# Exam Difficulty



## m151755 (Aug 4, 2010)

I own the following and feel that some problems simply take longer to solve. Does anyone out there know which of these reference practice exams/problems are similar to the difficulty of the actual exam?

MERM Practice Problems (seem difficult)

Lindeburg Practice Exams (seem difficult)

Six Minute Solutions (seem adequate)

NCEES 2001/2008 (seem adequate)

Thanks!


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## HerrKaLeun (Aug 4, 2010)

From glancing at 6-minute solutions (HVAC) and NCEES exam that seems to be the most realistic. However, some questions were really easy (you just know) some take some minutes or might be require guessing.

From what I read the other book you mention are harder than the exam. But don't quote anyone on this. NCEES can make the test whatever way they want. And the same test can be hard for someone, and easy for someone else of same intelligence just depending on your daily background, work etc.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.


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## HokieGirl (Aug 5, 2010)

In preparation, I would recommend doing all of the problems in the Lindeburg practice exam, but don't time yourself. Try to do each problem without looking at the solution. I would certainly recommend taking the NCEES exam like a practice exam. Do it a few weeks before the actual exam. Set yourself up in a room on a hard chair with the snacks you plan on having at the exam (if they're allowed in your state). If you plan on using ear plugs during the exam (which I recommend), do the practice exam with the ear plugs in. Already have your reference books tabbed. Set the timer and don't allow any distractions from family or the phone. Try to avoid looking at any of the problems ahead of time.

I took the Lindeburg as a practice exam 2 weeks before the test. I got a 34%. I was discouraged and extremely upset and studied each problem individually. I ordered all of the 6-minute solution books and started working each problem in the breadth section.

I took the NCEES as a practice exam 1 week before the test. I got a 74%. I was encouraged, but not complacent. I worked each problem individually again and continued working all of the breadth problems from the 6-minute solutions and started working the depth in my area.

I took the PE exam and got a 96. However, I really feel like I got "lucky" in the morning of the real test and got questions that were in my stronger areas.

The main thing I can say is, work as many problems as possible. The more you see something presented in different ways, the more comfortable you will be during the exam. And, speed is so important! There were some problems I spent 30 seconds on. Others, I spent 15 minutes on (although that was rare).

Good luck!


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## gaidox (Aug 5, 2010)

Solve all the problems that you can get. Practice is key to gaining speed for solving and it will get you familiarize with the equations and their location in the book.

Solve all the examples in the MERm and Practice problems (try to skip the 1 hr prob except your depth, solve it only if you run out of practice probs).

Solve lindeburg depth (try it timed ) and others untimed.

Solve six minutes solutions untimed.

Solve Ncees probs (timed preferably 2 weeks or earlier before exam day).

I recommend to mix the practice problems from your present and previously review topics so you dont forget. example if you finish thermo last week and currently doing hvac..try to solve 2-5 problems (random) from thermo before you solve hvac probs.. do it and you will stay refresh till exam day. If you finish the whole merm, solve mix problems timed and check which subject slows you up. Take Notes all your errors and weakness.

In terms of difficulty, For me morning exam is the same with Ncees sample/Merm..the depth will be difficult (for me, half of the probs seems harder than lindeburg I guess because of the time to solve it and I didnt encountered the same types of prob during my review). I did Thermal/Fluid for depth.


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## MechGuy (Aug 5, 2010)

There are so many threads on this topic I'm not even going to bother to answer anymore. Just do a search and I'm sure you'll find lots of people with varying opinions.

Sorry I'm of no help today!


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## Sschell (Aug 5, 2010)

I'm too lazy to read what everyone else wrote about this... as I feel like this question has been answered many times... but the NCEES practice exam is the closest to the actual thing. anything by lindeburg is much more involved that the real thing (use this to your benefit).


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## Bman (Aug 17, 2010)

I took the HVAC depth this past April and passed. In my opinion, the exam was definitely harder than the NCEES or SMS, but I think they provided the foundation I needed to pass the exam. They were basically asking the same types of questions, but the systems involved (in the actual exam) seemed a lot more complex with way too much information that wasn't necessary to solve the problem.

I went through the MERM, and did the Lindeburg sample exam under timed conditions (only once each) and thought they were pretty tough, but they were also where I started my studying so I hadn't really built up any steam yet and was still re-learning a lot of the concepts.... I went through the NCEES and SMS at least 3 times each before the exam to make sure I knew those problems like the back of my hand. I did the whole SMS for my depth (HVAC) and only the morning sections for the other modules.

So, are the problems representative? I didn't think so. Will they help you to pass the exam? Apparently so!


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