# Testmasters



## slydesign (Jan 12, 2010)

I have taken test twice and failed. I have exhausted PPI, and local classes, which was very poor preparation at best. (Instructors were not PE's, didn't know what test classes were like or took the test too long ago) I stuck to a rigid study schedule and have always been a very good student, however, this is not enough. I need a course that will ensure that I know how to take the test, and how to very quickly pick apart the problems.

What is considered the best prep class within the United States?

Is the Testmasters class worth the huge financial investment and risk (especially when you have to travel)?

I appreciate help for I really need to pass the exam the third time.


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## MechGuy (Jan 12, 2010)

slydesign said:


> I have taken test twice and failed. I have exhausted PPI, and local classes, which was very poor preparation at best. (Instructors were not PE's, didn't know what test classes were like or took the test too long ago) I stuck to a rigid study schedule and have always been a very good student, however, this is not enough. I need a course that will ensure that I know how to take the test, and how to very quickly pick apart the problems.
> What is considered the best prep class within the United States?
> 
> Is the Testmasters class worth the huge financial investment and risk (especially when you have to travel)?
> ...



Personally I didn't care for Testmasters. The class was given in a crowded tiny room in a crappy hotel in Houston. I could hardly understand the instructor half of the time, and they didn't teach anything or give any tips I didn't already know or could see in the MERM. In my opinion, not worth the ~$2000 for the courses, not including travel.

I took the PE 3 times as well too. What worked for me was simply studying and doing practice problems non stop (almost every day) for about 4 months. I put in well over 300 hours of time working my butt off. I did all the problems in the MERM and the associated practice problems book, the lindberg practice exam, the NCEES exam, and all 3 six minute solutions books from PPI. By the time the exam rolled around I could do most problems pretty quickly, and it showed on test day. I finished the AM portion about 45 minutes early, and was done with all problems on time in the PM section, where previously I always had about 4-5 problems on both sections that I didn't have time to complete.

Good luck to you! 3rd time is the charm -- you can do it too!


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## slydesign (Jan 13, 2010)

Dear MechGuy,

Thanks so much for giving an honest assessment of Testmasters. It would be a large financial risk for me to go and it sure doesn't sound like it is worth the risk. Did they help at all with strategy in test taking or how to elimitate or identify distracting information within the problems?

Thank you also for explaining your strategy in preparing for the exam, for the third time. This has provided me with some hope. If I may I have a few more questions:

1. Did you take the HVAC PM?

2. How did you organize, or what resource did you use to organize formulas, especially formulas for the PM portion? I feel I had too many formulas in different areas.

3. Were you able to identify certain information in test problems that were consitently used to distract. In the last exam I had the problem where I would get through the problem fine, but I would get an answer in between two answers given on the answer sheet.

4. Do you have any other recommendations on how to get better time, for example which of the resources for problems did you best feel helped you get your speed increased.

5. Did you practice on only certain problems out of the MERM book and other books, or did you do them all?

6. I have all the resources that you mentioned, but in your opinion did you find certain ones more helpful than others?

Thanks again and have a great rest of the day.


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## mepe_tn (Jan 13, 2010)

Also see the forum thread for PE Prep Classes and Materials: http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showforum=22

I found this thread very helpful in giving the 411 on which review courses were of most value. Stay encouraged.


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## Matt-NM (Jan 13, 2010)

I took the ME PE (machine design) in April 2008 and was fortunate enough to pass on the first try. One thing that really helped me was the way I had my materials organized. The test is very fast paced and you must be able to locate information quickly. My main source of information was of course MERM. I had MERM so tabbed that it looked like a real mess! However, there was an actual method to the mess. I had the subjects color coded for easier locating. I also had the various tables and appendix tabbed.

Some people like making a copy of the appendix and using it separately. I prefer to have as few books/binders on the table as possible. Get a good organization method together if you don't already have one and practce locating subjects quickly. Do this for hundreds of problems. Even if you don't work the problems, practice locating the corresponding subject quickly. Make sure you have a good approach to the exam as far as what problems you work and when. Some people go through and rate them as being easy/hard and work that way while others just go from beginning to end. I personally worked from beginning to end, but skipped problems that were giving me any trouble. What ever you do, do not get stuck on a problem and waste alot of time on it. Move on if you get stuck and you can come back to it later. Since you may very well have to guess on a few at the end, guess on ones that were giving you trouble anyway.

Hope this helps.


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## JoeysVee (Jan 13, 2010)

Work as many problems as possible. Work the MERM problems in the relevant chapters, the 6-minute solution problems, and the problems in the sample exams. Work all those problems and if you finish work them all again. I know this isn't the easy study method but this works every time! Review courses are overrated; working problems for 400 hours is not.  It's your choice...do you really want to pass? If so start today and work problems from now until the day of the next exam.

That is the best advice you can get!


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## MechGuy (Jan 13, 2010)

slydesign said:


> Dear MechGuy,Thanks so much for giving an honest assessment of Testmasters. It would be a large financial risk for me to go and it sure doesn't sound like it is worth the risk. Did they help at all with strategy in test taking or how to elimitate or identify distracting information within the problems?
> 
> Thank you also for explaining your strategy in preparing for the exam, for the third time. This has provided me with some hope. If I may I have a few more questions:
> 
> ...


Slydesign,

1. Yes I took the HVAC depth.

2. I organized as Matt-NM did, tabbing my MERM. i used the Shaggy method, which you can find a thread on this board that describes how to tab your MERM. Worked great for me (and many others!) Also, as JoeysVee says, just do lots and lots of problems. Eventually you will know where the right formulas are in the MERM because you have done so many problems you are used to finding everything easily with your tabbed MERM. Many formulas will just stick in your head because you've done so many problems and you won't even have to look it up.

3. My advice is to simply identify what the problem is asking for and focus on that. If you do this, you should be able to weed out the given information that has no bearing on the problem at hand.

4. Problems, problems, and more problems. Can't state this enough. Your speed will come if you spend 300-400 hours on practice problems.

5. I did most of the problems out of the MERM, with the exception of a few chapters. I think I skipped the first 11-12 chapters or so, then started on the Fluids chapters. Then I went through every chapter until I got to about 60 or so.... I can't remember exactly and don't have my MERM in front of me at the moment, but for the most part I did almost every problem in the MERM that was applicable to the exam.

6. Obviously the MERM is the most helpful. But I would work all of the practice problems out of all the other books.

Hope this helps! Good luck


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## JoeysVee (Jan 13, 2010)

MechGuy said:


> slydesign said:
> 
> 
> > Dear MechGuy,Thanks so much for giving an honest assessment of Testmasters. It would be a large financial risk for me to go and it sure doesn't sound like it is worth the risk. Did they help at all with strategy in test taking or how to elimitate or identify distracting information within the problems?
> ...



:thumbs: I couldn't have said it better myself!


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