# PE failure



## purduegrad (Nov 15, 2006)

Well the time is slowly approaching where many future re-takers will get there dreadful fate. Does anyone have any advice on what to do after you get that horrible thick envelope that says congratulations you get to take the national harassment exam again!


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## Dark Knight (Nov 16, 2006)

Hello there,

Been there. You have some options:

1) Say to yourself :"Forget this.I give up", never try again and go on with your life saying that this was not meant for you and wonder the rest of your life if you could or could not.

2) Go back to the the saddle and try again, not harder but smarter.

3) None of the above. Just drown yourself in liquor, feel sorry for yourself and take the thing again without prep and keep failing until you reach the point of chioce "1"

I failed twice. Got it in my third try. In my opinion, FWIW, there is no shame in taking a fall. Just get back up and go for it. The shame is if you stay on the floor after the fall.

;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns;


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2006)

purduegrad --

I have a few suggestions '.02' FWIW:

1. Do not use your pass/fail on this test as a measure of your self-worth :hung: Way too many people try to equate 'worth' based on pass/fail, how many re-takes, what score, etc., etc. Leave that non-sense up to members of the *OTHER FORUM* :"the other board": :die:

2. You obviously took this test because you wanted to improve yourself in some way (professionally, $$, etc.). :thumbsup: The important thing is to keep your eye on the *goal* and not let your 'failure' set you back. This exam is just one step in a long line of steps that you will take in your life.

3. Look at your test diagnostic. As simplistic as it appears, it can provide some assistance in figuring out where you might want to re-focus study in certain areas :study For me, I realized that even though my education and work experience is environmentally related - water resources depth more closely fit the sorts of problems I could reasonably work. I didn't realize how bad Wastewater treatment problems were flubbing me up until I looked at the diagnostic. :ruh:

4. If you do need to re-take the exam -- *DO NOT*, I repeat, *DO NOT* allow yourself to think, I just missed it by a little I only need to study a little more. Many of us have fallen into that trap - do yourself a favor and commit to the preparation.

I could probably go on, _ad nausem_, but I think those are some good pointers to start. Best of luck - for all of us. I am waiting too - hoping for that 1 extra point to pull me to a passing score :+1:

Regards,

JR


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## cement (Nov 16, 2006)

> 4. If you do need to re-take the exam -- *DO NOT*, I repeat, *DO NOT* allow yourself to think, I just missed it by a little I only need to study a little more. Many of us have fallen into that trap - do yourself a favor and commit to the preparation.


^^^^^#4^^^^


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## NCcarguy (Nov 16, 2006)

> purduegrad --
> I have a few suggestions '.02' FWIW:
> 
> 1. Do not use your pass/fail on this test as a measure of your self-worth :hung: Way too many people try to equate 'worth' based on pass/fail, how many re-takes, what score, etc., etc. Leave that non-sense up to members of the *OTHER FORUM* :"the other board": :die:
> ...


Not only do I agree....but I would go on to say that being the exam expert I have become, since most of you know that I'm on my 3rd waiting game, I don't think the exams have been that similar. I could guess at the percentages of each of my 3 exams and where I did (or in many cases didn't) get the answers from, and I have used various guides for each one, and I AM one of those that could say, I only missed it by 1 or 2 questions......EACH time. Hope that doesn't become 3 times!


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## Mike1144 (Nov 16, 2006)

I just took it for the third time as well. I made the mistake of taking the STR1 exam. Its the exam I wanted to take, but I clearly wasn't ready for it. I never had the kind of experience most people have when they get into structural engineering. I work with building connections, not buildings as a whole. I had to figure out a lot of material basically on my own.

I wasn't surprised by any problems this last time. Not to say I knew how to solve them, but I at least had seen similar questions. I felt much more confident this time.

Keep at it... keep studying.


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## Road Guy (Nov 16, 2006)

I got good and drunk, felt sorry for myself for a few days, then i started studying again the next week.

But I dont know how eager i will be if I have to do that again....


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## DVINNY (Nov 16, 2006)

I'm on my 3rd wait as well guys. We might have to start a club. LOL.

I just don't want to leave the club to start the 4th timer club.


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## NCcarguy (Nov 16, 2006)

> I'm on my 3rd wait as well guys. We might have to start a club. LOL.
> I just don't want to leave the club to start the 4th timer club.


Well the ONLY good news if it goes to number 4......It won't be in April.


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## timmyutah (Nov 17, 2006)

try 10x's.

Not saying that it is me...but I know someone that is on their 10th and final time, but they are 100% sure they passed this time. :congrats:


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## tmckeon_PE (Nov 17, 2006)

I actually agreed with many of the posts when I missed it the first time. Turns out that I was unable to do a lot of studying between April and October. I did have the resources that I didn't have (didn't get the 10th CERM, but had the 6th until the day before the exam) the first time and knew where to look for the information I needed. Turns out that that was what was needed. Just simply knowing where to look for the information (when you know how to use it) was the key. Also, watch out for pride and ego things. They get in the way of real understanding (know it, seen it, did it, wished it didn't happen, tried to forget it, asked for forgiveness and, finally, realized I wasn't all that).

If you didn't study well in college, you might be in trouble. If you did; then brush up on things and make sure you know where to find the needful information like the formulas and such, or tables and such.

Just my 2 cents. :true:


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## purduegrad (Nov 19, 2006)

Well i was very disappointed with some of the mistakes i made on the exam. I do not feel the exam difficulty is overall very difficult. Nothing like Lindbergh problems or 6 minute solutions. With some more studying before April I should be able to pass. I just have to re-check my answers better. hey and the always the hope that answer C pays off for my guesses!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Nov 19, 2006)

> try 10x's.
> Not saying that it is me...but I know someone that is on their 10th and final time, but they are 100% sure they passed this time. :congrats:


My boss told me there was a guy when he was first starting his career that had failed it 13 times. It was an annual rite of spring.


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## NCcarguy (Nov 19, 2006)

> Well i was very disappointed with some of the mistakes i made on the exam. I do not feel the exam difficulty is overall very difficult. Nothing like Lindbergh problems or 6 minute solutions. With some more studying before April I should be able to pass. I just have to re-check my answers better. hey and the always the hope that answer C pays off for my guesses!


you're correct, the problems aren't that difficult, it's the 6 minute thing that makes it a challenge. If I had a week to take the exam, I could probably get 100% correct, without the internet. The problems I run into is missing the little details in the question, or answer, but I think that's the whole intent. I've always said that I think this test is more like an engineering IQ test, than a practical exam.


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## teda (Nov 30, 2006)

> you're correct, the problems aren't that difficult, it's the 6 minute thing that makes it a challenge. If I had a week to take the exam, I could probably get 100% correct, without the internet. The problems I run into is missing the little details in the question, or answer, but I think that's the whole intent. I've always said that I think this test is more like an engineering IQ test, than a practical exam.


I think I can make 100% correct if I have 16 hours.

Time is an issue espcially for PM part.


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## Dark Knight (Nov 30, 2006)

Hello there,

Looking at the heading of the topic realized there is something wrong with it. There is nothing like PE Failure, my friend. It is *PE Pass Delay*.

;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns; ;guns;


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## DrFranz (Nov 30, 2006)

Oh well, unfortunately there's such thing as a PE failure... what is worst, there's EI failure!!! I have a former co-worker that failed the EI [SIZE=14pt]EIGHT (8) TIMES[/SIZE]!!!!!

so, the "nice" people at that company rumored that he should just give up... I believe he listened to those pleas since he was signed up for re-re-re... -re-take the EI and he did not show... encil:


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