# Structural Engineering Study Guides



## jfm7c9 (Jul 17, 2008)

Hello:

I am scheduled to take the SE 1 exam in Illinois this fall and am putting together my reference materials.

To those individuals that have taken the SE 1 exam, what study guides and other books (Professional Publications, Inc, Kaplan, etc) did you find that were most representative of the exam questions?

Thanks


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## ODB_PE (Jul 17, 2008)

This has been addressed multiple times, but my version of a quick summary:

The NCEES sample questions are by far the most representative of the exam questions. Make sure you get the new one.

"the other board"'s SERM is a necessary reference. IMO, it is a keeper after the exam.

"the other board" also has six-minute solutions and 246 solved questions. I only used the 6 minute solutions, and found that most all of the questions were much more involved than the actual exam questions. Probably no need to get both of these.

Make sure you have all of the codes to match those used on the exam. For example, I took 2001 NDS although the 2005 NDS was the standard. I still passed, but I'm pretty sure my old code led me astray on a couple of questions.

My personal approach was to become intimately aquainted with the SERM, which then directed me to the relevant code sections. Familiarity with your resources is key.

Good luck!


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## buening (Aug 6, 2008)

ODB_PE said:


> "the other board"'s SERM is a necessary reference. IMO, it is a keeper after the exam.


I'm taking my SEI and II in Illinois this October. According to the list of banned references, the SERM is one of them. I wonder if they check each persons references at the exam.........


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