# Failed Electrical Power



## electric (Jun 14, 2010)

I didn't make it this time.

My diagnostic is 54%, 69%, 69% and 67%.

I had a feeling that this was going to be close, but I was still optimistic. Looking at the diagnostic score, would this be considered close?

I would appreciate any advise/suggestions anyone has to offer to get through the next time.


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## audioaddict (Jun 14, 2010)

electric said:


> I didn't make it this time.My diagnostic is 54%, 69%, 69% and 67%.
> 
> I had a feeling that this was going to be close, but I was still optimistic. Looking at the diagnostic score, would this be considered close?
> 
> I would appreciate any advise/suggestions anyone has to offer to get through the next time.


I think it is very close. If you go by a scaled score of 70, you were probably off by 4-5....maybe less.

My scores came in and they weren't as good: 67, 50, 62, 62.

And to make it easier for everyone reading this (especially those who passed  ), here's the order of the diagnostic:

General Power Engineering

Circuit Analysis

Rotating Machines &amp; Electromagnetic Devices

Transmission &amp; Distribution

I'm over it...not terribly hurt by this, because I am a PE already (fire protection).....I was a little lazy and it showed.

Oh well, now I really wanna dominate this exam!! I really don't think it's that bad at all....with some structured studying I think it could be rocked on attempt 2, seriously.

So long as I can get good info on what I'm weak in, I'm sure I'll be fine.

Eager to hear some ideas.


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## tootie87 (Jun 15, 2010)

I failed the Power exam as well with scores of 67, 62, 75, 58. Anyone know what passing would look like?


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## Rei (Jun 15, 2010)

tootie87 said:


> I failed the Power exam as well with scores of 67, 62, 75, 58. Anyone know what passing would look like?



First of all, I would like to express my sympathy for those who didn't make it. I just passed the electrical (power) this last April for the first time and I know I would be so stressed out if I didn't make it.

About the scores posted above from many people who didn't make it, I think you just take the average of the 4 scores and 70 is passing. I think the test was scored as one score and the one that didn't make 70, they broke down into different sections so that you know where you stand in different topics.

In term of studying advise, I took my co-worker advise and it seems to work for me. He said the review books are more like school materials and are not focus on the exam. He gave me his binder from test master and told me to study in and out of that binder at least 8 hours a week and increase the studying time as you come close to the exam. By one month before the exam, I pretty much studied 2 hours each night right after work on week days and 6 hours a day on weekends. I compiled all of the sample questions and time myself to work as many questions as possible in 30mins interval and increased the time until I can sit and concentrait for 4 hours and able to solve many questions.

I think the test master materials are really good, but two of my co-workers actually attended the class and didn't past the first time and so I guess the key is spending time studying. I wish you all good luck and don't be discourage if you didn't make it this time.


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## pelaw (Jun 15, 2010)

For what it is worth, this is how I studied for this exam and passed.

1. I read EERM, only chapters 26-43, plus 68. (19 Chapters in total.)

2. I worked out every problem in the Chapters except for economics, filling out the gaps in knowledge by referencing other Chapters such as trig and diff equations where needed.

3. I worked out the NCEES Sample exam over and over again by connecting words and questions to EERM's structure and explanations. This by far took tthe longest time for me. I would say that trying to understand the problems and its wording, thinking about the problems, and working them out took about 80% of my study time.

4. In similar fashion, I worked out every problem and question available here at EB. For circuit reponse problems, specifically rectifiers, I read as much as I could find on the web about different circuits and their behavior. I knew there was no way for me to learn this as I have limited classroom experience in distant past with this.

5. I brought EERM and NEC to the exam.

As far as the scores, the difference between 65 and 75 is huge imo. Crunching the numbers correctly is not enough, but it is mandatory. There will be problems where using your engineering sense which comes from experience is required, and using it correctly makes a difference.


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## wilheldp_PE (Jun 15, 2010)

pelaw said:


> 2. I worked out every problem in the Chapters except for economics


I would suggest spending at least a couple of days studying engineering econ and ethics. Sure, there aren't many questions on the exam about it, but the stuff is easy to learn, and you will be giving up basically free points if you don't take the time to understand it.



pelaw said:


> 3. I worked out the NCEES Sample exam over and over again by connecting words and questions to EERM's structure and explanations..


I saved the NCEES exam for the last month or so of studying. I got up early one Saturday morning, and took the NCEES exam in "test conditions". I.e., I timed myself, took a lunch break after 4 hours...basically treated it like the real exam day.

After that, I went though all of the problems I missed or guessed on and made sure I understood them. I would definitely save a full length practice exam until late in the study cycle to use as a "dress rehearsal".


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## elmodeer (Jun 19, 2010)

I have a question. After looking at the passing rates posted on the NCEES, why the passing rate for repeat takers is low??

Exam First-time takers Repeat takers

Electrical and Computer 66% 29%

I thought the second attempt is kinda easier! This worries me!


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## benbo (Jun 19, 2010)

elmodeer said:


> I have a question. After looking at the passing rates posted on the NCEES, why the passing rate for repeat takers is low??
> Exam First-time takers Repeat takers
> 
> Electrical and Computer 66% 29%
> ...


It should be easier, and you should have a better chance, if you look seriously at your diagnostic and modify your study habits. The problem is that most people who don't pass the first time, don't change anything and then don't pass the second time. Or they are people who are just not well prepared enough by education/experience to ever pass the exam. I think the second group is pretty small - if you can get the degree you should be able to pass the test at some point (IMO).

This has been discussed ad nauseum on this website but just think - if you took two groups and gave them a test, and the only thing you knew about the two groups was that group 1 had never taken a similar test, and group 2 had all taken a very similar test before, and they all failed, which group would you bet your money on to pass?


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## Glenn (Jun 19, 2010)

I failed Power myself - scores:

General Power Engineering: 63%

Circuit Analysis: 69%

Rotating Machines &amp; Electromagnetic Devices: 69%

Transmission &amp; Distribution: 54

The raw average worked out to be 63.75%; 6.25% "shy" of 70%.


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## ELEPE (Jun 21, 2010)

audioaddict said:


> electric said:
> 
> 
> > I didn't make it this time.My diagnostic is 54%, 69%, 69% and 67%.
> ...


Are those raw scores or scale scores ?


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## audioaddict (Jun 21, 2010)

ELEPE said:


> audioaddict said:
> 
> 
> > electric said:
> ...


I'm guessing they are roughly raw scores....they were given in percentages.

NY doesn't publish scaled scores.


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## Tammy-IIT (Jul 9, 2010)

electric said:


> I didn't make it this time.My diagnostic is 54%, 69%, 69% and 67%.
> 
> I had a feeling that this was going to be close, but I was still optimistic. Looking at the diagnostic score, would this be considered close?
> 
> I would appreciate any advise/suggestions anyone has to offer to get through the next time.



I am sorry you didnt pass this time. The key to study is spend at lease 6-10 hours each week go through the work books. It would be a great help if you know where in the book to study. You can visit the website of IIT at www.irvine-institute.org to check out the gauranteed pass seminars that are very close to the exam. The seminars will begin soon just in time for the next exam. I hope you get some useful information. Good luck.

Tammy


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## cdcengineer (Jul 9, 2010)

Tammy - why are you spamming so hard for the Irvine review course?

25 posts in a day all regarding the course - shame!


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## focus (Jul 10, 2010)

After passing the exam in April, I believe several things helped me out.

1. I studied just about all the subjects in the EERM book that had to do with the Power concentration. This refreshed me on fundamentals that I forgot from being out of school for a while. I will say that I wasted some time studying transient circuits and frequency response circuits after I found out later it was not part of the exam.

2. I studied all the relavent subjects from my electrical circuits book I kept from college. This served me well in my fundamentals and proved to be a great resource for the test. I put a lot of time in this from the start along with the EERM.

3. I would advise studying the engineering economics to where you are comfortable enough working the problems just in case some problems appear on the test.

4. Working the NCEES practice problems until you literally get sick of them! I worked through problems at least 3-4 times over until I could recognize the style of questions they like to ask and to get a grasp on how to work the problems. Another tip worth mentioning is to anticipate what other questions can be asked from information in a given NCEES problem.

5. It helped me setting aside days to work the EERM sample exam and NCEES exam as if I were really being timed for taking the exam.

6. Working as many problems as you can is key! The more variations of problems you get to see the better. For me, I worked through the EERM problems, Kaplan PE power exam problems a couple times. My co-workers had some old EERM study material from which I also worked problems for additional practice.

7. Studying from this forum is also a tremendous help!

I wish you the best of luck on the next go round!


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## benbo (Jul 10, 2010)

^^^

A wise post. I did basically the same for the Electronics concentration. (except this forum didn't exist when I took the exam)


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## 90FTaway (Jul 11, 2010)

electric,

Good luck studying! I took the exam four times and finally passed the Spring 2010 exam. I work in the A/E world so I am rusty with utility work. I tried to give the exam a different method each time and this last time I took an on-line course. The on-line course was helpful because it discussed different approach to problems and it forced a good study pace.

I would also suggest trying to use the IEEE color books.


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