# question to 2nd, 3rd or more time PE examinee...Restudying



## MaryJ (Jul 7, 2010)

How long after receiving you failing grade did you actually pick urself back off the floor and started studying again for the next test. I failed the 4-10 exam and find it less appealing to pick up the books again. How did you motivate yourself to start studying again.

A few more questions...I need the encouragement now more than ever before!!

1. Did you put in more, less or about the same amount of time to study the second, third or fourth time around.

2. Did you study the areas that you were weak on more, per your diagnostic report or you just did a comprehensive re-review and work the sample problems once more.

3. I also noticed taht since the exam it appeared that I may have forgotten 50% of what I studied before. It;s true taht the half life for engineer is 50%...Did you feel this way too?

4. Did you find the next exam easier, harder or about the same as the previous tests?

5. What did you do different that made you finally pass.

I plan to put in no more than 240 hours this time and I hope that this is enough time for the Transportation Depth (working problems and sample exam)..


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## stuckinjersey (Jul 8, 2010)

MaryJ said:


> How long after receiving you failing grade did you actually pick urself back off the floor and started studying again for the next test. I failed the 4-10 exam and find it less appealing to pick up the books again. How did you motivate yourself to start studying again.
> A few more questions...I need the encouragement now more than ever before!!
> 
> 1. Did you put in more, less or about the same amount of time to study the second, third or fourth time around.
> ...


well I have failed it twice and this third try will be my last. I thought the test was easier the second time and I still can't figure it out, I thought I passed. I changed my studying habits for the second time around, doing straight up review problems instead of reviewing theory, advice I received. I studied more the second time. The diagnostic they provide was completely different the second time around, so I'm not sure how much that helps. I have a great education, a great job, I know how to do the problems and I am missing that hidden trick or caveat. Its extremely difficult to pick yourself up and start studying again. I broke down a few times while studying. I have spoken to several people and there advice is approach it like you are doing it for the first time, with new materials, don't re-use notes. I started this week an hour a day and plan to put in 3-4 hours each Saturday and Sunday until the test. I will be looking for an alternative career if I fail a third time.

I'm open to ANY advice anyone has for repeat takers.


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## sac_engineer (Jul 8, 2010)

It's difficult to make suggestions on how to study since everyone's learning abilities are different from each other. I put in 300+ hours studying and it paid off, but I know people who studied only a fraction of that time and they passed as well. So although I was happy to pass, I felt a bit ill at ease in that I may not have been very efficient with my studying time. How paradoxical!

Nonetheless, I understand the discouragement among those who don't pass the exam which is why the passing rate is much lower for repeat takers than first time takers. One approach to the exam is to be a bit apathetic about it. The ones who slave over the studying and get anxious before and during the exam tend to get overwhelmed which affects concentration.

Good luck!


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## giddy (Jul 9, 2010)

I have taken it a few times mainly because of lack of studying and just not being prepared on the questions they asked. I kept getting so close I never ended up studying and my friend barely studied last October and of course he passed. Hopefully, I will break that habit for the October exam, and put some effort into it. Here in CA we have to pass Surveying and Seismic exams also but I am done with those.


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## EnvEngineer (Jul 9, 2010)

The basic answeres are yes, yes, no, harder,

The big mistake I made the first time was not taking the morning seriously, I left early feeling I had done well. I did very well but needed a couple more right answeres to cover the afternoon. Second time I sat until just before the 15 minute time call (so I could leave for lunch, about 3000 people wanting lunch in pomona). The other thing I did was search for questions, there are tons out there just buy them, they really are not that expensive compared to failing. The last was to focus on using the index in all the references during study, the answeres are there you just need to find them.

You can pass but it takes a big effort and I feel the key is to do very well in the morning, its alot easier than the afternoon.


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## Bman (Jul 9, 2010)

I took the FE twice and passed on the 2nd try. The first attempt I pretty much only used the Lindeburg study materials (FE review manual, etc.). I failed that exam and realized that I needed to try another method. I pretty much searched out the web and studied what I felt were the main areas that I needed to know and found a lot of good material through college websites (I've posted these before so try searching the forums). So, if you don't feel like you are really learning the concepts through the study materials you have now, I'd look for additional resources....

I also worked a lot more problems the 2nd time rather than trying to focus on theory. I think this is key, as it was also my approach for the PE which I passed 1st try. This allows you to apply the concepts and not get so wrapped up (confused and/or frustated) with the theory. Basically, try working the problems and reading up on the theory as needed instead of reading through the theory and then working the problems. I found this approach to be more helpful.

Also, find sample exams and work them under timed conditions, ideally the last 3-4 saturdays or sundays should be spent taking a timed sample exam prior to your actual exam. Your 2-3 hours of studying a day is not going to condition you for an 8 hour marathon of a test!

I felt a little more confident the 2nd try than I did the 1st try, but I'm not sure the exam was any easier or harder, I was just more adept at working actual problems. My motivation was pretty much that I didn't want to feel the failing feeling again... I guess it worked....


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## gujjubhai (Jul 12, 2010)

MaryJ said:


> How long after receiving you failing grade did you actually pick urself back off the floor and started studying again for the next test. I failed the 4-10 exam and find it less appealing to pick up the books again. How did you motivate yourself to start studying again.
> A few more questions...I need the encouragement now more than ever before!!
> 
> 1. Did you put in more, less or about the same amount of time to study the second, third or fourth time around.
> ...


I passed on my third try. The first try, I started collecting the study material (ordering the CERM book) about 1 month before the exam. I studied for about 1 week and got a grade of 67.

I really wish I had scored much lower than that because when I saw 67, I thought I only need few more hours of study and I will pass the second time. From my diagnostics, I knew I lost out in the morning questions so I studied a li'l more for morning questions but did not practice a single problem. I think for my second time I studied for about 2 weeks (40-50 hours), I ended up failing the test again with the score of 66. My diagnostic report again showed poor performance in the morning session. I got my results in the last week of December.

I started studying for the April 2010 exam sometime in late February. I knew I had to improve my morning session so I started practicing problems in all the areas. I did not focus much on environmental problems but practiced all the problems I could find in Structures, Geotech, Water resources (open/closed channel flow, hydrograph) and transportation.

I ordered the Indranil Goswami book which helped me understand Geotech/structures more easily. I think that book was the difference in my passing the test. I was able to answer all the Geotech questions from that book itself.

I passed the April exam with the score of 83 and I think I studied close to 200 hours for the test.


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## MechGuy (Jul 13, 2010)

MaryJ said:


> How long after receiving you failing grade did you actually pick urself back off the floor and started studying again for the next test. I failed the 4-10 exam and find it less appealing to pick up the books again. How did you motivate yourself to start studying again.
> A few more questions...I need the encouragement now more than ever before!!
> 
> 1. Did you put in more, less or about the same amount of time to study the second, third or fourth time around.
> ...



Mary,

I had to take the Mechanical PE three times before passing. I too had a similar feeling each time I had found out I failed (I recieved a 69, twice!). It's hard to pick yourself back up on the horse and try again, but if you want to be a PE that's exactly what you have to do.

Here is your first problem. You say you plan to put in "no more than 240 hours." Why stop at this arbitrary number? Put in the number of hours it takes to pass. That number might be 240. It might be 400. Who knows? Don't limit yourself is what I'm saying. Do what it takes.

When I finally stopped trying to study "just enough to pass", that is when I finally passed. My third attempt I studied my arse off almost every day from about the 4th of July until the test in Oct. I never counted up the hours but I'm sure it was well over 300. It was hard on the family, but they supported me and I ended up passing with flying colors.

What did I do different? I didn't stop studying my arse off until it was test time. I devoted every ounce of extra effort I could muster to studying and practicing problems. That's what it takes in my opinion. Some folks might be lucky and be able to get by with less studying, but for me it took about 3.5-4 months of solid studying.

Hope this helps -- you can do it. Just put in the effort required and you'll pass.


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## oluade PE (Jul 13, 2010)

MechGuy said:


> MaryJ said:
> 
> 
> > How long after receiving you failing grade did you actually pick urself back off the floor and started studying again for the next test. I failed the 4-10 exam and find it less appealing to pick up the books again. How did you motivate yourself to start studying again.
> ...


+1


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