For Test Takers PE Mechanical TFS April 2018

Hello Fellow EIT's who will take the TFS exam this April 2018!

Were almost there, 5 weeks to go. What have you done so far? I thought I should write this up so we can share our prep strategies! I hope we can help each other.

Here's what I've done so far:

1. I started with the MERM on Jan.16., I read most of the chapters that deals with the new exam specs. While reading it, I was doing the sample problems as well. I tabbed each chapter, highlight the equations. Took me about two weeks! Now, looking back, I think I shouldn't have done that. I should have go straight answering practice test in the MERM companion.

2. I did the MERM companion problems all that's in the exam specs only. Did this only one pass to date. Took me 3 weeks to finish all one pass. I was working on this problems for an average of 5hrs a day!

3. After the MERM companion problems. I started answering the NCEES practice test 2016, I managed to finish it all in 8hrs for the first try, but only got about roughly 70% raw score. Then I repeat, until I got 100% correct at about 3hrs 9min top speed, this is on the 5th pass. (I was answering these questions as if its still the first time I saw it.) took me 6 days to be able to pull that speed.

4. Next I did was the 2011 NCEES practice test. There was only like 21 questions that are different than 2016. I did this for 3 days got 100% for 40 minutes after the 3rd try.

5. I moved to 6MS, I skipped all the unrelated problems based on the new exam specs. It took me 5 days to get 100% for about 4.5 hrs. I answered about only 90 questions in here, there are 105 questions total in this book.

6. Now currently I just started answering the 2001 NCEES Practice test.

7. After this, I will do the 2008, then SlayThePE Practice test, then METS(maybe not all, I will select a few good ones in every subject which are different from all the problems I already encountered) then go back to MERM Companion and repeat step #3-#6!

I have all my references ready except for the notes which is not yet bound! The references I have used so far are the following: MERM 13th Ed., Keenan&Keyes Steam Tables, Engineering Conversion Unit, Air Tables, MERM Appendices, MERM Index, my notes, 11x17 psychrometric charts, I also printed random charts like air density at different altitudes, etc. and NCEES Reference Handbook.

Since I started studying, I have not had more than 6 hours of sleep to date. Mostly 4-5hrs sleep!

Please share your experience so far! Lets help each other and rekt this exam!

cfm03 said:

So far this is what I have done :

Merm - 1X
NCEES 2016 - 3X
SMS (2nd Ed.) - 3X
EngPro - 3X
Slay - 2X
PPI - 1X

I started my study Dec 2017.

Working on tabbing, developing binder problems and super cheetsheet with most used formulas and most used conversions.
I also did the extra 21 probs from Ncees 2011.

Planning on going back to redo them all, except the MERM and PPI.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 

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Thanks for sharing! 

PPI is also known as the METS? I don't have the EngPro yet. Hmm if time allows, I would get that as well. Also another tip I got is to practice with mechanical pencil something like what we will be using on the actual test. I did't think its a huge factor though on my end, but it probably will be for those who have heavy hands.

I did all of the relevant MERM problems. I got skewered by the SlaythePE exam. I am working on the Companion problems.

Family and work makes it really hard to study more. I am gonna do the best I can and I hope to get it.

cornsnicker3 said:

I did all of the relevant MERM problems. I got skewered by the SlaythePE exam. I am working on the Companion problems.

Family and work makes it really hard to study more. I am gonna do the best I can and I hope to get it.

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Thanks for sharing! 

Ok so, just for info purposes if you haven't bought the NCEES Practice test yet, the 2016 NCEES Practice Test is basically 90% the same from the 2008, they just split the TFS to the other Mech exam. (EDIT: There were approximately 5 new questions in the 2016 Practice Test)

The 2011 had 21problems different from 2016, and the 2001 have about 50 problems different from both 2016 and 2011. Over all from NCEES 2001 to 2016, there were only 156 different questions. 

Looks like I will do the SlayPE questions soon. 

Are you guys doing a timed practice test? 

Vel2018 said:

Thanks for sharing! 

Ok so, just for info purposes if you haven't bought the NCEES Practice test yet, the 2016 NCEES Practice Test is basically 90% the same from the 2008, they just split the TFS to the other Mech exam. (EDIT: There were approximately 5 new questions in the 2016 Practice Test)

The 2011 had 21problems different from 2016, and the 2001 have about 50 problems different from both 2016 and 2011. Over all from NCEES 2001 to 2016, there were only 156 different questions. 

Looks like I will do the SlayPE questions soon. 

Are you guys doing a timed practice test? 

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I am trying to save them for the last couple of weeks when I get an opportunity to sit for 8 hours.

I've almost completed the Fast-Track Dr. Toms Review Course for TFS. Started studying January 2nd. I've purchased both SlaythePE and ENGPROGUIDES practice exams in addition to DTC and the NCEES practice exam. I'll finish DTC within the next 2 weeks and focus on practice exam problems from there. I've been putting in about 2 hours per night during the week and 5 hours/day on the weekends. Good luck to everyone.

ME_VT said:

I've almost completed the Fast-Track Dr. Toms Review Course for TFS. Started studying January 2nd. I've purchased both SlaythePE and ENGPROGUIDES practice exams in addition to DTC and the NCEES practice exam. I'll finish DTC within the next 2 weeks and focus on practice exam problems from there. I've been putting in about 2 hours per night during the week and 5 hours/day on the weekends. Good luck to everyone.

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Hi there! Thanks for sharing! Is this your first time taking the exam? 

First and hopefully only time. My company paid for the DTC course thankfully. I've purchased every practice exam/solution set I can get my hands on. Planning to hammer through those as soon as possible from end-of-course to exam time. I actually waited a few years after graduation to take the FE (which I just took and passed in August '17, so I was still in study mode a little.

I'm on my third pass through the NCEES 2016 exam. I am averaging about 4 minutes per question now and getting most correct. 

I stepped away from that exam for a bit though and have been working on the Slay the PE exam now. That exam has been killing me so far. I was feeling pretty solid after going through the NCEES exam a few times, but the Slay the PE exam has definitely knocked my confidence down a bit (probably a good thing). 

Unfortunately, I have a 2-day-old at home now so my study time is going to be seriously limited. Not feeling great about my chances of passing at this point.

sambisu said:

I'm on my third pass through the NCEES 2016 exam. I am averaging about 4 minutes per question now and getting most correct. 

I stepped away from that exam for a bit though and have been working on the Slay the PE exam now. That exam has been killing me so far. I was feeling pretty solid after going through the NCEES exam a few times, but the Slay the PE exam has definitely knocked my confidence down a bit (probably a good thing). 

Unfortunately, I have a 2-day-old at home now so my study time is going to be seriously limited. Not feeling great about my chances of passing at this point.

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I'm in the same boat, although mine is almost 2 years old. I'm really hoping this DTC course pays off, since I will only have 2 weeks to crank out practice problems by the time its over. My problem with doing similar problems over and over is that I tend to unintentionally try and memorize the solution rather than the reasoning behind it. I have every practice exam I can get my hands on and will be working through them, cataloging problem/solution sheets into my reference binders and hoping for the best. Good luck to you and everyone else taking the exam in April.

sambisu said:

I'm on my third pass through the NCEES 2016 exam. I am averaging about 4 minutes per question now and getting most correct. 

I stepped away from that exam for a bit though and have been working on the Slay the PE exam now. That exam has been killing me so far. I was feeling pretty solid after going through the NCEES exam a few times, but the Slay the PE exam has definitely knocked my confidence down a bit (probably a good thing). 

Unfortunately, I have a 2-day-old at home now so my study time is going to be seriously limited. Not feeling great about my chances of passing at this point.

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I am saving NCEES 2016 till the very end for a Mortal Kombat style "Fatality".

I hear you about kids. All of my time is sucked up by family and home responsibilities. Hopefully my next field assignment will beget me some study time.

ME_VT said:

I'm in the same boat, although mine is almost 2 years old. I'm really hoping this DTC course pays off, since I will only have 2 weeks to crank out practice problems by the time its over. My problem with doing similar problems over and over is that I tend to unintentionally try and memorize the solution rather than the reasoning behind it. I have every practice exam I can get my hands on and will be working through them, cataloging problem/solution sheets into my reference binders and hoping for the best. Good luck to you and everyone else taking the exam in April.

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I forgot to mention the 3 yr old we also have running around our house  :blink:

sambisu said:

I'm on my third pass through the NCEES 2016 exam. I am averaging about 4 minutes per question now and getting most correct. 

I stepped away from that exam for a bit though and have been working on the Slay the PE exam now. That exam has been killing me so far. I was feeling pretty solid after going through the NCEES exam a few times, but the Slay the PE exam has definitely knocked my confidence down a bit (probably a good thing). 

Unfortunately, I have a 2-day-old at home now so my study time is going to be seriously limited. Not feeling great about my chances of passing at this point.

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I hear you, and evrytime I answered problems correctly within 6 minutes I was like yes!!! Felt pretty good lol. Im at the pm section now of SlayPE, so far there are like 30% of the problems I encountered took me morethan 6min to solve and some about 5 questions I couldnt figure out a solution path, then I looked at the solution, I realized they were not too difficult, its just lack of knowledge! Which now you and I gained!!! I feel pretty solid now but still not satisfied until I made my second pass on the MERM companion.

SlayPE is a very good material, enhaces your analysis skill also I learned more stuff i did not know even after solving MERM, ncees and 6ms.

I wont go back to ncees practice test until 2 weeks before exam. 

Ill master all these SlayPE practice problem until I can solve all lessthan 8hrs. By the way theres an error on one problem SlayPE, I already communicated to them and they will fix it. 

I still need to enhance my weak points which is HVAC. 

You guys should try to get a hold of 2001 ncees practice test. There are more or less 50 good different problems from 2008-2016.

Goodluck to us!!

Vel2018 said:

I still need to enhance my weak points which is HVAC. 

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We have an e-book with a lot of HVAC problems for TFS test takers. To get a good preview for free, you can download the first 20+ pages of the book HERE. 

Slay the P.E. said:

We have an e-book with a lot of HVAC problems for TFS test takers. Too get a good preview for free, you can download the first 20+ pages of the book HERE. 

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Thank you! Once Im done with these I'll definitely check it out.

First time taker here. I started out just reading the MERM and working practice problems along the way, but I quickly got overwhelmed, so signed up for Dr. Tom’s Classroom review course so I’d have more direction. I finished at the end of February and have since done SMS 3x’s and NCEES 2016 3x’s. I just finished a first pass at the PPI practice text, which was brutal - ended up with a 42/80 in well over 8 hours (probably more like 16). I’ve heard this test is hard in comparison to the real deal so I’m trying not to let it kill my confidence. 

SlaythePE is next for me, then probably ENGProGuides. 

4 weeks to go, hang in there all!

mckenz007 said:

First time taker here. I started out just reading the MERM and working practice problems along the way, but I quickly got overwhelmed, so signed up for Dr. Tom’s Classroom review course so I’d have more direction. I finished at the end of February and have since done SMS 3x’s and NCEES 2016 3x’s. I just finished a first pass at the PPI practice text, which was brutal - ended up with a 42/80 in well over 8 hours (probably more like 16). I’ve heard this test is hard in comparison to the real deal so I’m trying not to let it kill my confidence. 

SlaythePE is next for me, then probably ENGProGuides. 

4 weeks to go, hang in there all!

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I believe what we going to actually see in the exam is just same weight as NCEES practice test, its not going to go too much way beyond that, some questions might appear more difficult but I think that's just because the problems are foreign. 

I'm almost done with my first pass on SlayPE, it took me one week or so to finish 1st pass, I had some unproductive days this week. Need to catch up with the schedule, was 3 days behind already.

Vel2018 said:

I believe what we going to actually see in the exam is just same weight as NCEES practice test, its not going to go too much way beyond that, some questions might appear more difficult but I think that's just because the problems are foreign. 

I'm almost done with my first pass on SlayPE, it took me one week or so to finish 1st pass, I had some unproductive days this week. Need to catch up with the schedule, was 3 days behind already.

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Do you have a copy or share a copy of the 2001 NCEES practice exam? I am hearing good things about it just cant find it. I haev the 2011 and 2016. 

cfm03 said:

Suhaib,
This is copyrighted material.
You have to purchase your own copy.
Also, be careful the ops of EB forum have minimum tolerance for these kind of questions...

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Exactly what I was about to say.

Also for those that sent me a pm. Sorry guys, don't want to get in any kind of trouble. It is as cfm03 said.

Vel2018 said:

Exactly what I was about to say.

Also for those that sent me a pm. Sorry guys, don't want to get in any kind of trouble. It is as cfm03 said.

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Oh sorry guys! I’m new to this forum. If that is the case then I’m sorry!