# NCEES has released the 2015 exam outlines



## ptatohed (Oct 28, 2014)

They don't waste any time!

http://ncees.org/exams/pe-exam/

Wow, there seems to be quite a change in AM and PM topics (at least for Transpo PM).

What's weird is (just looking at Transpo), the PM topics changed fairly notably yet the only new "standard" (note to NCEES: these are not standards!) I see listed is AASHTO's Highway Safety Manual. I don't think new topics like Trip generation and traffic impact studies can be found in the current list of references.

Bummer for those who have already started studying and now some of what they studied is obsolete.... and all of the current PE study material is now slightly dated.

Edit: Link to NCEES News Release: http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/ncees_updates_ce_specs.pdf

( http://ncees.org/about-ncees/news/ncees-updates-specifications-pe-civil-exam/ )


----------



## snickerd3 (Oct 28, 2014)

all the tests get a face lift every so often. looks like they did a bunch of facelifts this time through.


----------



## NJmike PE (Oct 28, 2014)

Matt won't be too thrilled by this


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 28, 2014)

Hahaha nice.


----------



## NJmike PE (Oct 28, 2014)

looks like a few more topics in the AM. PM looks to be the same with the exception of Drinking Water Distribution and Treatment


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 28, 2014)

Yeah, well, just when I thought I had a handle on things.


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 28, 2014)

Seriously. What the hell do I do now?


----------



## snickerd3 (Oct 28, 2014)

^switch to straight up environmental? Are the changes that drastic


----------



## NJmike PE (Oct 28, 2014)

It looks like what was Construction is not broken into multiple categories. I think if you sit down and compare the old with the new, you will find that it is more just an organizational change, with a few new topics. Start there. review the two side by side.


----------



## smilestar (Oct 28, 2014)

wow, that sure looks different. I better pass :suicide1:


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 28, 2014)

Yeah I know. I'll review the new outline over beers.

I'm dedicated to the civil at this point. I've spent two much money on civil review material. But I may look at the environmental just for fun.


----------



## NJmike PE (Oct 29, 2014)

When will NCEES be releasing new practice problem books? They should be if they reorganized the exam. Also, try contacting the various vendors here and find out if they will be releasing new documents to match. Depending on the reference materials that you were using, there are vendors here who publish books.


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 29, 2014)

New practice exams will be available in November.


----------



## NJmike PE (Oct 29, 2014)

Check the others too. Goswami is a vendor here too


----------



## berz (Oct 29, 2014)

I don't see the "Other Topics" section on the new Construction Outline, which is good!


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 29, 2014)

But it looks like a few things were added, like construction safety. Some stuff was also added to the structural section and to the afternoon water section. But some stuff was also removed.


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 29, 2014)

Looks like the updated practice exams are now available:

https://account.ncees.org/exam-prep/category/PE/product/pe-civil-water-resources-and-environmental-practice-exam


----------



## John QPE (Oct 29, 2014)

I am sick to my stomach.

I'm totally re-thinking my afternoon now ...


----------



## DanHalen (Oct 29, 2014)

Exam has definitely changed. The AM exam changed a bit and so does the WR/Env PM exam.

http://cdn2.ncees.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Civ-WRE-April-2015_Combined.pdf

It looks like they are combining some of the construction material with Geotech &amp; Structures.


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 29, 2014)

I compared the old and the new last night. Every section has been tweaked.


----------



## Porter_ (Oct 29, 2014)

The Structural Depth topics looks about the same, just worded and organized differently on the syllabus. All the codes were updated though.


----------



## ptatohed (Oct 29, 2014)

matt267 said:


> Looks like the updated practice exams are now available:
> 
> https://account.ncees.org/exam-prep/category/PE/product/pe-civil-water-resources-and-environmental-practice-exam




Good find m2. Here is a direct link: https://account.ncees.org/exam-prep/store/category/PE



John Q said:


> I am sick to my stomach.
> 
> I'm totally re-thinking my afternoon now ...




JQ, relax bud, you'll do fine. I know.


----------



## John QPE (Oct 29, 2014)

I'm just really freaking out now. I do LD and stromwater pretty much exclusively. My transpo is limited to residential road design. LD pretty much spans all the afternoon depths, I was going transpo because it seemed easier for me to learn (or lookup) those topics I didn't know.

This whole addition of this HSM, is just another topic I need to learn, and now with no practice exams or study guides available. The NCEES exams were available last week, I doubt there is anything in there from this HSM. Not to mention that book is $500 !!


----------



## ptatohed (Oct 29, 2014)

John Q said:


> I'm just really freaking out now. I do LD and stromwater pretty much exclusively. My transpo is limited to residential road design. LD pretty much spans all the afternoon depths, I was going transpo because it seemed easier for me to learn (or lookup) those topics I didn't know.
> 
> This whole addition of this HSM, is just another topic I need to learn, and now with no practice exams or study guides available. The NCEES exams were available last week, I doubt there is anything in there from this HSM. Not to mention that book is $500 !!




I passed without about half of the NCEES listed books. I had none of the AC/PCC pavement books. Do they actually even test on all the books anyway? Like the AASHTO Ped book or the FHWA Culvert book? What questions from the exam outline come from this new AASHTO Hwy Sfty Manl anyway? I can't tell. Relax, you'll do fine. And when you pass, I'll link you back to this post and say "I told you so".


----------



## John QPE (Oct 29, 2014)

1.I - Highway Safety analysis for certain.

Traffic forcasting looks like it comes from there, and I would say this accident analysis does as well.

See...I was already going in without the pavement and concrete book ... I don't want to be so far behind the 8-ball.

Roundabout design looks new.

There is ADA now too ...section V looks all pretty new, or at least heavier weight.


----------



## civilized_naah (Oct 30, 2014)

The CIVIL PE Exam just went through a significant reorganization effective April 2015.

The breadth exam shifted focus away from some areas. Each depth area syllabus has also changed significantly. Some standards have been added. Others have been updated to different versions.

In response to these changes, the content and organization of the PE Review Course taught by Dr. Indranil Goswami is going through a major redesign. The course is still going to be delivered via online webinars and will have a total contact time of 63 hours (21 sessions at 3 hours each) over 10 ½ weeks (2 sessions per week). However, the order of lectures will be reshuffled.

[SIZE=11pt]Also, the 3rd edition of the All In One Civil PE book is being worked on right now and will be submitted to the publisher by January 2015. The anticipated publication date for the 3rd edition is June/July 2015. The recent changes to the PE exam syllabus will be reflected in the additions and edits to this book.[/SIZE]


----------



## DanHalen (Oct 30, 2014)

civilized_naah said:


> The CIVIL PE Exam just went through a significant reorganization effective April 2015.
> 
> The breadth exam shifted focus away from some areas. Each depth area syllabus has also changed significantly. Some standards have been added. Others have been updated to different versions.
> 
> ...




I'm a big fan of the All-In-One books. I purchased the 2nd edition last year and used it to prepare for the exam this past April. I found it far more helpful than the CERM. Will you also be releasing a new edition of the Exam Guide? Those practice exam questions were some of the best I studied and believe they will benefit future test takers.


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 30, 2014)

Too bad the 3rd edition won't be available for the April 2015 exam.


----------



## NJmike PE (Oct 30, 2014)

DanHalen said:


> civilized_naah said:
> 
> 
> > The CIVIL PE Exam just went through a significant reorganization effective April 2015.
> ...


this.

I used the NCEES material, old and current at the time as well as the All in One. IMO they were the closest to the actual and very beneficial.

EDIT: It is disheartening that such reference materials wont be revised and available for this go around.


----------



## matt267 PE (Oct 30, 2014)

When I fail in April, I'll likely buy the updated All In One.


----------



## NJmike PE (Oct 30, 2014)

stay positive. You might surprise yourself.


----------



## John QPE (Oct 30, 2014)

Hey if we all sh1t the bed, maybe the infamous cut score will be lower :Locolaugh:


----------



## DanHalen (Oct 30, 2014)

John Q said:


> Hey if we all sh1t the bed, maybe the infamous cut score will be lower :Locolaugh:




Show up to the exam and make sure you're totally nude. Other examinees will be too distracted to do well and that will help pull the cut score down. For additional distraction eat lots of refried beans before the exam and during lunch.


----------



## civilized_naah (Nov 3, 2014)

NJmike PE said:


> EDIT: It is disheartening that such reference materials wont be revised and available for this go around.


The review course notes will contain much if not all the new materials going into the All In One 3rd edition. And the course itself is going through a major overhaul to accommodate all these changes.


----------



## ptatohed (Nov 3, 2014)

I edited the first post to include a link to this NCEES News Release on the subject:

http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/ncees_updates_ce_specs.pdf

- and -

http://ncees.org/about-ncees/news/ncees-updates-specifications-pe-civil-exam/


----------



## mustang462002 (Dec 18, 2014)

If you are in geotech it looks the changes benefit you. Less trans, water, structures more geotech and construction. It looks like more PM questions on general site investigation, geology and construction temp structures. Overall more stuff to study but I'm guessing easier to look up references.


----------



## njames024 (Jan 20, 2015)

I bought the CERM for the morning session and have been going through it. I'm wondering if anyone else has been going through it and come across sections that we could eliminate needing to study from the book based on the new 2015 exam outlines?


----------



## matt267 PE (Jan 20, 2015)

There is tons in the cerm that doesn't need studying.


----------



## ptatohed (Jan 20, 2015)

njames024 said:


> I bought the CERM for the morning session and have been going through it. I'm wondering if anyone else has been going through it and come across sections that we could eliminate needing to study from the book based on the new 2015 exam outlines?




+1 what matt said.

Even before the outline change, there were countless topics covered in the CERM, not tested on the exam (ex. 'Background and Support'). Just follow the latest outline/syllabus when you study. Study only those topics.


----------



## njames024 (Jan 21, 2015)

OK thanks guys. Aside from the CERM and NCEES practice test how much other material did you acquire to study for the morning session?


----------



## njames024 (Jan 21, 2015)

*EDIT: That was worthwhile haha


----------



## Tim_Nelson (Jan 22, 2015)

The 6 Minute Solutions series are popular too.

Which sub-discipline do you plan to tackle in the afternoon?


----------



## njames024 (Jan 22, 2015)

construction. I bought the construction depth package (which includes 6 minute construction problems) but now I'm looking at buying

Practice Problems for the Civil Engineering PE Exam: A Companion to the Civil Engineering Reference Manual (CEPP14) for more practice problems.


----------



## king2off (Jan 30, 2015)

PE here. Passed last spring, first try, minimal studying. Here's my advice for the civil construction depth.

Earthwork and Construction Layout


*Focus on layout - survey of curves, there will be at least one AM and two PM questions*

The cut/fill, borrow pit and subsurface investigation questions are gimme's

If you aren't familiar with Earthwork mass diagrams spend a few hours looking at them - easy to pick up

Estimating Quantities and Costs


Quantity take-off - review formwork specifically and look up testmasters

Cost Estimating - gimme

Cost analysis and resource selection - same as cost estimating, just making a choice of &lt;$

Work Measurement and productivity - gimme

Construction Operations and Methods


Rigging - Statics, know statics

Crane Stability - Statics

Dewatering - Know how to read pump diagram, look up well pointing and single/double lift systems

Equipment - gimme

Deep foundations - stresses - know how to calculate resistance


Scheduling

*KNOW THIS STUFF, it will be on AM and PM and it is not hard and yields points*


Learn how to read their diagrams (CPM networks, backwards critical path, calculate float and resource level)

Material Quantity Control

Not sure about this one, I didn't study at all for this. Whatever questions they had seemed like you could look them up in CERM.

Temporary Structures

Not sure about this one, problems were easy unless they had some weird shit rules about loads that you don't know about. Know where to find this in reference but don't spend too much time.

Health and Safety

Bring OSHA, lookup answers. Easy points.

Overall allocate time this way for studying:

Layout and Earthwork

Scheduling

Estimating

Statics

All other stuff

Take the CERM as a reference and use the appendix. It will get you through questions that you don't even know what they are asking for when you read it. Attack questions that you know you can nail, go back for the ones that you know you could do given enough time and then go after the ones that you have no clue on. Using this three tier progression I knew I had passed when I walked out of there.

The way I figured it I would yield the following:

90% of "Nailed it" questions

70% of "Give me enough time"

40% of " What??" questions

If you have 18/40 "Nailed it" questions and split the remainder between the others you pass. No matter what answer every question.

I realize that these adjustments might disturb you. Just roll with it - everyone has to deal with the same changes. Anyhow - I came to advertise some materials that I have and I'm giving away for FREE in Delaware for the Construction Depth exam: http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showtopic=24747#entry7257396

I will not ship this stuff, must pick up.

And....half an hour later my diatribe is over.


----------

