# Study with group or alone?



## Johnny (Jan 10, 2008)

Just curious.

Did most of you prefer to study/prepare with a group or alone?

I intend on being on my own for most, if not all, of the exam prep. I'm married with 2 small children (can I get a WHOOOA Bundy?) and I eagerly anticipate the silence and being alone with my materials. I hope to study in a library or at least at the office when no one else is around. Don't get me wrong, I love my family dearly, but I have been listening to so many questions about Spongebob, Dora, Little Einsteins, ("Is an Elephant baby bigger than a human?...why?") lately that I think my brain is starting to turn to mush. I need some synapses to fire! I may only have a few working ones left, but let's get 'em cracking before they fizzle out too!

Again, just curious.

Thanks in advance.

Johnny


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## Jennifer Price (Jan 10, 2008)

Johnny said:


> Just curious.
> Did most of you prefer to study/prepare with a group or alone?
> 
> I intend on being on my own for most, if not all, of the exam prep. I'm married with 2 small children (can I get a WHOOOA Bundy?) and I eagerly anticipate the silence and being alone with my materials. I hope to study in a library or at least at the office when no one else is around. Don't get me wrong, I love my family dearly, but I have been listening to so many questions about Spongebob, Dora, Little Einsteins, ("Is an Elephant baby bigger than a human?...why?") lately that I think my brain is starting to turn to mush. I need some synapses to fire! I may only have a few working ones left, but let's get 'em cracking before they fizzle out too!
> ...


I studied by myself but I have always been that way (in college, I rarely joined in on "study" groups). I took over our kitchen table and relegated my hubby to playing video games in another room


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## Guest (Jan 10, 2008)

I always studied alone even when I was offered to join study groups. With the amount of material you will need to cover in order to feel confident that you have prepared enough, you will inevitably run afoul of being at a different place or different level of the group. Rather than deal with 'others' issues, I preferred arranging my notebooks and organizing materials and setting study schedules to suit MY needs. You will need to do the same for yourself - especially as you find out weak/stong areas.

Good luck!

JR


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## SSmith (Jan 10, 2008)

I chose to study solo, but I also tend to be a loner when it comes to the books.


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## WarEagleEngr (Jan 10, 2008)

I too studied alone. I turned the guest room into my study room so I never had to pick up after I was done studying. And I definitely can relate with the kids situation. My daughter is 4 and is very much a mommy's girl so she had a really hard time separating from me while I was studying. Luckily my husband was fabulous and distracted her most of the time. Although she is learning how to write her letters and thought it would be great to study with me and practice her letters. Everything was fine until she took over my calculator. :angry:


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## TXengrChickPE (Jan 10, 2008)

I also studied on my own. I was never much into study groups in college... and I knew what I needed work on, which I would assume is not going to be exactly the same as any other candidate, as we each have different educations and experiences. I didn't want to waste my studying hours dragging someone along... or feel like I had to skip things that I needed to spend more time on just to keep up with the group.

I've heard some argue that studying with someone who has taken it before is helpful, because they can tell you what kind of problems to expect... on the other hand, repeat test takers almost always have a lower pass rate than first timers... so apparently knowing what to expect does not help much.

I drew (extensively) on the help offered by members of EB who have passed the exam. There are many members who spend a lot of time coming up with original practice problems, as well as those who are willing to scan and email copies of their materials to anyone who asks.


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## Capt Worley PE (Jan 11, 2008)

I studied alone, too. I think it is a trait of engineers, really.

I just bought a card table and church chair from Wally-world and set it up in the corner of the den.


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## roadwreck (Jan 11, 2008)

Like all the other folks that have replied so far, I studied alone. I set up a room in my basement away from any distractions.

If I ran into difficulties or found topics that I really wasn't comfortable with I posted questions here. So in a way, EB.com is your study group.


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## Road Guy (Jan 11, 2008)

I was always able to get more done by myself studying so I took the solitude route.

Some people stayed after the study class I took ended and worked problems and that just always seemed to be a losing effort for me.

But everyone gets ready differently.

I have 3 kids, so my study strategy was to do at least an hour every night during the week religiously after they went to bed, and then chunks of 3-4 hours on Saturday or Sunday. My first time I tried to do 8 hour marathon sessions on the weekends and that just didn’t work out (for me).

When you have kids and have to study I think you have to be selfish, and just tell them you will see them after the exam for the most part.


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## EngRanger (Jan 11, 2008)

Alone, all alone.

In college I was a non-traditional student, ie. old fart, and was never able to hook up w/ a group. The few times I did study with others, it didn't really seem to work out well.


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## snickerd3 (Jan 11, 2008)

Alone for the PE, although my section manager volunteered himself for a study buddy if I wanted, apparently he had signed up several times to take the test, but never took it.

I studied for FE/EIT as a group of 3. We would meet and work on our own stuff, if we had questions there were then 2 other people that could help. We had to reteach ourselves some physics, and between the 3 of us we each knew a different part better than each other so it worked out.


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## cbchua78 (Jan 11, 2008)

Alone. I took FE on 2006 and then PE on 2007 .. both on October and I studied alone and passed them on first trial.


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## gymrat1279 PE (Jan 12, 2008)

I studied alone for both the FE (2004) and the PE (2007). I made myself a study schedle and stuck to it. I tend not to be as productive when other people are around. Also, if you know a certain subject and the other person doesn't, and vice versa, you'll be held back explaining it to them instead of working on what you really need to study.


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## NCcarguy (Jan 12, 2008)

For the MOST part, I studied alone BUT, this past time even though most of my studying was alone, one of the engineers at work spent many lunch periods with me working problems. Mainly we would take one problem, and normally it was something that he knew nothing about, and we would systematically work through the problem. I think that excersize alone was what made the difference for me! It taught me where I was making simple mistakes, when I wasn't paying attention to the question, he made me work the units out long hand.....so IF you can find someone as generous as that.....I would recommend taking advantage of it!!!!


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## brick_27 (Jan 18, 2008)

Johnny said:


> Just curious.
> Did most of you prefer to study/prepare with a group or alone?
> 
> I intend on being on my own for most, if not all, of the exam prep. I'm married with 2 small children (can I get a WHOOOA Bundy?) and I eagerly anticipate the silence and being alone with my materials. I hope to study in a library or at least at the office when no one else is around. Don't get me wrong, I love my family dearly, but I have been listening to so many questions about Spongebob, Dora, Little Einsteins, ("Is an Elephant baby bigger than a human?...why?") lately that I think my brain is starting to turn to mush. I need some synapses to fire! I may only have a few working ones left, but let's get 'em cracking before they fizzle out too!
> ...


I too have two young children at home. As a single father I found that the only choice I had was to study alone after the kids went to bed (or at the office with the door shut). I must say though that this time spent was excellent. Just me and my books. However, I have never really been prone to study groups. I found that whenever I got stuck on a problem I could find what I needed in the solution or on one of the exam boards. Not sure If it is right for everyone, but it worked for me (first time).

Good Luck!


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## ufcfan (Jan 18, 2008)

I studied three times a week by myself and one day with a partner. A couple of days before the exam I got together with my partner for a wrap up to see what this he was going to take to the exam that I wasn't. I think the main thing is to select the right partner, since sometimes group study turns into chit chatting and joking more than studying itself.


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## fmullner (Jan 20, 2008)

I have always studied alone. High school, college, EIT, PE, you name it. I've found that other people tend to be a drag and a distraction when I'm trying to study. I'm a natural BSer, too, so having others around is NOT conducive to me getting anything done.


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## chavez (Jan 20, 2008)

Personally, I think doing both is a good idea, although I only studied alone.

I think 90% of it should be on your own, but you could use some of the time to discuss "trouble problems". i think that would've helped get through some of the learing curve on some questions more quickly


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## rob5150 (Jan 22, 2008)

THIS IS I THINK MY 2ND POST, THINKING ON TAKING THE PE FOR THE 2ND TIME, BUT I STUDIDED WITH MY BROTHER IN LAW, WHO HAPPENS TO BE A FELLOW ME WITH HIS EIT AND WE AHVE THE SAME # YRS EXP.

We met for 3 days a week, mon, wed, fri, for 3 months and put in about 3 hrs each time. then met also a few saturdays here and there for 6+ hrs.

We both failed it the 1st and only time we took it. After about 200 total hrs study time. I averaged abotu 60% and he averaged a lot less.

Since then, we have both averaged about $25,000 increase in pay over the last 2 yrs, sloley based on hard work and detication.

We did not and do not need the PE to make $$$.......but we are both going to take it again, after 300+ hrs of study time because we want the PE for person al reasons.


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## MarcG (Jan 22, 2008)

I studied both alone (90%) and with a friend of mine (10%) who has about the same amount of experience. The key is to choose a person that has about the same amount of preperation and similar study habits. If not, then your time will be wasted. I have many very smart friends, but woulden't study with them because I knew we would just drag each other down.


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## MA_PE (Jan 23, 2008)

Personally I like studying in a group as opposed to going into seclusion. When I took it thier were four of us registered at the same time. We scheduled 12 weeks with 1 day or night a week to get together and review a topic. We agreed to each pick a problem related to the topic and pass it to the others and then we would try to solve it. If we ran into difficulty we approached it as a group.

Of course between meetings each of us reviewed things individually. Seemed to work well. We all passed.

my :2cents:


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## busbeepbeep (Jan 30, 2008)

I studied alone because I didn't know anyone else taking the test. Given the choice, I'd rather a group. By myself, I make too many excuses not to study and get distracted easily. Being with a group would at least get the process going, as I'd be pressured to participate.


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## MRDPE (Mar 10, 2008)

I did take a refresher course so there was some interaction with others. However the bulk of my serious preparation was done alone.


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