Exam day info?

Hi All,

Anyone who took the PE recently,please help. did you find a locker to store your cell phone,car keys, wallet/purse etc.? Any useful tips about actual exam day on site info would be greatly appreciated. I will be taking the exam in FAirfax, VA.

Thanks in advance!!!

Leave your cell phone in your car. Bring your keys, wallet, a little cash on hand helps too, to the exam room. I took the exam in NJ but the cell phone thing is standard. Everything else is pretty much permitted.

The cash is a good idea for lunch or a vending machine.

Each location is different, but you should assume that you won't have a locker. You will need your ID to get into the exam along with your admittance letter. Leave the cellphone and wallet/purse in the car.

I would suggest finding a place to put your purse rather than bringing it in, such as your car or your home. Be sure to check your purse for other prohibited items if you do bring it such as pens and pencils, anything that makes noise, calculators, etc. Instead of your purse, I would suggest figuring out what you think you will/might need and creating a "survival kit" My kit included antacids, sudaphed, ibproufen, tylenol, cough drops, mints, m&ms, pretzels, water bottles, ear plugs, spare calculators, passport (back-up ID), extra admittance ticket, etc. I put everything in clear zip lock baggies so it would be easy and quiet if I had to start looking for something. This way everything is one spot and you won't forget it on exam day. I also took cereal in a zip lock bag and bowl so I could get milk the night before at a gas station, in case I didn't like the hotel breakfast or the line was too long. Obviously I didn't use most of the items in the survival kit, but they were there if I needed them.

Thanks everyone! How did you take the reference books with you? Small cart or suitcase? Do they let you take it all the way to your seat or do you leave the cart/suitcase somewhere else and just take the books to your seat?

Suitcase here. Regardless of what you take they will let you wheel/carry to your seat

Use one of these:

poosri said:

Hi All,

Anyone who took the PE recently,please help. did you find a locker to store your cell phone,car keys, wallet/purse etc.? Any useful tips about actual exam day on site info would be greatly appreciated. I will be taking the exam in FAirfax, VA.

Thanks in advance!!!

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Hi..my neck of the wood....

Day Off

If you are more than 2 hours from the exam site, I would recommended to stay in a hotel nearby, so you won't have a rush day and day off relaxing.

Go through all the reference materials, make sure you bring everything you need, tabbed, and no loose paper. organized the materials in a basket or box or bag. DON'T STUDY ANYMORE....It won't make a different the day off the exam..really it will just make you panic or self-doubt (trust me on this)

Day of the exam:

Just only Bring your ID, exam authorization, a watch for time, and snack (unwrapped) in clear plastic bags and drinks (non alcoholic lol) and reference materials. Also bring pain killers for headache or whatever, extra backup calculator, and packed your lunch in the car (eat light...like a sandwich)

I used laundry basket Those roundish square one, just like this one

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Also, wear loose dress and bring a jacket...don't need to look too pretty either unless you are trying to meet some cute female engineers Some of them do

Good suggestions so far. I actually used milk crates tied to a small hand truck to carry in my reference materials. As far as lunch is concerned, I purchased a deli sandwich the night before and left it, chips, and drink in my car on ice. Sat in my car and ate it during the lunch break. Much needed midday break and did not have to worry about lunch wait times. Amazon also sells a quik cart(?) that's specifically designed to carry heavy books and files. About 25 bucks. As mentioned before a suitcase will work fine also. If you're able to, scout the exam site out the night to make sure you're going to the right place. I took mine in civic center complex/hotel/concert hall facility. The kind of place you could easily get lost in. A recon trip does wonders to make sure you know the correct route. Saved time and definitely eased my nerves.

Finally pack everything the night before. Check it 2-3 times. In case you're pushed for time that morning the last thing you want to do is mistakenly leave something.

They were about 500 or so exam takers in ga 2013, and they offered us a pretty good sack lunch at the exam

Ship Wreck PE said:

They were about 500 or so exam takers in ga 2013, and they offered us a pretty good sack lunch at the exam

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free lunch???

This might be a good business to start LOL..selling foods of food truck during PE exam..quick bucks!

iwire said:

Ship Wreck PE said:

They were about 500 or so exam takers in ga 2013, and they offered us a pretty good sack lunch at the exam

Click to expand...

free lunch???
This might be a good business to start LOL..selling foods of food truck during PE exam..quick bucks!

Click to expand...

It was not free. It was like 10 bucks for a Sammy.

so when is this test again?

Not long ago I started a thread about exam day horror stories/close calls. It can be found here: http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showtopic=23756&hl=

The main items you need to make sure you have are:

• ear plugs
• a few dollars cash
• your NCEES exam authorization sheet
• photo ID
• snacks/drinks - it's very important you get good brain food to keep your energy/stamina up. You can bring a cooler with you to put your drinks/snacks in (they let us do that in Raleigh, NC).
• watch
• spare calculator identical to the one you've been using to study with (in case your other calculator bricks during the exam)
• dress in layers so bring a long sleeve shirt or light sweater
• cushion to sit on
• Tylenol or whatever you use for headaches - trust me on this
• ........and finally the most important thing to bring is all your references and notebooks - don't leave home without them

Whatever you do, don't bring your cell phone in the exam room with you. They will jack you up if you have a cell phone.

Road Guy said:

so when is this test again?

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LOL...

What test?

Bring a flask

i believed Adderall helps your study!

Road Guy said:

so when is this test again?

Click to expand...

Has to be in April now right? I mean we're already practically through Oct so I must have tons of prep time left!

Just wanted to mention that you should check the info you received about your testing site - New York doesn't allow any food, snacks, or water, and it was stated with the information we received. I thought that might be wrong because no water over an 8 hour exam (like 9 hours with all the instructions!) is pretty harsh, but no, they were serious. Luckily I asked ahead before the exam started; the proctor told me you'd be kicked out for any food or drinks.