# Mechanical Guys.....how do you think you did?



## JoeysVee (Oct 26, 2009)

Ok, if you had to guess, how many of the 80 do you think you got right???

Come on guys...give us your gut feeling here....


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## JoeysVee (Oct 26, 2009)

Buick....YINGLI.....how did you guys do?

I'm curious if you two think you passed!


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## chaocl (Oct 26, 2009)

Finally I can post in here. I did a similar response before and I am going to post here again.

I think that I did 50-50 chance to pass and fail. (I did mechanical - thermal and fluid). In the morning I did around 18 question right, 14 question 50-50 and 8 in all educated quess. In the afternoon that I did 18 question right, 12 question 50-50 and educated quess for 10 questions......If I add up then I will only have 36 correct, 26 question 50-50, and 18 question in educational guessing (all those number is approx.).....I feel so sad now for not passing the test this time....

I saw a lot of people bring and use the text book in the PE exam, but is it really helping to pass?

Howevr, I only use my MERM and sample questions in binder (I rearrage all my samples in a binder with the answer beside the question).

I took in CA and I will have my answer in 18 weeks = 3 months!

By the way if I can pass this time around that I will share my experience with everybody in here. But during the mean time can people give me some suggestions?


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## nashbmattPE (Oct 26, 2009)

i know i guessed at 8 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon and probably miss worked the same amount. didn't feel good about it when i left out friday evening


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## buick455 (Oct 26, 2009)

I took the MD depth. As I mentioned before, this was my third attempt and I studied my ass off for all three (maybe 900 hours total). I have missed it with a 65 and then a 68. I was even better organized for this attempt. So how did I do? Put it this way, not as well as I wanted. For me the morning was more difficult than the afternoon. For me it is really just a time issue and not a technical issue as I know how to work the problems it just takes me longer than some I guess. I could have used another hour in both the morning and afternoon. I did finish but just barley and did not have time to review or check my work. To be honest it could go either way.


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## Mike D (Oct 26, 2009)

Even though this is my first post I've been looking around for a while. I thought I did very well on the test (T&amp;F afternoon). This was my first time taking it (and hopefully only). I felt really/pretty good with 60, somewhat good with 15 and guessed on 5. I finished with about a half hour left both sessions and went back and checked my answers. It will be really bad if I actually didn't pass even though I felt good about everything. This board has been pretty theraputic in away knowing there are others out there going through similar things.


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## chaocl (Oct 26, 2009)

buick455 said:


> I took the MD depth. As I mentioned before, this was my third attempt and I studied my ass off for all three (maybe 900 hours total). I have missed it with a 65 and then a 68. I was even better organized for this attempt. So how did I do? Put it this way, not as well as I wanted. For me the morning was more difficult than the afternoon. For me it is really just a time issue and not a technical issue as I know how to work the problems it just takes me longer than some I guess. I could have used another hour in both the morning and afternoon. I did finish but just barley and did not have time to review or check my work. To be honest it could go either way.



Don't worry you will did ok. I think the MD is harder than TF but I belived they will lower the cut score for the afternoon MD section. Plus I haven't heard any people who talk about the TF (But I do hear about the HVAC afternoon......

One question does HVAC, MD and TF use the same cut score?


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## Yingli (Oct 26, 2009)

I took fluid and thermal afternoon. Overall I feel so sad what I did in the exam, I think I will be fail if the cut score is 56. In the beginning of Morning section I could not concentrate on the problems even simple questions.

I think it may be around 20 correct and rest of may be 50-50 in the morning. It may be 20-21 correct for the afternoon, 10 may be 50 -50, and 9 all guessed (run out of time). For both sections I did not have time to check the answer, this scared me since it was so easy to make a mistake.

This is my first pe exam, I even don’t have courage to take pe again if I don’t make this time.

Yingli


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## JoeysVee (Oct 26, 2009)

chaocl said:


> One question does HVAC, MD and TF use the same cut score?


no


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## JoeysVee (Oct 26, 2009)

Yingli said:


> I took fluid and thermal afternoon. Overall I feel so sad what I did in the exam, I think I will be fail if the cut score is 56. In the beginning of Morning section I could not concentrate on the problems even simple questions.
> I think it may be around 20 correct and rest of may be 50-50 in the morning. It may be 20-21 correct for the afternoon, 10 may be 50 -50, and 9 all guessed (run out of time). For both sections I did not have time to check the answer, this scared me since it was so easy to make a mistake.
> 
> This is my first pe exam, I even don’t have courage to take pe again if I don’t make this time.
> ...


I bet you did ok...I was hoping you passed!


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## Yingli (Oct 26, 2009)

Thank you very much JV.

I got steam table book last Monday, it was very helpful to have it for the exam!!


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## JoeysVee (Oct 26, 2009)

Mike D said:


> Even though this is my first post I've been looking around for a while. I thought I did very well on the test (T&amp;F afternoon). This was my first time taking it (and hopefully only). I felt really/pretty good with 60, somewhat good with 15 and guessed on 5. I finished with about a half hour left both sessions and went back and checked my answers. It will be really bad if I actually didn't pass even though I felt good about everything. This board has been pretty theraputic in away knowing there are others out there going through similar things.



We were wondering if you were ever going to post or just stay stealth


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## chaocl (Oct 26, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> no



Thank you very much. You will pass the PE exam.

I only score 48 to 50% on the right answers (base on my calculation compare to the choices). The 25% is 50-50 and the rest is just guess the answer.

Some of the queston is ok and similar to the NCEEs test. But some of the questons is based on the experiences.


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## PKT1106 (Oct 27, 2009)

I took MD for the afternoon and got off to a real quick start, but then hit that middle 15-question string someone else talked about and had troubles. There were a couple of obscure questions that I got by knowing what all was in the MERM. The morning was tougher than I imagined it would be. Shigley helped, but I used MERM the most.

I had started an equation string for every problem, but I had to guess on more than I would have liked to. Right now, my references still sit in my backpack in the corner of one of the rooms in my house. I'll probably open the MERM this weekend and kick myself in the ass.

If I had to guess right now, I will be retaking it in April.


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## JoeysVee (Oct 27, 2009)

Several people are talking about how difficult the morning was. I thought it was kinda easy. I only guessed on 4 and had 3 educated guesses and I'm sure I made a few other mistakes but I felt very good on 33 of them...although after a few mistakes are included my score for the morning was probably around a 28. With that said, I thought it was the same level of difficulty as the 2008 NCEES sample exam. I didn't think it was bad at all.

The HVAC afternoon was pretty tough I thought. It was different than the specs...didn't have some things on it that I was counting on being there and did have some unexpected things on it...the afternoon is where I blew up.

:blowup:


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## chaocl (Oct 27, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> Several people are talking about how difficult the morning was. I thought it was kinda easy. I only guessed on 4 and had 3 educated guesses and I'm sure I made a few other mistakes but I felt very good on 33 of them...although after a few mistakes are included my score for the morning was probably around a 28. With that said, I thought it was the same level of difficulty as the 2008 NCEES sample exam. I didn't think it was bad at all.
> The HVAC afternoon was pretty tough I thought. It was different than the specs...didn't have some things on it that I was counting on being there and did have some unexpected things on it...the afternoon is where I blew up.
> 
> :blowup:



I think the different test version have the different degree of difficulty and they might have to grade differently. (I only assuming)

For the morning I think I did a little bit better than the afternoon. For some of my friend saying that he did better in the afternoon than the morning. Overall it should be the same because the morning and afternoon is 1 point per question (unlike the FE that if you did better in the afternoon that you have highly chance to pass)

I spent 6 months to study MERM, doing 7 samples and 1 Lindbegurg problems book. I used half of my work hour to study and used the Sat. to study in the Lib. for 1.5 month. The last 2 week I study at work, home, and weekend in cluding Sun. The reason I did that is because I fail once in the FE and I know how hard it is to go through again. I just wanna make sure I don't do it again.

:whipping:


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## buick455 (Oct 27, 2009)

After the first attempt I figured I got close to 65 and I got a 65 for the second attempt I thought I got closer to a 70 and got a 68. In reality after looking at the actual results from the NCEES (diognostic) I did not do as well as I thought but my score was close to what I thought I would get, meaning the cut score is definitely a factor. I am not sure this time around how I did but I do know I should have done better. I feel good on my level of preparation and I was not lost on any one problem as I I knew how to approach it but I was always worried about time which affected my performance.

If I need to do this again I know what I need to focus on. I have decided to keep studying but maybe a just a few hours a week until I get the score.


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## chaocl (Oct 27, 2009)

buick455 said:


> After the first attempt I figured I got close to 65 and I got a 65 for the second attempt I thought I got closer to a 70 and got a 68. In reality after looking at the actual results from the NCEES (diognostic) I did not do as well as I thought but my score was close to what I thought I would get, meaning the cut score is definitely a factor. I am not sure this time around how I did but I do know I should have done better. I feel good on my level of preparation and I was not lost on any one problem as I I knew how to approach it but I was always worried about time which affected my performance.
> If I need to do this again I know what I need to focus on. I have decided to keep studying but maybe a just a few hours a week until I get the score.


I think I heard from my coworker saying that he took PE exam 10 or 15 years ago in the old format (4 * 10 in the morning and 4 * 10 in the afternoon). The NCEEs add 22 points on everybody. If you score 48 ponits + 22 = 70 and it is equal to percentage you will pass.

So if you score 50% + 22 = 62% and you will fail the exam.

"that is in the old format and they might changed now"


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## PKT1106 (Oct 27, 2009)

buick455 said:


> After the first attempt I figured I got close to 65 and I got a 65 for the second attempt I thought I got closer to a 70 and got a 68. In reality after looking at the actual results from the NCEES (diognostic) I did not do as well as I thought but my score was close to what I thought I would get, meaning the cut score is definitely a factor. I am not sure this time around how I did but I do know I should have done better. I feel good on my level of preparation and I was not lost on any one problem as I I knew how to approach it but I was always worried about time which affected my performance.
> If I need to do this again I know what I need to focus on. I have decided to keep studying but maybe a just a few hours a week until I get the score.


I am going to crack things open on the weekends or a slow weeknight as well, just to stay in practice. I also share your "i don't know how to feel about it" sentiment. The ones I had to guess on, I still had some idea what was going on, but just couldn't come down to an answer. Time was also a factor, I have to say.

I tried to analyze how I felt after the test was done and couldn't even force myself to feel good or bad. I was kinda "meh, could go either way with this one". But like you said, I know already what I need to study should the time come again.


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## JoeysVee (Oct 27, 2009)

Yeah, I'm also going to keep studying a little. I also knew how to go about solving every problem but the ones I guessed on, I just couldn't come up with an answer that matched an answer that they had.

I feel like I know how to solve about every problem...I just need to get sharper and quicker.

The other frustrating thing is when they don't give you the info you need and you have to go look for some wild ass value in a reference (ie. ASHRAE) and you can't find the value you need to plug into an equation to get the answer. This is real frustrating when you know how to solve the problem but can't because you can't find some wild value in a reference. They should give you the info so you're being tested on how to apply the given info instead of testing you ability to find some value in a reference within 6 minutes.


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## PKT1106 (Oct 27, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> The other frustrating thing is when they don't give you the info you need and you have to go look for some wild ass value in a reference (ie. ASHRAE) and you can't find the value you need to plug into an equation to get the answer. This is real frustrating when you know how to solve the problem but can't because you can't find some wild value in a reference. They should give you the info so you're being tested on how to apply the given info instead of testing you ability to find some value in a reference within 6 minutes.


I guess they are also testing on if you know what you need to find to solve the problem. Otherwise, if they gave you all the info, wouldn't that be similar to the FE? Just a thought.

And yes, I did have to find some wild ass reference a couple times.


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## chaocl (Oct 27, 2009)

PKT1106 said:


> I guess they are also testing on if you know what you need to find to solve the problem. Otherwise, if they gave you all the info, wouldn't that be similar to the FE? Just a thought.
> And yes, I did have to find some wild ass reference a couple times.


It is time to settle down our mind. Otherwise we will be drive ourself crazy!


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## Kephart P.E. (Oct 27, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> Several people are talking about how difficult the morning was. I thought it was kinda easy. I only guessed on 4 and had 3 educated guesses and I'm sure I made a few other mistakes but I felt very good on 33 of them...although after a few mistakes are included my score for the morning was probably around a 28. With that said, I thought it was the same level of difficulty as the 2008 NCEES sample exam. I didn't think it was bad at all.
> The HVAC afternoon was pretty tough I thought. It was different than the specs...didn't have some things on it that I was counting on being there and did have some unexpected things on it...the afternoon is where I blew up.
> 
> :blowup:


This was how I felt this last spring. In fact my boss called me at lunch and asked if I passed and I told him if the afternoon was as easy as the morning I have it no problem.

When I finished the test I felt horrible, the afternoon(T&amp;F) was definitely more difficult for me, but somehow or another I did pass in the end.


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## jonstone (Oct 27, 2009)

My second time taking the exam (machine depth). The first time IU took it I felt like I got at least 32 on the morning, but when I got to the afternoon part I was stuck bigtime. I ended up getting only around 18 on the afternoon section.

This time, I felt similar in the morning (like I got at least 35 correct, 3 were good guesses and 2 were just fill in the circle), but this time in the afternoon I felt really good, I got answers for about 34, and was really close on 5 and guessed on only one. So I feel really good about passing.

The big difference was on the first one I probably studied a 100 or so hours mostly on the morning stuff because I thought I knew all the afternoon stuff. Boy I was wrong, but this time I just went over Shigleys and looked at where the equations were and what they meant, and didnt solve any problems. This seemed to make all the difference in the world, as soon as I saw a problem I recognized right where it was in the book and was able to solve it pretty fast.


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## cjdecuir (Oct 27, 2009)

Passed in April, you guys enjoy the break that you have now. It took me three times and one of the worst parts about the test is the final three weeks that you are waiting for your score. So if you think you will forget the information, you may want to keep it fresh, otherwise take off until at least after Thanksgiving and enjoy some time. Maybe have a nice cold CAB.


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## chaocl (Oct 27, 2009)

buick455 said:


> I took the MD depth. As I mentioned before, this was my third attempt and I studied my ass off for all three (maybe 900 hours total). I have missed it with a 65 and then a 68. I was even better organized for this attempt. So how did I do? Put it this way, not as well as I wanted. For me the morning was more difficult than the afternoon. For me it is really just a time issue and not a technical issue as I know how to work the problems it just takes me longer than some I guess. I could have used another hour in both the morning and afternoon. I did finish but just barley and did not have time to review or check my work. To be honest it could go either way.



You will pass this time. There is not only one spot for passing. As long as you try your best and prepare a lot. I also try work almost 1000 hours in 6 month and also study last 2 months in lib and home for the weekend. I did one problems set, MERM and 7 sample exams. I also feel bad after the exam....but trust me there is not only you!


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## JoeysVee (Oct 28, 2009)

I tried to memorize the problems I guessed on. As a result, I have thought about them a lot and I just reworked one of those and I actually guessed the correct answer so I'm going to adjust my guessed score to a 53. I'm now saying, if I had to guess I would say I made a 53 out of 80 on the exam. In this range every point is soooo critical!

It's going to be close boys!


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## chaocl (Oct 28, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> I tried to memorize the problems I guessed on. As a result, I have thought about them a lot and I just reworked one of those and I actually guessed the correct answer so I'm going to adjust my guessed score to a 53. I'm now saying, if I had to guess I would say I made a 53 out of 80 on the exam. In this range every point is soooo critical!
> It's going to be close boys!


Don't panic...JV you will pass the PE exam this time because I haven't heard any guy can score to 53 or above (Mechanical-HVAC). I think this time the cut score point might be around 50. My input do not equal the output and this might be the last time I post here before the result coming in late Jan or never. :angel:


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## Kephart P.E. (Oct 28, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> I tried to memorize the problems I guessed on. As a result, I have thought about them a lot and I just reworked one of those and I actually guessed the correct answer so I'm going to adjust my guessed score to a 53. I'm now saying, if I had to guess I would say I made a 53 out of 80 on the exam. In this range every point is soooo critical!
> It's going to be close boys!



I know I tended to focus on the problems I had to guess on as well during the wait for results. You tend to forget the ones you knew how to work. It kind of drove me crazy afterwards.


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## buick455 (Oct 28, 2009)

I took the MD depth and can remember 71 of the 80 problems in pretty good detail. I have fairly good confidence of 50. I had to take an educated guess on maybe 20 as I messed something up (which I should not have)and had no time to do them again. I know of at least 1 is incorrect (stupid mistake) and 9 I can not remember at all. :suicide1:

I wish there were more MD type problems in the morning vs the standard breakdown of about 50% fluids thermo and HVAC vs 20% MD.


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## pelaw (Oct 28, 2009)

Took HVAC for the first time. I have no idea whether I'll pass or fail. But the test was very fair; surprisingly fair. All problems can be solved quickly, and I feel that an engineer should know how to solve every single one.

Even if I fail, I certainly feel more confident about my studies for the next time.


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## JoeysVee (Oct 28, 2009)

pelaw said:


> Took HVAC for the first time. I have no idea whether I'll pass or fail. But the test was very fair; surprisingly fair. All problems can be solved quickly, and I feel that an engineer should know how to solve every single one.Even if I fail, I certainly feel more confident about my studies for the next time.


Your discipline is civil and you feel like every HVAC PE should know how to solve every question but you're not sure if you passed? weird!


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## chadesullivan (Dec 2, 2009)

JoeysVee said:


> Several people are talking about how difficult the morning was. I thought it was kinda easy. I only guessed on 4 and had 3 educated guesses and I'm sure I made a few other mistakes but I felt very good on 33 of them...although after a few mistakes are included my score for the morning was probably around a 28. With that said, I thought it was the same level of difficulty as the 2008 NCEES sample exam. I didn't think it was bad at all.
> The HVAC afternoon was pretty tough I thought. It was different than the specs...didn't have some things on it that I was counting on being there and did have some unexpected things on it...the afternoon is where I blew up.
> 
> :blowup:


I agree - I thought the morning exam was easier than the practice set, and HVAC was harder. On the pre-test, I averaged 75% on morning and 90% on the HVAC. On test day I felt I could've gotten a 90% on the morning and anywhere from a 50%-75% on the afternoon. It was NOT what I was expecting based on the NCEES Sample exam.


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## chadesullivan (Dec 2, 2009)

pelaw said:


> Took HVAC for the first time. I have no idea whether I'll pass or fail. But the test was very fair; surprisingly fair. All problems can be solved quickly, and I feel that an engineer should know how to solve every single one.Even if I fail, I certainly feel more confident about my studies for the next time.


This is my first PE exam and I can say that the HVAC depth module was fair, but surprisingly challenging compared to the NCEES PE Sample exam. There were a few unique problems I had not previously come across that required a level of ingenuity and 'out of the box' thinking to work a problem correctly (as is true in real life engineering) and this gives me more respect for the PE title that we're all striving for.

Also, the NCEES board determines what they consider a competant engineer, and that person certainly doesn't score 100% on an administered exam. However, at the least, HVAC engineers that pass should understand the underlying concepts in all of the HVAC problems.

And for what it's worth, there were some problems that took me much longer than 6 minutes to solve in both the sample and real exam (and I passed the sample HVAC exam with 90% correct).


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## chaocl (Dec 3, 2009)

chadesullivan said:


> I agree - I thought the morning exam was easier than the practice set, and HVAC was harder. On the pre-test, I averaged 75% on morning and 90% on the HVAC. On test day I felt I could've gotten a 90% on the morning and anywhere from a 50%-75% on the afternoon. It was NOT what I was expecting based on the NCEES Sample exam.


You have a highly percentage to pass. With your 90% and 50-75% you can get the lowest score 56/80. And that means you be able to pass and get your PE license.


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## chadesullivan (Dec 3, 2009)

chaocl said:


> You have a highly percentage to pass. With your 90% and 50-75% you can get the lowest score 56/80. And that means you be able to pass and get your PE license.


Thanks Chaocl, unfortunately I feel less and less confident as time goes on, but just have to be patient.

From your earlier post about your test, it sounds like you did well also (confident on 40/80, semi-confident on 20/80), and that you studied a lot. You deserve to pass and I wish you the best!


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## Kephart P.E. (Dec 3, 2009)

chadesullivan said:


> pelaw said:
> 
> 
> > Took HVAC for the first time. I have no idea whether I'll pass or fail. But the test was very fair; surprisingly fair. All problems can be solved quickly, and I feel that an engineer should know how to solve every single one.Even if I fail, I certainly feel more confident about my studies for the next time.
> ...


I took and passed the T &amp; F last spring and I pretty much felt the same way after the test. I think outside of 3-4 in the afternoon all the problems where very fair and and engineer should be able to solve them.

I know I didn't pass the Sample Exam at 90% so you should be just fine.


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## Kephart P.E. (Dec 3, 2009)

chadesullivan said:


> chaocl said:
> 
> 
> > You have a highly percentage to pass. With your 90% and 50-75% you can get the lowest score 56/80. And that means you be able to pass and get your PE license.
> ...


Completely normal during lunchtime I felt like I would pass no problem.

Just after the afternoon section I was 90% sure I passed.

By the time I drove home I was about 80% sure.

2 months later I was at 50/50.

I think it is because you focus on what you did not know.


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## nashbmattPE (Dec 7, 2009)

i dont even remember what i dont know now


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## RevMen (Dec 8, 2009)

After about 90 minutes in the morning I was way ahead of schedule and started feeling good. Then I got hung up on a single problem for 20 minutes or so and completely lost my head in terms of time management. I did finish all the problems but I was working very quickly for the rest of the session. In the afternoon I was better at time management but the questions were harder for me so I had to work very quickly just to get through them. I think I worked all but maybe 7 or 8, I can't really remember. I feel pretty good about it but this is the first time I've taken the PE so I'm hesitant to say I think I'll pass. Don't want to set myself up for disappointment.

The afternoon was hard for me because my discipline is Acoustics, which there is no test for (unless you are trying for an Oregon license). I did the HVAC depth section because I felt like I stood the best chance at that. I was sad to see absolutely 0 acoustics questions on the exam; I figured there'd be one or maybe two that I could count on for building confidence.


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## chaocl (Dec 15, 2009)

buick455 said:


> After the first attempt I figured I got close to 65 and I got a 65 for the second attempt I thought I got closer to a 70 and got a 68. In reality after looking at the actual results from the NCEES (diognostic) I did not do as well as I thought but my score was close to what I thought I would get, meaning the cut score is definitely a factor. I am not sure this time around how I did but I do know I should have done better. I feel good on my level of preparation and I was not lost on any one problem as I I knew how to approach it but I was always worried about time which affected my performance.
> If I need to do this again I know what I need to focus on. I have decided to keep studying but maybe a just a few hours a week until I get the score.


buick455,

Can you post your first and second attempt diagnostic here?

Thank you very much.


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