# my advice to you



## victor2010 (Jun 3, 2011)

I failed the FE exam last year. Here is some advice:

1.)	When studying, replicate the same conditions that are likely to exist during the exam. Study using the same pencil and calculator that you’re going to use during the FE exam. (No graphing calculators) Don’t get to confortable on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate, instead, study at a table wearing day time clothing.

2.)	When studying spend some time learning how questions are being asked. Believe it or not this is part of the exam! They are testing you on how to read questions. I missed a lot of questions simply because I didn’t know what was being asked. Look at the multiple choice answers, they’re usually a clue. This seems obvious, but you would be surprised how much time is spent reading test questions. Also, not all given information is actually required to the answer, some problems will give you 7 bits of info, but only 3 bits of information is actually required to solve. People with alot of common sense fall into this trap. If you attended a community college like me, chances are you were exposed to casual notation rather than the formal way to express equations. Study nomenclatures, symbols, and different kinds of notation.

3.)	As engineering students we are conditioned to taking exams with written answers, and receiving partials credit, get used to the fact that the FE exam is MULTIPLE CHOICE.

4.)	During the exam most drawings and diagrams are NOT TO SCALE, meaning if you’re asked to find a length or angle don’t refer to the misleading picture. Do not use a protractor!

5.)	When studying from the big yellow book, avoid highlighting and underlining equations and other information! Seriously! Treat each bit of information with equal consideration. The best thing you can do is make your self familiar with the FE Supplied Reference Book, which can be bought or downloaded.

6.)	If you choose to study with other people, be very careful. One minute you let your study partner see your $100 book, the next minute its gone for weeks at a time. People will often seek out study partners simple because they have no reference material. Don’t be a sucker!


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## dougfaircloth (Jun 8, 2011)

victor2010 said:


> 5.)	When studying from the big yellow book, avoid highlighting and underlining equations and other information! Seriously! Treat each bit of information with equal consideration. [SIZE=10pt]*The best thing you can do is make your self familiar with the FE Supplied Reference Book, which can be bought or downloaded.*[/SIZE]


I COMPLETLY agree with this point ^. I think the key to my passing was learning the supplied reference book. Most of the equations needed or even direct answers can be found in this book. Knowing how to quickly get around it is the key!

Good luck everyone!


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## scull20 (Jun 9, 2011)

dougfaircloth said:


> victor2010 said:
> 
> 
> > 5.)	When studying from the big yellow book, avoid highlighting and underlining equations and other information! Seriously! Treat each bit of information with equal consideration. [SIZE=10pt]*The best thing you can do is make your self familiar with the FE Supplied Reference Book, which can be bought or downloaded.*[/SIZE]
> ...


I'm will agree one hundred thousand percent here too on this, familiarizing yourself with the reference manual is key! I would highly recommend going to the NCEES website and just buying the manual, scrolling through a PDF any longer than 20 pages is useless if you ask me, I think its only like 20-25$. I should also add that I will be the first to admit that I am a sub-par engineering student at the very best...my GPA is by no means good...and my study habits are fair at best, I studied very little for the exam and quite frankly I had myself convinced I failed it, and boy was it a surprise when I found that I passed it. My best words of advise (short of familiarizing with the reference manual) are to really just not kill yourself over every little tiny detail when reviewing/studying, I have found that a lot of the stuff you think you don't know just comes out naturally when you are in a situation where you need to use it. Good Luck!

-Ryan


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## DS58 (Jun 9, 2011)

I agree as well; Additionally, get to know your calculator to the same extent. Read the manual and use the special features during your study so they are second nature. The Casio calculator can do the following (and more) and I used all these features. This saved time and improved accuracy in my case:

quadratic equations

complex number operations in two formats

statistical operations including both sample and population variances

matrix operations including calculation of determinants


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## MA_PE (Jun 9, 2011)

...is to start drinking......heavily.


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## Exengineer (Jun 9, 2011)

My opinion on the FE exam is this: Don't sweat it. It doesn't matter if you pass or if you don't even take it at all. The reason for this is because it is strictly VOLUNTARY. It is not a legal responsibility to become an Engineer-In-Training or a Professional Engineer. Only certain companies require it of their employees, but unless all 50 states require you to be registered in order to practice, it's not worth much.


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## MA_PE (Jun 9, 2011)

Exengineer said:


> My opinion on the FE exam is this: Don't sweat it. It doesn't matter if you pass or if you don't even take it at all. The reason for this is because it is strictly VOLUNTARY. It is not a legal responsibility to become an Engineer-In-Training or a Professional Engineer. Only certain companies require it of their employees, but unless all 50 states require you to be registered in order to practice, it's not worth much.


You need to factor in the discipline of engineering that a person is working in. If the engineering has any connection to public buildings/safety then your career won't go very far without a professional license. Sure it's voluntary, but you can't legally practice without it.

Lawyers don't HAVE to take the bar exam, they just can't practice law. Accountants don't HAVE to take the CPA exam, they just can't practice public accounting.

Metallurgy, mining, electronics, etc. engineers it's not as imperative to get licensed. Civil, Structural, HVAC, etc. it's pretty much required if you want to stay in the profession.


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## Otter (Jun 10, 2011)

MA_PE said:


> ...is to start drinking......heavily.


Better listen to him, he's pre-med.


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## DS58 (Jun 10, 2011)

MA_PE said:


> Exengineer said:
> 
> 
> > My opinion on the FE exam is this: Don't sweat it. It doesn't matter if you pass or if you don't even take it at all. The reason for this is because it is strictly VOLUNTARY. It is not a legal responsibility to become an Engineer-In-Training or a Professional Engineer. Only certain companies require it of their employees, but unless all 50 states require you to be registered in order to practice, it's not worth much.
> ...


Also, it's a good idea to take the FE asap even if you don't think you will "need" it. You never know what the future holds. As EE/software I have never needed a PE nor did I think I ever would. Now, many years later I am working for a consultant in environmental engineering and all of my co-workers have their PE. Where does that leave me? Back to the books is where it leaves me. I took the FE in April and am applying to take the PE in October. It would have been a lot easier if I had done it years ago!


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## DS58 (Jun 10, 2011)

Oh, and another good reason to get the FE/PE for your future:

If you want to start a consulting business in engineering, at least in my state, the "managing agent" (i.e. the boss) must be a PE.


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