# Well???



## kevo_55 (Apr 27, 2009)

So........ how did the SEI and SEII exams go?

McEngr, how was the SEII man?


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## ARLORD (Apr 28, 2009)

..............Pretty quiet in here.........Did anyone take the SE III this time around?


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## McEngr (Apr 30, 2009)

ARLORD said:


> ..............Pretty quiet in here.........Did anyone take the SE III this time around?


I thought the morning session was easy. I had a wood problem that was a breeze until the last question .... I can't go into it too closely, but the problem was poorly worded.

There were a few problems where I was supposed to design a connection except I can't remember if I was supposed to draw a detail.

Also, I am torturing myself over a basic indeterminate analysis problem from which I KNOW I made a mistake. I feel I got about 60% of the exam 100% correct.

Because I didn't study more than 20 hours and the fact that I perhaps came in too confident may have screwed me.

I left volume II of the seismic design manual (ICC) at the office and it turns out that I could've used it for a problem too.

All of these things leave me to believe that I am 50/50. If I took it again, I'd be more confident because I would've brought all the books that I should've.

Too many things that I want to say, but big brother is watching. )


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## ARLORD (Apr 30, 2009)

McEngr,

Sounds like you did well enough to pass. Taking the exam was the easy part, now the hard part begins, the long wait.

Good Luck!


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## teda (Apr 30, 2009)

McEngr, perhaps, you did not work on wood building a lot. That wood problem is very common, you will see a lot if your office does commercial wood office building. Typical hinge GLB beam, sub- diaphragm, TJI joist……..As some senior member here mentioned before, for SEII, we need know design for all four materials. Fortunately our company is not a big company; I had chances to work on all different projects no matter it is steel, concrete, wood or masonry. Basically I do structural design for all four major materials plus Aluminum, whatever projects we can get, I have to do. I think that is a big help for me…….Bless everyone to pass……3 months waiting



McEngr said:


> I thought the morning session was easy. I had a wood problem that was a breeze until the last question .... I can't go into it too closely, but the problem was poorly worded.
> There were a few problems where I was supposed to design a connection except I can't remember if I was supposed to draw a detail.
> 
> Also, I am torturing myself over a basic indeterminate analysis problem from which I KNOW I made a mistake. I feel I got about 60% of the exam 100% correct.
> ...


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## kevo_55 (Apr 30, 2009)

Don't worry McEngr. You don't need to get 100% to pass.

If you're like me, you don't give yourself enough credit. I think that you did better than you thought. You just took the SEII, right?

Well, here's to a few months of waiting. :beerchug:


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## McEngr (May 1, 2009)

kevo_55 said:


> Don't worry McEngr. You don't need to get 100% to pass.
> If you're like me, you don't give yourself enough credit. I think that you did better than you thought. You just took the SEII, right?
> 
> Well, here's to a few months of waiting. :beerchug:


Thanks kevo, I still have a strain between my shoulder blades that I haven't beeen able to get rid of since taking that exam in Eugene, OR. Doh! )

:bananadoggywow:


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## McEngr (May 1, 2009)

teda,

You're right. I haven't done a lot of wood structures that require support for heavy wall loads. When designing wood, I usually am doing a house or commercial with 20 psf cladding or less. It doesn't qualify as concrete or masonry as ASCE defines it, so the 280 plf minimu out-of-plane force doesn't apply. Where it DOES apply for me is for spandrel beams for masonry walls. The questions seemed relatively intuative and I understand how the structure is put together. I have a breyer book that helps with that.

My experience is primarily low-rise steel buildings, wood structures (minus the heavy walls), and concrete. I haven't done a lot of concrete moment frame structures, but shear/bearing walls, etc. is enough to get by.

Another thing teda, I didn't want to mention as much on the particulars of the exam problem that you did. I think you might want to delete your response for safety's sake.


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## McEngr (May 1, 2009)

McEngr said:


> teda,
> You're right. I haven't done a lot of wood structures that require support for heavy wall loads. When designing wood, I usually am doing a house or commercial with 20 psf cladding or less. It doesn't qualify as concrete or masonry as ASCE defines it, so the 280 plf minimu out-of-plane force doesn't apply. Where it DOES apply for me is for spandrel beams for masonry walls. The questions seemed relatively intuative and I understand how the structure is put together. I have a breyer book that helps with that.
> 
> My experience is primarily low-rise steel buildings, wood structures (minus the heavy walls), and concrete. I haven't done a lot of concrete moment frame structures, but shear/bearing walls, etc. is enough to get by.
> ...


teda, in review, I believe that I designed the problem properly (the wood problem). However, I'm still pissed off at myself for getting the indeterminate structural analysis wrong. Absolutely, the easiest problem on the exam... I blew it.


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## ARLORD (May 1, 2009)

McEngr said:


> teda, in review, I believe that I designed the problem properly (the wood problem). However, I'm still pissed off at myself for getting the indeterminate structural analysis wrong. Absolutely, the easiest problem on the exam... I blew it.



Hey McEngr,

Don't worry about those dumb mistakes. I made the worst mistake on a concrete problem on the SE II. I passed and I am still pissed off at myself. The funny thing about my mistake, I woke up 3 in the morning the following wednesday after the exam thinking the mistake was a dream. But in the dark I slowly relized that it isn't a dream and I actually did make that stupid mistake. I didn't relize that I made that mistake until that moment in the dark early wednesday morning. I guess it was deep in my subconscience. I wish I could tell you how dumb it was, basic concrete design, 101. That happens when you try to work quickly.


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## McEngr (May 1, 2009)

ARLORD said:


> Hey McEngr,
> Don't worry about those dumb mistakes. I made the worst mistake on a concrete problem on the SE II. I passed and I am still pissed off at myself. The funny thing about my mistake, I woke up 3 in the morning the following wednesday after the exam thinking the mistake was a dream. But in the dark I slowly relized that it isn't a dream and I actually did make that stupid mistake. I didn't relize that I made that mistake until that moment in the dark early wednesday morning. I guess it was deep in my subconscience. I wish I could tell you how dumb it was, basic concrete design, 101. That happens when you try to work quickly.


LOL! I truly laughed out loud when I read your comment. I suppose I have hope, then. The wait is the worst! I can't remember, ARLORD, did you take and pass the SE III?


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## teda (May 1, 2009)

I think what I mentioned were just basic term, which all structural engineers know......Any way, how to delete a post? Teach me....


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## McEngr (May 4, 2009)

teda said:


> I think what I mentioned were just basic term, which all structural engineers know......Any way, how to delete a post? Teach me....


Any post that you've written, as long a you are signed in, will have a delete button on it. I think the terms are basic, but you need not tell everyone what types of problems were on it. I'm just looking out for you. If you aren't concerned, don't bother.

...hope you did well, Teda.


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## ARLORD (May 4, 2009)

McEngr said:


> LOL! I truly laughed out loud when I read your comment. I suppose I have hope, then. The wait is the worst! I can't remember, ARLORD, did you take and pass the SE III?



No, I haven't taken the SE III. I am on the east coast so I don't plan on taking that one. If I lived within driving distance I would. After I pass the civil-str exam I'll be done.


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## McEngr (May 4, 2009)

McEngr said:


> Any post that you've written, as long a you are signed in, will have a delete button on it. I think the terms are basic, but you need not tell everyone what types of problems were on it. I'm just looking out for you. If you aren't concerned, don't bother.
> ...hope you did well, Teda.


I can't wait 'til I can say that: I'm done.


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## teda (May 4, 2009)

No, I can not see any delete button on the post. See attached pdf, I did sign in everytime.



McEngr said:


> Any post that you've written, as long a you are signed in, will have a delete button on it. I think the terms are basic, but you need not tell everyone what types of problems were on it. I'm just looking out for you. If you aren't concerned, don't bother.
> ...hope you did well, Teda.


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