more complex than NCEES.

I didn't buy the Kaplan practice problems because on Amazon the reviews say there are a lot of mistakes. I would be interest in what you think. I could use some more problems.

My opinion on the Kaplan material can be found in this thread:

http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showto...6&hl=kaplan

I plan on looking over it this weekend. The one they gave out in class is a second edition and the problems are multiple choice

It amazes me how mixed the opinions are on 6MS. I have a hard time seeing how Kaplan can be any worse than MD 6MS. I got my MD 6MS from the library so maybe I have an old revision. Another guy in the PE review course bought MD 6MS and said he wished he could get his money back.

In my opinion TF 6MS is better (still very obscure questions) and HVAC 6MS seems pretty good (although I did not work through all the depth).

Oh for all of you that might be wondering the NCEES 2010 is EXACTLY the same as NCEES 2008 except they broke it up into 3 books instead of 1.

I am getting tired of working through NCEES 2001 & 2008. I wish I had more problems.

Only 3 weeks from today! I will be so happy when this is finished. I am getting so tired of studying. I have been studying so much I hardly remember normal life.

Have you worked the PPI practice problems and sample exam? Those are typically regarded as more difficult than exam questions, but they are good practice.

Shaggy said:

Have you worked the PPI practice problems and sample exam? Those are typically regarded as more difficult than exam questions, but they are good practice.

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I worked through the practice problems as I went through MERMs chapter by chapter. I could start working on those problems again. But as we all know many of those problems take a long time.

I also took the Lindeburg sample test a few weeks back.

I am working on speed, but I should work some of the MERMs practice problems again.

Nathan Satter said:

Shaggy said:

Have you worked the PPI practice problems and sample exam? Those are typically regarded as more difficult than exam questions, but they are good practice.

Click to expand...

I worked through the practice problems as I went through MERMs chapter by chapter. I could start working on those problems again. But as we all know many of those problems take a long time.

I also took the Lindeburg sample test a few weeks back.

I am working on speed, but I should work some of the MERMs practice problems again.

Click to expand...

You should be in good shape for the test if you did all that you say you did. Just remember to relax during the test and keep moving forward. Don't get too hung up on any one problem but don't rush either. 4 hours for each session is a long time to solve 40 problems as long as you are prepared. Stay focused and watch for careless mistakes.

I am fairly confident at this point. I just need to limit my stupid mistakes (which I think I make more often when I am really tired - which is always as of late).

There are two subjects that I seem to have mental blocks against. Has anyone else had problems with certain subjects?

For me it is stoichiometry (related to combustion - flue gas analysis) and the more complex compressible flow problems (Px,Py,Pox,Poy,Mx,My and so on).

I am less than excited when I see moles or HHV terms in a problem.

I do think it is funny how NCEES can disguise a problem as something completely different (like have a problem look like a combustion problem but it is really a simple fluids problem. I am sure most of you remember that nuclear reactor problem which is really just an ideal gas.

You really have to be careful to not overcomplicate (over think most of these problems).

Before I get I wanted to thank all you guys! You guys are awesome. Your advice is spot on as far as how to approach this test. I can see how it is possible to fail this test by focusing on the wrong material and going into too much depth. If you are time limited reading MERMs cover to cover is exactly the thing not to do!

if you have your core competencies down but have a few areas where you get tripped up, it sounds like you're prepared. EVERYBODY has their difficulties (mine was unfortunately almost the whole subject of heat xfer) so the key is to skip those problems altogether. I put it like this: don't feel ANY obligation to work the problems in the order they are presented to you on the test. Give yourself the chance to see and work every problem that you know you can work. All the best....

jldavis2 said:

if you have your core competencies down but have a few areas where you get tripped up, it sounds like you're prepared. EVERYBODY has their difficulties (mine was unfortunately almost the whole subject of heat xfer) so the key is to skip those problems altogether. I put it like this: don't feel ANY obligation to work the problems in the order they are presented to you on the test. Give yourself the chance to see and work every problem that you know you can work. All the best....

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Heat transfer can be tough. Most of the time heat transfer involves trying to solve for the Nusselt number (film coefficient).

Lucky for us most of what they can give (heat transfer related) on the test is not as complex. From the problems I have worked the film coefficient is usually given.

I have actually been a little surprised (I am taking TF) at how little there is in the way of heat transfer on the NCEES sample tests I have taken. They seem to lean heavily toward pump problems involving fluid flow.

But you are right heat transfer is not an easy subject.