# Not kidding about Lindeburgh's Sample Exam



## Kephart P.E. (Apr 19, 2009)

Wow, just finished it and let me say no one was boasting about the difficulty.

Both morning and afternoon section I had about 12 problems unfinished.

I think the main problem was that the problems I knew well, still took quite a few steps to solve and so I ran out of time. This was especially the case in the afternoon Thermal Fluids section. I am going to used it to help me hone in on problem areas. I also think it made me more aware of just working problems you know you can solve and skipping the ones you can't see the solution easily.

Ended up with a score of 41/80. 

I have the NCEES Sample Exam as well and I plan on working some problems during the week in 1 hour sessions. I am hoping everyone is correct that the real thing isn't as tough (as the Lindeburg) or I am dead meat.


----------



## Master slacker (Apr 20, 2009)

Don't feel bad. I got 43/80 on that exam! :blush:


----------



## BPCW (Apr 20, 2009)

Last October, I took the Lindeburg sample exam and got 40/80. And I passed the real thing. I've also talked with several others who got a similar score on the sample exam and passed. I think you are in good shape. Studying some of the things that you had difficulty with and you will be in good shape for Friday.


----------



## Kephart P.E. (Apr 20, 2009)

BPCW said:


> Last October, I took the Lindeburg sample exam and got 40/80. And I passed the real thing. I've also talked with several others who got a similar score on the sample exam and passed. I think you are in good shape. Studying some of the things that you had difficulty with and you will be in good shape for Friday.



Did either of you take the NCEES Sample Exam? I know it is easier (cause I worked 10 problems this morning and got 9 out of 10), but is the difficultly level close to the real thing?


----------



## Sschell (Apr 20, 2009)

NCEES sample exam is MUCH more realistic than the lineburg version (NCEES may be a touch on the easy side). The PPI test is much more involved than the real thing.


----------



## dastuff (Apr 20, 2009)

Yes, I found the Lindeburg sample test and the 6 min. solutions to be much more difficult than the actual exam..

I was freaking out pre-test time.


----------



## BPCW (Apr 21, 2009)

dastuff said:


> Yes, I found the Lindeburg sample test and the 6 min. solutions to be much more difficult than the actual exam..
> I was freaking out pre-test time.


Same here. 6 Min Solutions were closer to the real thing but still harder.

If you are getting 80%+ on the NCEES Sample Questions, you should be good to go. Just remember to read each question carefully and understand EXACTLY what they are looking for and the units.


----------



## Johnny (Jul 4, 2009)

I was crushed when I scored my Lindeburg exam. I think I was around 50% maybe. I can't remember the actual score, but I was extremely angry and dissapointed with myself for days.

I did pass the real exam, but I never got the courage to take the NCEES version. I wanted to keep a shred of self confidence going into the test.


----------



## Kephart P.E. (Jul 7, 2009)

Johnny said:


> I was crushed when I scored my Lindeburg exam. I think I was around 50% maybe. I can't remember the actual score, but I was extremely angry and dissapointed with myself for days.
> I did pass the real exam, but I never got the courage to take the NCEES version. I wanted to keep a shred of self confidence going into the test.



Took the NCEES before the exam and I wish I had never seen the Lindeburg Sample Test. All that thing did was cause me to freak out and catch a cold.

The NCEES was more accurate of the length and difficulty. I think I got about 75-80% on it and I passed the PE first time.

If anyone takes the Lindeburg do it like at least a month prior to the test so you can recover your confidence. I think it did more harm than good.


----------



## JoeysVee (Jul 7, 2009)

When I took the PE in April 06, I remember thinking the NCEES sample exam was way easier than the real thing. To me the real thing is in between the 2 sample exams.


----------



## Agg97 (Jul 7, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> When I took the PE in April 06, I remember thinking the NCEES sample exam was way easier than the real thing. To me the real thing is in between the 2 sample exams.


I found the NCEES sample exam is about on par with the real thing. However, there's a huge difference working the practice exam in the comfort of your home versus the pressure and anxiety associated with taking the real test. On my practice test, I got 69/80 or 86%. On the real thing, I passed with a score of 93.


----------



## JoeysVee (Jul 7, 2009)

Agg97 said:


> I found the NCEES sample exam is about on par with the real thing. However, there's a huge difference working the practice exam in the comfort of your home versus the pressure and anxiety associated with taking the real test. On my practice test, I got 69/80 or 86%. On the real thing, I passed with a score of 93.


You mean 93% (74/80)?


----------



## Agg97 (Jul 7, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> You mean 93% (74/80)?


I don't know the answer to that. After all the corrections that NCEES does, 70 is passing. I made a 93. Whether I got curved up or down or just stayed where I was, I will never know.


----------



## Johnny (Jul 8, 2009)

Agg97 said:


> I don't know the answer to that. After all the corrections that NCEES does, 70 is passing. I made a 93. Whether I got curved up or down or just stayed where I was, I will never know.


How long ago did you pass the exam? The only score I got was 'PASSED'. I am not sure I want to go back and see the real score. All I need to know is that is was good enough, whether it was 70% or 100%. I am just glad I don't have to do it again.

:happy:


----------



## Agg97 (Jul 8, 2009)

Johnny said:


> How long ago did you pass the exam? The only score I got was 'PASSED'. I am not sure I want to go back and see the real score. All I need to know is that is was good enough, whether it was 70% or 100%. I am just glad I don't have to do it again.
> :happy:


April 2009


----------



## JoeysVee (Jul 8, 2009)

That's crazy....sounds like you go more answers correct than problems on the exam....a 93 out of 80...you killed that thing!


----------



## JGG (Jul 13, 2009)

I was feeling pretty bad about the Lindenburgh exam by the time I finished it, but I had taken the NCEES 08 sample exam first and I knew it was more realistic. I didn't take any of the depth sections on any review book other than the HVAC&amp;R depth sections. I used the Lindenburgh exam as practice problems the two days prior to the actual exam just to keep sharp since I had already worked everything else. It actually made me feel pretty bad since they're so hard. That being said, I did pretty well on NCEES '08 sample test, so I felt pretty good the day of the exam. It turns out that one of the questions on the actual exam was almost 100% identical to a question on the Lindenburgh exam. It was really hard, and there is 0% chance that I would have gotten the questions correct if I hadn't worked one just like it the day before, so as devistating as that practice exam can be....I would recommend working problems from it, and reading the solutions careful.


----------



## JoeysVee (Jul 13, 2009)

Yeah, the #1 rule is work as many problems possible.


----------



## Agg97 (Jul 13, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> Yeah, the #1 rule is work as many problems possible.


Addendum to that...#1 rule is work as many problems as possible, with the goal of being able to recognize problems and figure out their solutions _quickly_. The key is not only knowing how to solve the problem, but how to do it quickly. When studying, my goal was to be able to turn the page in the MERM I needed for that particular problem within 10 seconds of reading the question. I used the Shaggy method of tabbing to help with that. Any formula I used more than twice while studying got tabbed.


----------

