# See you in April...



## StoneAG (Dec 18, 2007)

I haven't heard anything yet and fingers and toes crossed but I thought it might be nice for those "runner's up" to have a place to vent.


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## rlclev (Dec 19, 2007)

I really hope I'm not a runner-up! I am a second timer for the FE and I REALLY don't want to do it again! PASS, PLEASE PASS!

Anxiously waiting in Utah...


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## goingtopass (Dec 19, 2007)

I know no one is listed here yet, but as a new PE, i feel your pain/suffering/stress waiting. i can only wish you luck the next time around if you didnt pass, and if you are waiting, try something like some heavy drinking to take your mind off of things.


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## csb (Dec 21, 2007)

Am I the only one getting nervous that this thread doesn't have any takers? It seems like EVERYONE is passing... Now I'm getting dizzy thinking about results and that maybe I don't want to see them afterall.


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## FLBuff PE (Dec 21, 2007)

^^I hear you, Stone. This is time #2 for me, and it seems like many repeaters are passing, piting the odds against me.

:mail-296: :holyness:


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## jrsc (Dec 21, 2007)

I'm hoping the third time's a charm because I don't want to have to study and go through the wait yet again. It really doesn't get any easier to wait for the results the more times you take the test.


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## DVINNY (Dec 23, 2007)

Many of us on this board passed on our 4th try. DON'T GIVE UP. (I almost did)


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## Fudgey (Dec 24, 2007)

I failed mine last April and I am going to take it again this coming April. I feel better this time but taking the combined wr/envl + construction on the first time it's offered has me worried.

Just hang in there guys!


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## Sara (Dec 24, 2007)

I am getting really nervous! Quite a few people got their results in the mail on Saturday and didn't recieve mine (Washington State). Hopefully the mail is just slow because of the holidays and not because I am a looser!

I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Sara :Locolaugh: :hung-037: :15:


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## LindaM (Dec 24, 2007)

Fudgey said:


> I failed mine last April and I am going to take it again this coming April. I feel better this time but taking the combined wr/envl + construction on the first time it's offered has me worried.
> Just hang in there guys!


I passed the test this time (first time taker), having taken the Testmaster's prep course. I would recommend you take this course or a similar one, because they have the best chance of being able to sift through the changes in the exam and preparing you adequately. Notice that a bunch of the prior tested knowledge has just been shifted from empasis area -- the construction area includes economics, which was formerly in the transportation section. Also, some of the prior structures stuff has been moved to construction, as well as some of the water resources and environmental questions.

If I had to take the test again, I would definitely attend the prep course, particularly because of the changes to the exam!

GOOD LUCK and maintain a positive attitude. That will help you more than you realize -- you WILL achieve what you believe (if you convince yourself you'll fail, you probably will -- instead convince yourself that THIS is the time you will PASS).


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## KEG (Dec 24, 2007)

Failed 1st try - EE (Power). Haven't received the letter yet but my name was not on the GA board website so I already know. I just want the letter to see how poorly I did. No mail today. Guess it'll wait until after Christmas.


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## mudpuppy (Dec 24, 2007)

KEG said:


> Failed 1st try - EE (Power). Haven't received the letter yet but my name was not on the GA board website so I already know. I just want the letter to see how poorly I did. No mail today. Guess it'll wait until after Christmas.


Stick around here KEG. Check out the electrical exam prep forum; there are several of us over there more than willing to help you through the next one.


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## FL PE (Dec 24, 2007)

Hang in there folks. I finally passed the exam. I've taken it several times. I took a very good class in Orlando this time. I also worked a lot of problems. Three or Four times more than in previous exams. If I can pass this thing...anyone can!!


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## brick_27 (Dec 26, 2007)

Hang in there! I have a good friend sitting for the fifth time this April. He seems to be very optimistic about this turn! Keep your heads up, work hard and you can beat the NCEES! 10940623:


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## PEPG (Dec 26, 2007)

brick_27 said:


> Hang in there! I have a good friend sitting for the fifth time this April. He seems to be very optimistic about this turn! Keep your heads up, work hard and you can beat the NCEES! 10940623:


I stopped counting. I will probably be back in April 08, since I did not study for Oct 07 but took it anyway. I just think it is a waste to let an exam date go by - even if you don't study. It is still good practice, and it is also funny how you are sooo relaxed when you know you are just there for the ride. You actually start laughing at the ridiculous proctors and the really uptight examinees. But I will be studying for April (barring any miracles) and I will be one of those uptight examinees again, I am sure.


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## testee (Dec 26, 2007)

yeah, I'm feeling pretty blue.

but maybe this is a good time to look at what I did wrong. have to say that I I did not give the prep enough time. I just skimmed the text and problems, and tabbed up my refs. I found that I did not have enough time during the exam to look up stuff that I should have known. :brickwall:

Well, work slows down during the winter here, and there is not nearly as much stuff to distract me this time of year, so I had better get crackin!


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## EL Nica PE (Dec 26, 2007)

Hang in the guys!!! You'll get it!

10940623:


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## rcurras (Dec 26, 2007)

I took it (PE Power, Florida) last April, and failed. I will “consume” my second opportunity this April, focusing my efforts for the afternoon module, which really “killed me” last time. Good luck to all, and if you failed this time, learn from your bad experience and build up, with it, your confidence.

Thanks.

RC.


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## FLBuff PE (Dec 26, 2007)

Opened the letter yesterday, hoping for a great Christmas present. Saw that there were two sheets of paper, and I knew. Verified the result by seeing the *Failed* header on the letter. I'll post my diagnostic tomorrow. Like an earlier poster, I went in "for the ride". I was hoping for a pass, but was basically taking a mulligan. I'm feeling pretty down today, mainly because I felt pretty good after the exam. I won't be re-taking in April, as my first child will be born in late February, but I'll take another crack at the 100-question Environmental Exam in Oct. '08.


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## gg_gator (Dec 26, 2007)

No good news in the mail this weekend. It was my first attempt at the SE1. Looking over the other posts, I saw (from an Alabama posting) that the National passing rate for Structures was 36%. I am debating whether or not to re-take the SE1 or just go for the Civil exam (passing rate was a little better, 48% I believe). Of my colleagues, those that took the Civil passed the first time (whether or not they'd already attempted the SE1 or just 1st time Civil PE examiners). Seems like Civil may be more do-able than the SE. Any thoughts?

I'll be there in April....


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## nperr (Dec 26, 2007)

gg_gator said:


> No good news in the mail this weekend. It was my first attempt at the SE1. Looking over the other posts, I saw (from an Alabama posting) that the National passing rate for Structures was 36%. I am debating whether or not to re-take the SE1 or just go for the Civil exam (passing rate was a little better, 48% I believe). Of my colleagues, those that took the Civil passed the first time (whether or not they'd already attempted the SE1 or just 1st time Civil PE examiners). Seems like Civil may be more do-able than the SE. Any thoughts?I'll be there in April....



I passed the PE Civil. I am now in the process of taking the SE. I have passed the SE2 and failed the SE1 twice. I am still waiting to see if I passed the SE1 this time... The PE Civil is a lot easier than the SE1. If you don't need the SE1, i would take the PE.


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## NCcarguy (Dec 26, 2007)

All I can say to those that didn't make it this time around is.....HANG IN THERE!!! This was my 4th time as well, DV was tremendously inspirational to me when he passed it on his 4th attempt, so it can be done. Over the coming month's I hope to post as much as I can about what I think it took for me to pass, and hopefully some of you can find that information to be helpful.


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## FLBuff PE (Dec 26, 2007)

NCcarguy said:


> All I can say to those that didn't make it this time around is.....HANG IN THERE!!! This was my 4th time as well, DV was tremendously inspirational to me when he passed it on his 4th attempt, so it can be done. Over the coming month's I hope to post as much as I can about what I think it took for me to pass, and hopefully some of you can find that information to be helpful.


Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!


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## danm9 (Dec 26, 2007)

FLBuff said:


> Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!


three words: six minute solutions. worked for me.


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## JunkerJorg (Dec 26, 2007)

FLBuff said:


> Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!


When I was done studying, I had worked every sample problem in the CERM sample book, the Six-Minute Solutions for Civil, Environmental &amp; Transpo and completed 3 different sample exams.

Everyone is different, but I used the same methodology for prep that I used for the FE when I studied for the PE. (I just started earlier for the PE)

First off - gather EVERY resource you can. I had the CERM, 6-min soln's and all my college textbooks.

Second - I took the 4-hour practice test online that the NCEES offers COLD - no studying, no tabs in the CERM. (I made 46% btw, but don't get discouraged) Use those results to highlight your weak areas (for me it was structural and transpo) and your strengths.

Third - I studied my strengths first - Wat. Res., Env., to refresh my long term memory. I started out at 3 times a week after work, for about an hour or 2. Mostly working problems and reading the CERM. This was in July. By September I was studying every day. Weekends were the best time for me. I would put in 8 hour days on Sat. every weekend in October. I'd say I spent 80% of my time working example problems.

Fourth - I studied my weaknesses to try and place as much info into my short term memory. I spent 3 days on Structural and 3 days on Transpo. The transpo stuff on the CE morning seemed very basic and easy to me. I would say definitely NOT to neglect studying this if you're taking the CE morning - I think I made my hay on the morning session, b/c the afternoon was an a&amp;*kicker.

Fifth - I spent the final few days trying to relax and just organizing all my junk. (I took in WAY too much) I tabbed the hell out of the CERM and a few other books, made a folder with every conversion table/chart I could find and then prioritized my materials into 2 piles - Take and Don't Take. I then tried to load up everything into one suitcase and a bookbag. If I had to do over again I would take a CRATE, b/c your references aren't stacked on top of each other. I had a tough time finding stuff buried under things.

I'd say the biggest thing that helped me was taking the sample exams


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## Roy T. (Dec 26, 2007)

nperr said:


> I passed the PE Civil. I am now in the process of taking the SE. I have passed the SE2 and failed the SE1 twice. I am still waiting to see if I passed the SE1 this time... The PE Civil is a lot easier than the SE1. If you don't need the SE1, i would take the PE.


I studied my arse off for SE1 and felt like hell after the test. Civil/Structural is the way to go if you do not already have a PE. If you are already licensed in civil, then there is no harm in going for itas an additional discipline. But for your first time out, avoid SE1 like the plague. I've heard horror stories of EI's who became so fixated on passing SE1 and refused to lower themselves to take the Civil, they never did get licensed. forever doomed as an EI in Florida. (you only get 3 tries here)


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## danm9 (Dec 26, 2007)

i also recommend the practice exam. i think it was a lindeburg edition. it was very similar to the 6-minute solutions. treat the practice exam just like the real thing. do the 8-hour thing. it really helped me get an idea of what to expect. and forget the results - i got a 45% on the practice test and still passed the PE.


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## goingtopass (Dec 27, 2007)

Haha, i did the same thing. took the Lindeburg practice exam 2 weeks before the real thing and got a 49! Needless to say, it scared me to death, and i passed the PE. the practice exam is harder because the problems are more in depth, so i had a bunch of questions i guessed on in the practice exam. it does get you to practice using your references in an exam setting (i tabbed and set myself up at a table and pretended i was at the exam, no getting up, etc), and gets you to pick and do the easy problems first, then go back and do intermediate, and know when to move on to another problem when you get stuck. i went over the solutions for the next 2 weeks, and flipped through my sample problems and reference to have a general idea of where everything was. i studied about 100 + hours in 2 months, and did mostly practice problems...work them, review them, and work them again to see if you understand and remember them. i actually worked them, not just skim through the solutions. working them makes you realize the stuff they trick you with such as what references they use for "n" or "c" values (i took the WR exam), which werent the same i used in practice, as well as common things they throw at you like unit conversion tricks. if you work practice problems you will get a feel for the setup of the questions, know where to look in your references, and the exam will be like working 8 hours of practice problems. tab tab tab and highlight references, but do that AS you study and work problems, so you are using them during your studying. otherwise you are going to have a hell of a lot of tabs, and no idea what they mean. good luck!!


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