# Electrical and Electronics- How did you do?



## desi_girl (Apr 17, 2013)

So the highly awaited, dreaded, anticipated day is over and after a couple of days to sink it in, the next question comes to my mind- How did I do, what could be the passing score? When would they declare the result?

This was my 2nd attempt after April 2012. Compared to last year, I felt this year's electronics exam was decent and straightforward. It could have stemmed from my better preparation or could be possible from NCEES's observation that there are not a lot of Electronics PE around and they need to make it easy 

Only time will tell what was on their mind. But it went okay for me.

What do you feel? How did you do?

Does anyone has an idea of what is the average passing score in Electronics exam?


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## mjco04 (Apr 17, 2013)

Been hearing that 70 gives you a guaranteed passing mark. So I figure 65% or higher.

I dont know why but I seemed to have had more time in the PM than morning. I think it's because the AM questions were all problem solving. In the PM there were some "practical and qualitative" questions where either you know or you make a guess.

I did OK. OK means, I didn't feel good or I didn't feel bad. I was braindead after the exam. Everything hurt as if I just got tortured.

I'm hoping for the best. What were your weak points in the test?


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## desi_girl (Apr 18, 2013)

mjco04 said:


> Been hearing that 70 gives you a guaranteed passing mark. So I figure 65% or higher.
> 
> I dont know why but I seemed to have had more time in the PM than morning. I think it's because the AM questions were all problem solving. In the PM there were some "practical and qualitative" questions where either you know or you make a guess.
> 
> ...


I totally agree with you..I was braindead for the next two days ...And now I have so much free time in the evening that I dont know what to do with it..

Do you mean 65% passing for Electronics or for general Electical? But if the exam was easy, then I dont know if it would affect the cut-off. Do you know?

My weakest point was the comms/wireless problems (Repeats AGAIN!!!). I should be the last person saying this because I have a comms degree and I excelled at it at school, but now I dont use it in my work at all. I also didnt get a chance to revise this section right before the exam.

However, I completed both sessions well before time and actually got a chance to review the "not sure" type questions..I think I was able to solve many of the "not sure" types. But honestly, I felt the questions were tricky. So now I will wait and watch to see how I really fared.

If I compare my performance with last year's, I clearly remember that I barely managed to attempt 45 questions and blindly marked the rest. I got a score of 42 and failed. This time, both sessions I completed well before time and managed to review my answers. Last time I attempted 0 comms problems, but this time I think I did well with a few exceptions.

I felt the PM session was tricky. I had to re-read many questions to clearly understand what the questions were asking. Did you feel the same too?


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## mjco04 (Apr 18, 2013)

Yeah definitely. Both sessions had their share of trick questions. I got burned in one or two where I started solving without completely reading the problems and ended up redoing the solutions. 

I think your chances are pretty good based on how well you did the first time given you didn't get to finish the entire exam.

As far as passing score goes, I'm not even sweating it out. I'm more curious with the diagnostic report with sections I fared well and didn't.

Where did you take the exam?


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## desi_girl (Apr 18, 2013)

I won't bet on me passing, especially with so much ambiguity surrounding the cutscore. Also if you have noticed, pass rate for first timers is around 62% and repeat takers only 33%..I am still baffled by this..why???

The Ncees website also describes the scoring process where they say that the statistics surrounding Certain problems is considered. I interpreted this as isolating those problems either very easy or very difficult based on test takers' performances. Too many of the easy ones could raise cutoff and too difficult could lower it. The analysts then decide the pass score range. I might be wrong but this is my interpretation. I am keen on knowing what others think.


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## Judowolf PE (Apr 19, 2013)

^Desi, you raised two questions that I was very interested in when I took my test(s)...I took it once April 2012, got a 48 and failed then retook it in Oct(studied my @ss off) and passed...the repeat takers/first timer passing percent is an interesting question, the answer I found was that first timers that passed took the hard core study group and the naturally brillant out of your pool of takers, then of the folks left retaking, if they don't do something different to prepare the likely hood that they fail again goes up. You end up with some folks taking it 8 or 9 times(true story) and still doing the same thing over and over...My thought on the cut score was that the percentage passing is pretty consistant, so I assumed they had a passing score that followed the percentage they wanted to pass...I was told that it wasn't that way, but that the cut was a certain score then dropped lower when certain questions are thrown out because of inaccuracy or other question issues


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## mjco04 (Apr 19, 2013)

Yeah I never understood why the repeat taker percentage is lower. I believe those points raised by Judowolf. Some people just don't change their styles of studying.

Also I think the questions are obviously different from the previous exam but I assume that some are retained but modified.

My friend is a third time repeater but the first two exams he took the Power PE. I don't think he changed his study habits other than studying with me once a week to cover certain topics.

The PE is an exam that is based on individual effort and luck. You can study your heart out and not be lucky since the things you study are not in the exam. EE Electronics is so broad that you won't be able to cover all subjects in months.


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## Judowolf PE (Apr 19, 2013)

Honestly, to me the PE is more about information management than about knowledge...the studying gets you familar with where info is located, weather it is in a reference book or notes or in a binder...people think that they have to know how to solve every problem, but I don't think there is as much solving of problems as there is concepts and simple calculations...if you know where it's at in your references, you got it licked!


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## desi_girl (Apr 22, 2013)

Judowolf PE said:


> ^Desi, you raised two questions that I was very interested in when I took my test(s)...I took it once April 2012, got a 48 and failed then retook it in Oct(studied my @ss off) and passed...the repeat takers/first timer passing percent is an interesting question, the answer I found was that first timers that passed took the hard core study group and the naturally brillant out of your pool of takers, then of the folks left retaking, if they don't do something different to prepare the likely hood that they fail again goes up. You end up with some folks taking it 8 or 9 times(true story) and still doing the same thing over and over...My thought on the cut score was that the percentage passing is pretty consistant, so I assumed they had a passing score that followed the percentage they wanted to pass...I was told that it wasn't that way, but that the cut was a certain score then dropped lower when certain questions are thrown out because of inaccuracy or other question issues




@Judowolf PE, do you think they increase the cutoff if the test seemed easy? Or do they restrict of reducing the cutscore if some problems were hard? I thought the PM session was way too easy than last year's. I have an uneasy feeling that the "easiness" has a bigger plot behind


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## Judowolf PE (Apr 22, 2013)

^ Desi, on a personal note, I still find it very suspicious that the passing percentages don't change much from year to year...To me, this indicates a floating cut score and a passing percentage that stays roughly the same...I've been told that this isn't the case, but I find it odd that one test wouldn't be easier/harder than previous tests. I thought that the test in Oct was really easy compared to the April test of last year, but I'm not sure if the test was easier, or if it was that I was just that much better prepared. I know a lot of people complained that the test was really hard, but I think maybe that is always the case...I wouldn't worry too much, finding the test to be easy probably just means you were that much better prepared than last time...


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## cableguy (Apr 23, 2013)

desi_girl said:


> And now I have so much free time in the evening that I dont know what to do with it..




Time for grad school. I started 6 months after I got my PE, because I missed studying (yes, it's a twisted thought, but I enjoy it a lot).  Will be done in December. At least, with the first masters'...


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## desi_girl (Apr 24, 2013)

cableguy said:


> desi_girl said:
> 
> 
> > And now I have so much free time in the evening that I dont know what to do with it..
> ...


Been there, done that and a Master's Thesis too ....


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## Judowolf PE (Apr 24, 2013)

^ me too, but I did my MBA before my PE


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## bseepeguy (May 7, 2013)

Overall, I think the test was fair and I felt like I knew what I was doing. However, I'm having nightmares about a few stupid mistakes I made. Like forgetting a negative. Doh! Oh well, good luck to all!


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## NWARLZ (May 20, 2013)

I don't know if it means you were better prepared. I have taken it a couple of times. I found it hard this time. The previous time, it seemed easy. I feel that I found the simple and incorrect answers. The most common mistake type answers and lots of them. I was very surprised to hear I hadn't passed.


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## brian84 (May 22, 2013)

BSEE 1984

(EIT) FE Exam 1984

MSEE 1986

PE 2013 (I Passed!!)

Arizona results are out!!


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## pakiterp (May 22, 2013)

Passed Electrical and Electronics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## JavaJim (Jan 30, 2014)

Congratulations on passing. With that behind you, what tips can you offer on preparing for the Electrical and Electronics PE Exam? Looks like I will finally have an opportunity to start studying for this.


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