What do you do??

Do you study the same material over again? Do you go out and purchase more material, almost getting to the point where you can't find your way out of the spare bedroom??? (Hope this is the answer, b/c this is what I am doing....)

Any thoughts????

thanks in advance....ktulu

Roll Tide Roll!!!

The biggest thing to do is to be relaxed while studying. Not that I have passed, I am still waiting on results from my second attempt in OCT, but I do know that the more I was relaxed while studying the better I retained the information. I could actually tell that I knew the material better on test day for the stuff I was relaxed while studying. It is too bad that you didn't make it this time or other times, but don't let doubt and frustration get you down, stay focused and minimize the stresses that face your ability to retain information.

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Sapper-

I appreciate the advice....and will take it to heart.

ktulu

Do you study the same material over again? Do you go out and purchase more material, almost getting to the point where you can't find your way out of the spare bedroom??? (Hope this is the answer, b/c this is what I am doing....)
Any thoughts????

thanks in advance....ktulu

Roll Tide Roll!!!

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I can't relate directly to failing the exam, but the feeling you get when you pass is unbelievably sweet. Keep at it, study your ass off, concentrate on the areas you didn't do well in. It's worth it, trust me. Don't give up!

:true:

failed the 1st time, but I did put in an honest 200+ hours the second go around, I have always been one of those "poor test takers" so I realized I basically had to tell friends, family, and even work to "F" off for a few months.

I mainly think that most of the PE success for people comes because they brought the right book for that question to the exam (for the most part) I think we all know how to do the things we are strong at, but for me, civil anyways, 3/5 of the AM sections are completely greek (& a waste of time to study for) but you got to do what you got to do.

Actually, I think this is a good topic. I would like to know myself. I can tell that I'm WAY better prepared each time I've taken the exam, and I can also tell that I'm smarter now than I was the first time, but ironically, my results have NOT improved. I have failed this test three times, and the correct answers I have gotten each time are 49 the first time, 50 the second, and 49 this last Oct. Ironically, I've done better each time in the AM portion, and worse each time in the PM....by 3 each time. My answer has been to throw money at the problem. After each failure, I buy new materials in hopes that I'm able to be inspired by looking at something different, and I've already begun that this time, I bought $200 worth of Geotechnical dvd's, but maybe I'm not doing it right????? So any other ideas would certainly be welcomed!!! :read:

what PM Section were you doing? same one each time?

NC-

I have read many goetech posts and then went out and bought what was recommended...hoping (maybe praying) that the new material will spark a fire....

Maybe you and I and the few others that are geotech bound can join forces over the next few months and piggyback each other and finallly beat this thing....

ktulu

The first two times I did Transpo since I deal with apshalt research full time, but that did not work....

This last time I tried Geotech, felt much better during prepping, then ended up getting stumped by the earth retaining structures problems....

ktulu

On my first attempt, there was a certain kind of geotech problem on there that killed me.

I spent close to a month working those type of problems.

This time around there was not one single **** problem on the exam (AM or PM)

If you did transportation did you take ALL the books? Its almost a must. Also they trick you by letting you think you can pull data from a table where you have to read the small print.

The guy that started TM said that in his opinion, if you dont have a lot of pure design experience then you should take the WR PM Section. But if I had already seen more than one afternoon section I wouldnt switch.

I know some people say they found all the AM definition questions in the CERM, I could not find them, I think you really need to bring in old textbooks from each subject to cover the stupid definition questions on there that have no bearing absolutely on you ability to design something, in case you wondered where I stood on those

All 3 times I took the Transpo afternoon. My experience has been about 23 years of Roadway design, which I now know is the WORST experience to have when attempting to pass this test. The 1 or 2 questions that are roadway design type questions on each of the exams, I could have answered in my first year, the other 95% of the exam has been all new. I have switched this past year to doing site/civil design, and that's helped a TON....I do much better in the WR portions of the exam than I ever would have before, but still never deal much with geotechnical problems.

The DVDs I ordered should come in this week, I'll certainly let you all know if I think they are worth getting, one of the other guys had some for sale earlier, but he's sold them already, and he recommended them.....so I'm hoping they will help.

I have even thought about switching to the WR afternoon, unfortunately, that would introduce MORE geotech problems, and environmental problems, which are completly "Greek" to me....so I'll stick with what I know.<--that's not really funny, since I must NOT "know".... :drunk:

Oops! by reading about the Geotech purchases, I just assumed.....

and everyone knows how the saying goes.....

in the civil exam section there was a lot of geotech related info that should stil be there.

I took Geotech in the afternoon for Oct and failed also.....

But, I am back in the saddle as of this morning and studying again.

I am going over some material that i had before but did not reveiw that hard.

If you are going to stick with Geotech in the PM then let's keep in touch and beat this test together....

I took Geotech in the afternoon for Oct and failed also.....
But, I am back in the saddle as of this morning and studying again.

I am going over some material that i had before but did not reveiw that hard.

If you are going to stick with Geotech in the PM then let's keep in touch and beat this test together....

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I can handle that, hockeyfan....

ktulu

Good luck guys, you have the right attitudes to be successful. Remember it is a test of endurance and stamina more than anything. When I say endurance and stamina, I don't mean exam day, I mean preparation time. To be able to remain focused and organized on a single 8 hour event for 3 to 4 months is a serious feat to accomplish.

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I'm not totally sure that it doesn't also mean EXAM DAY.....I honestly believe that I start to wear out around 3:00 pm each time.....I get to the point that I almost can't muster up the energy to work another complex problem, and I think it has something to do with it.....I'm not really out of shape, but by no means could I run a marathon either. I think I'm going to try this year to work out more in addition to the extra studying!

NC-
I have read many goetech posts and then went out and bought what was recommended...hoping (maybe praying) that the new material will spark a fire....

Maybe you and I and the few others that are geotech bound can join forces over the next few months and piggyback each other and finallly beat this thing....

ktulu

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actually, you're probably the VERY person that could help me! I'm LOST when it comes to geotech problems, that's why I purchased the DVD's, so when I get them, I'll let you know if there's any good to em'

I'm taking Geotech as well, so I will add any input I can into geotech as well. Two Times a charm right. Hopefully this applies to the PE test as well.

:angry:

I noticed that the follow-on to this discussion got cutoff.

A recommendation was made by timmyutah to pick up a Hydraulic Calculator through the Clay Pipe Institute. I posted the link to get the calculator (for free) at Hydraulic Calculator.

I just wanted to add:

1. The calculator can be affixed onto a sheet (preferably something stiff like cardboard) in a notebook so that it meets the definition of BOUND MATERIAL. Fixing the hydraulic calculator on a sheet like that does not diminish its' functionality.

2. My previous post indicated that this calculator had limited use. I retract that statement to re-read that it can be useful for anyone who so chooses to learn how to use it EFFICIENTLY.

Regards,

JR

Hey ALL!!

i JUST got the hydraulic calculator yesterday . . . . and it IS a nice tool!! . . spent about and hour playin with it and following the expamples sent along with it . . . it is cool!!

tried Geo PW section and tried Tranportation PM section and i will stick with WR in the PM . . . .

I JUST got a new job where there are ALOT of waste water gys who promise to help me along with the chemistry part of it all . . . . .

just gotta keep on keepin on!

Rob