# So am I the only one that felt this Apr '11 exam (Transpo depth) was harder than Oct '10?



## ptatohed (Apr 12, 2011)

My goal was/is to pass one exam at a time. CA Survey was first (easiest for me, so pick it off first, Oct 2010). Then the 8-hour (Apr 2011). Finally the CA Seismic (the hardest for me, Oct 2011).

Well, in Oct 2010 I only studied for the CA Survey exam but of course still took the 8-hour exam (Transpo depth). I thought the Oct 8-hour was actually pretty easy and I think I did pretty well for not studying at all (of course studying for the CA Survey studies some of the Transpo topics. Ex. Geometric design). I have a feeling I failed last time by only a few points, maybe even one point! (I have yet to hear of anyone else failing with a higher XX/80 than I failed with). Not too bad for not studying, I thought.

So now, here I am going into the 8-hour in Apr 2011 very prepared. I studied for 4 months and probably 150-200 hours +/- this time. It should be a slam dunk, right? Well, I actually thought the exam was pretty difficult/challenging. I think I was 50% more prepared this time but I felt the test was 40% harder than Oct '10. I do think (hope) I passed but, probably not by much.

So I am curious - those of you who took the Oct '10 and the Apr '11 PE Transportation depth module, how do think the level of difficulty between the two exams compares?


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## monty74 (Apr 12, 2011)

ptatohed said:


> My goal was/is to pass one exam at a time. CA Survey was first (easiest for me, so pick it off first, Oct 2010). Then the 8-hour (Apr 2011). Finally the CA Seismic (the hardest for me, Oct 2011).
> Well, in Oct 2010 I only studied for the CA Survey exam but of course still took the 8-hour exam (Transpo depth). I thought the Oct 8-hour was actually pretty easy and I think I did pretty well for not studying at all (of course studying for the CA Survey studies some of the Transpo topics. Ex. Geometric design). I have a feeling I failed last time by only a few points, maybe even one point! (I have yet to hear of anyone else failing with a higher XX/80 than I failed with). Not too bad for not studying, I thought.
> 
> So now, here I am going into the 8-hour in Apr 2011 very prepared. I studied for 4 months and probably 150-200 hours +/- this time. It should be a slam dunk, right? Well, I actually thought the exam was pretty difficult/challenging. I think I was 50% more prepared this time but I felt the test was 40% harder than Oct '10. I do think (hope) I passed but, probably not by much.
> ...


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## monty74 (Apr 12, 2011)

ptatohed said:


> My goal was/is to pass one exam at a time. CA Survey was first (easiest for me, so pick it off first, Oct 2010). Then the 8-hour (Apr 2011). Finally the CA Seismic (the hardest for me, Oct 2011).
> Well, in Oct 2010 I only studied for the CA Survey exam but of course still took the 8-hour exam (Transpo depth). I thought the Oct 8-hour was actually pretty easy and I think I did pretty well for not studying at all (of course studying for the CA Survey studies some of the Transpo topics. Ex. Geometric design). I have a feeling I failed last time by only a few points, maybe even one point! (I have yet to hear of anyone else failing with a higher XX/80 than I failed with). Not too bad for not studying, I thought.
> 
> So now, here I am going into the 8-hour in Apr 2011 very prepared. I studied for 4 months and probably 150-200 hours +/- this time. It should be a slam dunk, right? Well, I actually thought the exam was pretty difficult/challenging. I think I was 50% more prepared this time but I felt the test was 40% harder than Oct '10. I do think (hope) I passed but, probably not by much.
> ...


yes this time exam was challenging after 20 questions. I was struggling to find correct answer after 21 questions. Mostly in Trasportation Planning and Traffic Safety ( 9 questions).


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## Boomer01 PE (Apr 12, 2011)

I really didn't think it was harder than last time. If anything, probably around the same.


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## Happy (Apr 12, 2011)

I didn't write the Oct exam, but I did find the April afternoon Trans easier than the morning session. I had studied probably around 250 hours.


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## ptatohed (Apr 13, 2011)

simpatique said:


> so if you are so smart why are still flunking ? what a tool



Why are you talking to me like this?

So, you must have passed your first time, I have to assume based on what you said to me, right? I am very impressed that you can pass a professional engineering exam when your basic reading comprehension skills are so poor.

1.) "Still flunking" would imply a series (or at least more than one) examination cycle failures (or "flunks" as you put it). If you read my original post, I failed once.

2.) "so if you are so smart" indicates that I, in some way, implied that I am smart. I never did such a thing. In fact, I pointed out that I failed the October '10 8-hour, I failed the October '10 Seismic (and I mentioned that Seismic is difficult for me), and I admitted that I found the April '11 Transpo depth 8-hour exam challenging even after studying for four months. How is that implying that I am "smart"?


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## maximus808 (Apr 13, 2011)

ptatohed,

I cannot compare this past April 2011 but I do felt that the October 2010 exam was not necessarily easier but more straight forward than the April 2010. I felt the material I studied actually showed up on the exam. But then again, I studied much harder the 2nd time in October 2010. The PE exam is going to be challenging every time it is given. For some, one exam might be easier one test than another. I'd say, clear your mind, relax, enjoy your time not studying until finding your results then hit the books hard again. I remember failing in April 2010 and was devastated as I thought I put enough studying in to pass. When I saw the exam in April I knew there was much I didn't know and how much I had to improve. I made a game plan of what different ways i was going to study, getting different books, taking more practice exams, even studying with more study partners. Every change brings on a new learning tool for you. Trust me, this will work  And if it doesn't, keep changing it up until it does and one day you will get that PASS letter. Good luck.


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## Ambrug20 (Apr 18, 2011)

ptatohed said:


> simpatique said:
> 
> 
> > so if you are so smart why are still flunking ? what a tool
> ...



Ptatohed,

I think this past April exam (Trans) was much more challenging than October, even, I didn't pass it last time. I studied hard and posted about 300 hrs or more.

And I think you don't have to explain simpatique that you are smart. This is your second Board exam, nothing wrong to fail ones or twice this type of exam. You are smart, other wise you wouldn't be there, studying and taking all these pressure on you shoulders. This is not the first time I am reading his (simpatique) rude comments, saying that he is been attacked, while attacking other people on this Board.

You going to pass it this time, me too :drunk1:


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## jdenmanc (Apr 24, 2011)

i thought it was harder


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## benbo (Apr 24, 2011)

> So now, here I am going into the 8-hour in Apr 2011 very prepared. I studied for 4 months and probably 150-200 hours +/- this time. It should be a slam dunk, right? Well, I actually thought the exam was pretty difficult/challenging. I think I was 50% more prepared this time but I felt the test was 40% harder than Oct '10. I do think (hope) I passed but, probably not by much.


Well, that's why a person studies for the exam, isn't it? Because you never know whether you are going to get a tough exam or an easy exam - the basic difference being whether you get questions you know or not.

You still don't know whether you passed or not. It may just seem like the former exam was easier becuase you had so little invested in it. When you work on something and put yourself out there you have more invested and therefore may be more worried and concerned than necessary. The only way you'll really know is when you get your results. If you pass, that means the latest exam was actually "easier" for you. Since the goal is to pass.

Now, if you can decipher what I just wrote then you truly are a genius.


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## ptatohed (May 3, 2011)

benbo said:


> > So now, here I am going into the 8-hour in Apr 2011 very prepared. I studied for 4 months and probably 150-200 hours +/- this time. It should be a slam dunk, right? Well, I actually thought the exam was pretty difficult/challenging. I think I was 50% more prepared this time but I felt the test was 40% harder than Oct '10. I do think (hope) I passed but, probably not by much.
> 
> 
> Well, that's why a person studies for the exam, isn't it? Because you never know whether you are going to get a tough exam or an easy exam - the basic difference being whether you get questions you know or not.
> ...



I think I get what you are saying benbo. I thought about that too - that I found the Apr '11 exam to be harder than the Oct '10 because I actually studied for and intended to pass it this time. But I still was shocked that I got a 51/80 in Oct without studying. Either way, if I do, in fact, find out I passed Apr '11, words can't describe how stoked I'll be. And then hopefully I'll beat the CA Seismic in Oct '11 and then it is really time to celebrate! I'm studying for the Seismic now and boy is it kicking my b.


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## ipswitch (May 12, 2011)

I didn't find the Apr. '11 trans depth problems harder than the Oct. '10 trans depth problems.


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## CntrSnr2001 (May 13, 2011)

I'm electrical but I can tell you that four civils I spoke with in illinois (who all were retakes) said the same things - much harder this time than April.


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## ptatohed (Jun 11, 2011)

ptatohed said:


> My goal was/is to pass one exam at a time. CA Survey was first (easiest for me, so pick it off first, Oct 2010). Then the 8-hour (Apr 2011). Finally the CA Seismic (the hardest for me, Oct 2011).
> Well, in Oct 2010 I only studied for the CA Survey exam but of course still took the 8-hour exam (Transpo depth). I thought the Oct 8-hour was actually pretty easy and I think I did pretty well for not studying at all (of course studying for the CA Survey studies some of the Transpo topics. Ex. Geometric design). I have a feeling I failed last time by only a few points, maybe even one point! (I have yet to hear of anyone else failing with a higher XX/80 than I failed with). Not too bad for not studying, I thought.
> 
> So now, here I am going into the 8-hour in Apr 2011 very prepared. I studied for 4 months and probably 150-200 hours +/- this time. It should be a slam dunk, right? Well, I actually thought the exam was pretty difficult/challenging. I think I was 50% more prepared this time but I felt the test was 40% harder than Oct '10. I do think (hope) I passed but, probably not by much.
> ...


If I may bump and reply to my own thread, I'd like to say that I passed the 8-hour! I am sooooo stoked.  My one-at-a-time approach is working so far. Oct '10 = CA Survey, Apr '11 = 8-Hr Civil (Transpo) and, with any luck, Oct '11 = Seismic. Two down, one to go....


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## solomonb (Jun 11, 2011)

PTATOHED-- Congratulations on your successful passing of the PE test!! I had great faith that you could do it! I do enjoy reading your posts--interesting!!


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