How to pass Mechanical PE Exam

I had good intentions in the months leading up to the exam of doing alot of studying each and every day. Sometimes I would study for three or four hours on a Saturday or Sunday but I never got into the groove I had hoped to prior to the exam. My study time was spent doing problems from the Lindeburg Reference Manual (In hindsight the problems in the Lindeburg book were not that helpful for me, I would go through the solutions and understand the concepts instead).

I knew a long time ago that I wanted to take the week before the exam off of work and I did. I believe that week was the single most important factor in my passing the exam on the first try. I studied 6-8 hours each day from Sunday through Wednesday. I spent my time working sample exam questions from 2 sources, The Lindeburg sample exam questions book and the NCEES sample exam problems book. I worked both of them as timed practice tests the first time through. I worked the NCEES problems 2 more times that week and the Lindeburg problems once more. After the first time through the practice exams I went through the solutions in detail and made mental notes of the mistakes I made each time.

I spent Thursday getting my ducks in a row and went to the hotel at about 3 pm. I did a little studying and met with a friend that was taking the exam for the second time. We discussed strategy and the types of mistakes to be careful of. FYI... he passed as well. The strategy we used was to flip through each session's problems quickly the first time through and look for code questions and other "short" type problems. The second time through I looked for problems that I knew exactly how to answer and could do relatively quickly. The next time through I looked for problems I knew I could do but would take a little extra time. After each iteration the problems got more difficult or involved until eventually I was left with only the most difficult or time consuming problems. By using this strategy I was always ahead of the clock and I had alot of time left at the end of each session to attack the difficult problems that were left. I also knew how many problems I was unsure about for each session. For me there were 4 problems for the morning session and 6 for afternoon session that I wasn't confident on. I worked the HVAC afternoon session. Had I failed, I know what I would need to study in order to pass because I knew the types of problems that gave me trouble.

So what I would recommend to anyone studying for the exam is in the months leading up to the exam to only review in detail the solutions to the problems in the Lindeburg Reference Manual and not neccessarily work them. Start working the sample exams the week before the exam and work them through the first time under timed test like conditions. Keep working them as many times as you can until the exam date. After the first time working them go through the solutions in detail.

The day of the exam use the strategy above for working the problems. I won't guarantee you'll pass but if you don't pass you will at least have a leg up by knowing what your weaknesses are for the next exam date.

I felt like I needed to share this to help future exam takers prepare for the exam. Good luck! If you use this stategy and it works for you, let me know.

10940623:

I was going to use this strategy. But felt I must work organized. I just started at the beginning & worked in order. I gave myself 15min to work the long ones that I knew I should solve, no rush to blow one that I invested time in! I would skip any if to involved or I was not good at. The easy ones give you a quick rest & allow you to gain time.

As I worked I watch each hour, I should have a column of 10 complete to watch overall time. I hated skipping the first afternoon fluid/piping problem but it looked to long. I knew how to do it but I would want 1/2 hour to get a good answer. I tried to read each and identify a solution, write down book reference, then judge to work or skip. I base skip based on my experience in practice & remaining time.

I only had a few in the morning to do the last half hour, & made a guess. I had 10 in the afternoon, I was able to work through some but time was running out and they not looking right. I had like 2 I made no attempt to work a a couple others that looked wrong so I made as random guess I could.

The hardest are the quick code answers, you really have to know or go with your first idea. Start second guessing or looking up and you waste time.

I also made my own formula quick reference, the first page had a reference to the Book & I printed out the table of contents & bound.

Just wanted to share my methods, a little mix of those above and some additional suggestions.

To start, I have heard it before, but just wanted to reiterate it. While working numerous iterations of problems for practice doesn't hurt, the key is to really know the theory and application of the theory. Also, shelves of reference manuals at the exam can be a hinderence rather than a help. While working problems and studying theory prior to the exam, I would photocopy necessary tables, etc. from various references and place them into a central reference binder. That way, I had one primary reference that I knew inside and out.

As far as actually taking the exam, I used the easiest to most difficult tiered approach. I started with questions that would literally take only a couple of minutes to solve and worked up to those that took 10 minutes plus. I was able to complete both sections of the exam without issue (granted I had to make some educated guesses because I couldn't attain a listed answer).

Hope this helps!

Firetoad said:

Just wanted to share my methods, a little mix of those above and some additional suggestions.
To start, I have heard it before, but just wanted to reiterate it. While working numerous iterations of problems for practice doesn't hurt, the key is to really know the theory and application of the theory. Also, shelves of reference manuals at the exam can be a hinderence rather than a help. While working problems and studying theory prior to the exam, I would photocopy necessary tables, etc. from various references and place them into a central reference binder. That way, I had one primary reference that I knew inside and out.

As far as actually taking the exam, I used the easiest to most difficult tiered approach. I started with questions that would literally take only a couple of minutes to solve and worked up to those that took 10 minutes plus. I was able to complete both sections of the exam without issue (granted I had to make some educated guesses because I couldn't attain a listed answer).

Hope this helps!

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You make a good point about the reference material. I used just 3 books during the exam. I used the Lindeburg Reference Manual, The Lindeburg Quick Reference Guide, and the ASHRAE Fundamentals of HVAC. I used ASHRAE book more as a check than a reference. I had my other two references tabbed very efficiently. Know your reference material like the back of your hand.

G-Loose said:

You make a good point about the reference material. I used just 3 books during the exam. I used the Lindeburg Reference Manual, The Lindeburg Quick Reference Guide, and the ASHRAE Fundamentals of HVAC. I used ASHRAE book more as a check than a reference. I had my other two references tabbed very efficiently. Know your reference material like the back of your hand.

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I took the Civil but this seems to be a good place to input what I did. I took off work a week and a half before. I'm with G-Loose that THIS IS A MUST!!! I studied off and on for about 2 months but I think I learned most everything in the last week.

Don't study the CERM too much. I did this and I was really worried about the evening portion of the exam. The morning questions are not going to be near as deatailed as you are thinking they will be. I was actuall shocked (can't believe I'm saying this) at how easy some of them were(only for a few though). You aren't going to remember everything in the CERM and you're going to have to referenced it anyways. I printed out the index and had it in a seperate folder, that saved very valuable time!

I copied the outline from NCEES and put it into Microsoft Word. I then labeled my references and put a list of what references covered what. This makes it easier if you come across a topic you're not real strong at so you won't waste time flipping through your references.

I studied alone, but I learn better by working problems on my own. If you learn better by having someone show you, GET A STUDY PARTNER!

Get on a forum and look at other's people advice. Half of what I did came from what other suggested. It's sucks studying for the test, but it's a smart idea to take advice from someone that has taken it already and passed it. More than likely, the test isn't going to be totally different than the last one.

Some additional on studying.

I started my initial study reading theory on my old school texts, I have been out of school 20 years. I started as I filled out the application, then lost interest waiting for the application to get approved.

Just before Christmas I got the approval & I knew time was short. I hate refresher courses, waste of money, but I registered immediately. I started reading up on the theory each night.

I got the 6 min solutions and NCEES practice problems. I worked the 6 min solutions after lunch & studied some theory at night, text books & MERM. I still did pretty good being out of school so long but made dumb errors. Working the NCESS the problems were repeated & I was able to know the answer. I also found the 6 min solutions much to complex & full of errors, but they really did help my initial study. I was running out of problems to work.

I started an open office document of important formulas & quick reference. This helped me see the info again & start to get confidant after correcting errors in my guide.

I finally got the solutions problems for MERM. They are not representative of the test but really helped reinforce working problems & stop making the stupid errors. I remembered a Civil PE I worked with years ago telling me if a calculation is important to do once, then do it twice.

The fluids instructor was the best in the refresher course. Read the problem & identify formulas. Convert the given data to the proper units then plug into the equations. Then convert the answer to units they are looking for. Sure beats confusing conversions in the formulas.

The last week was limited study, it was to late you either know it or not. I wish I had studied my HP35s solve feature. I did this the day after the test as I started to study again.

DO remember if you failed to study for everything, they may repeat some questions, but it could be a totally different test!

I took the struc 1 exam...but I approached it in a similar manner. I went through and did every problem I knew how to do....or at least knew where to look. After that, I went and did everything except the bridge design problems...since I know very little about bridges. Then I hit those at the end. I ended up with enough time in the morning session to make a good attempt at all the problems. In the afternoon, it was a little more difficult...I didn't really get any more questions answered that my first pass. But...I because I saved the ones I didn't know how to do until the end, I remembered where I needed more study. I was even smart enough to write those down (although I don't really remember doing it)...so now when I start studying again...I have that to go by. I know the exam can be completely different, but it gives me an idea where I'm weak. Now...I'm just waiting on the diagnositc report to confirm the areas I think I need to work a little more on this time.

I was also very worried about running out of time, but that wasn't a problem. I had plenty of time to hit every problem. There were just some I completely didn't know how to do.

Study concepts, then sit on your butt & do problems.

If you don't sit on your butt & work problems, you'll be lucky to pass.

Nice fish G-Loose

FYI - Ebay has a copy of the NCEES Mechanical 2001 Practice Exam for All 3 Diciplines - HVAC, Thermo & Fluids, Machine Design & Materials

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XNCEES+PE+Mechanical+Practice+Exam.TRS0&_nkw=NCEES+PE+Mechanical+Practice+Exam&_sacat=0

Mr.PE said:

FYI - Ebay has a copy of the NCEES Mechanical 2001 Practice Exam for All 3 Diciplines - HVAC, Thermo & Fluids, Machine Design & Materials

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XNCEES+PE+Mechanical+Practice+Exam.TRS0&_nkw=NCEES+PE+Mechanical+Practice+Exam&_sacat=0

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You needed to bump a 9 year old thread to tell us this?