# Failed electrical discipline specific



## 302 (Dec 14, 2012)

Found out yesterday I failed the electrical discipline specific for the second time. First time I took it there was a lot of signal processing heavy questions, I studied those and was expecting a lot of signal processing/communications. Took it the second time around and the computer type questions wrecked me. I never had a lot of computer classes when i was taking my courses. Can anyone offer some tips on how to study for the computer problems experienced in the October exam?

Thanks.


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## hjg7715 (Dec 14, 2012)

Well if you've performed fairly well during the morning session and if it's the afternoon session that's wrecking you, then I would recommend that you consider taking "Other Disciplines" module in the afternoon. It's basically a continuation of the morning session with problems that aren't that much different. And it doesn't matter what specific discipline you actually work in or plan to pursue your PE licensing in, there isn't a distinction in the EIT designation between disciplines.

As far as tips with the computer type questions, I'm assuming the programming/algorithms and computer architecture programs are the ones you're referring to? I would recommend to anyone that hasn't taken a course that covers a specific topic, to find a prep course or review course that covers those specific topics. It's one thing to have taken courses in the past and forgotten the concepts, but it's another thing to try to study and do practice problems for something you've never seen before.


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## 302 (Dec 14, 2012)

hjg7715 said:


> Well if you've performed fairly well during the morning session and if it's the afternoon session that's wrecking you, then I would recommend that you consider taking "Other Disciplines" module in the afternoon. It's basically a continuation of the morning session with problems that aren't that much different. And it doesn't matter what specific discipline you actually work in or plan to pursue your PE licensing in, there isn't a distinction in the EIT designation between disciplines.
> 
> As far as tips with the computer type questions, I'm assuming the programming/algorithms and computer architecture programs are the ones you're referring to? I would recommend to anyone that hasn't taken a course that covers a specific topic, to find a prep course or review course that covers those specific topics. It's one thing to have taken courses in the past and forgotten the concepts, but it's another thing to try to study and do practice problems for something you've never seen before.


No, I can do the spreadsheets. The computer questions on the morning session are by far different than the EE specific computer questions. Has to deal with microprocessor registry entries I'm assuming. I just really don't know what to google to study up on...


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## iwire (Dec 14, 2012)

Just go with the generals questions, the only different is has Biology or Chemistry (Morning session has bio then afternoon has chem or vice versa..forgotten)...

dont worried much about the specific yet until your pe exam..that is what I am planning. I sucked balls in the whole microprocessor thing


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## 302 (Dec 14, 2012)

iwire said:


> Just go with the generals questions, the only different is has Biology or Chemistry (Morning session has bio then afternoon has chem or vice versa..forgotten)...
> 
> dont worried much about the specific yet until your pe exam..that is what I am planning. I sucked balls in the whole microprocessor thing


yea the more i think about it i do want to do the general afternoon. some things on the morning tripped me up, but it was a lot easier than the problems I was studying. I was expecting problems and a lot of it was either i could do straight up on my calculator, find it in that horrid excuse for a reference manual, or know the definitions. my least best subject was chemestry.... 11 problems and i only got 1 correct. sigh.....


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## PipelineEngineer (Dec 14, 2012)

Hello 302,

How are you? Could you please share your diagnostic reports or the total score you got to us. To serve as a guide for those who are planning to take the exam by April 2013 just like myself. That would be much appreciated. Thank you so much and best of luck to us.


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## 302 (Dec 14, 2012)

PipelineEngineer said:


> Hello 302,
> 
> How are you? Could you please share your diagnostic reports or the total score you got to us. To serve as a guide for those who are planning to take the exam by April 2013 just like myself. That would be much appreciated. Thank you so much and best of luck to us.


68 correct on morning and 28 correct on afternoon...


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## PipelineEngineer (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks 302. Best of luck man.


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## eksor_PE (Dec 16, 2012)

I have taken the FE-Electrical exam on October 2012 and passed it on first try. Seriously, I was not prepared, and I had a mindset of winging the FE exam and will just take it again on April 2013 as it would help me to study on what would be the topics to study for the next FE exam. I didn't study much of Electrical topics in depth prior to the exam. I just looked on my class notes. With that mindset, I thought the AM session killed me. When I opened the booklet, I felt like I was having a panic attack because I could not stop skipping most of the questions, then I calmed down as soon as I saw some questions that I could answer easily. I was 80% confident on my answers to 70 questions (I think), then guessed on the rest. The PM session (Electrical Discipline) was a little bit straightforward (easier) than I expected. Because of my lack of preparation, I have to triple check all of my answers before answering the next one so that took a little time too. I believe that I only guessed on 5 questions for PM session.

In terms of studying, I would suggest to study the basic theory of all the topics covered on FE-Electrical exam. My specialization was in control theory, so that section was a breeze for me, but there was a question there that I have to guess because I forgot how to do it. At first, I thought the computer architecture questions were a little intimidating but when I read the questions and looked at the diagram carefully, I find it a bit easy to answer. My only background in computer arch is the digital logic that I took sophomore year and microprocessor in junior year and those should prepare you enough for the test. On DSP questions, study the basic mathematical theory for DSP and you should be fine. I thought, in general, the Electrical discipline is a little basic for me.


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