# May switch and take Transportation Depth..WR problems too long



## Calixico (Aug 5, 2009)

I have been studying for the Water Resources depth for the last two weeks. I am using CERM extensively, but feeling that the problems are either too long or too difficult to solve fro 6-minutes test questions. My area of specialty in school was Drainage (Hydraulics and Hydrology). I currently work in a drainage group doing mostly Transportation drainage design, but neve ran into such lengthly and difficult problems. I understand most of the problem strategy, but fear that I may run out of time solving these problems come exam day. This is my first and hopefully last time taking the exam.

I heard that the Transportation depth is a bit easier, based on the fact that most of the problems are from either the HCM, MUTCD, Roadside design, ITE trip gen, etc (manuals and charts look-up and basic computation). I know that people here will probably say don't fall for the " it's easier than the other depth", but come on; how hard can the Transportation depth be. Furthermore I have all the references at my disposal in my office. Any thoughts, comments is welcome..

BTW I did got an "A" in Traffic and Transportation engineer classes, if that's worth anything, for starters

I am pretty sure that people on this board were in similiar situation as me, before..please share your opinions...and experiences..


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## roadwreck (Aug 6, 2009)

legend has it that you can pass the Transportation depth with nothing more then a 6 minute solutions and an abacus...


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## roadwreck (Aug 6, 2009)

...seriously though, I'd say stick with whichever discipline you feel most comfortable and confident in. If you are only working the problems in the CERM then I think you'll find that all the problems, no matter which discipline you are working on, are longer and more in depth then you can be expected to solve in 6 minutes. The same goes for the "easy" transportation questions. I found that all the practice problems in the Lindeburg books to be much more in depth then you find on the actual exam.


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## maryannette (Aug 6, 2009)

^

I agree. Stick with the discipline that you are comfortable with.


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## Vishal (Aug 6, 2009)

Stick with your field unless you want to verify if the Transportation Depth is really easier to pass or not. Seriously, this myth needs to be busted (EB.com Mythbusters anyone?).

From what I have heard, Transportation Depth is getting tougher with each administration for the past 3 exams concentrating a lot on traffic fundamentals and other related stuff that you will encounter on the daily basis at work. It's not about solving some curve problems anymore.

Lindeberg practice problems, 6-minute solutions, etc. include lengthy problems. The idea is to get you familiar with several concepts in one problem. In the exam, you may be asked any piece of those "lengthy" problems so you should be fine as long as you are prepared. I have not heard of time crunch from someone who was well prepared.

Let us know what you find out.


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## nojo (Aug 6, 2009)

The water/enviro section didn't seem to be that much of a problem as far as time is concerned. I just took it in april and there seemed to be a good balance. Some of them were more involved and took more than 6 minutes but a lot of the other questions were quite short and took under 3 minutes.

If you are studying the harder in depth water problems you should be fine.


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## Isar (Aug 6, 2009)

Spyderman said:


> I have been studying for the Water Resources depth for the last two weeks. I am using CERM extensively, but feeling that the problems are either too long or too difficult to solve fro 6-minutes test questions. My area of specialty in school was Drainage (Hydraulics and Hydrology). I currently work in a drainage group doing mostly Transportation drainage design, but neve ran into such lengthly and difficult problems. I understand most of the problem strategy, but fear that I may run out of time solving these problems come exam day. This is my first and hopefully last time taking the exam.
> I heard that the Transportation depth is a bit easier, based on the fact that most of the problems are from either the HCM, MUTCD, Roadside design, ITE trip gen, etc (manuals and charts look-up and basic computation). I know that people here will probably say don't fall for the " it's easier than the other depth", but come on; how hard can the Transportation depth be. Furthermore I have all the references at my disposal in my office. Any thoughts, comments is welcome..
> 
> BTW I did got an "A" in Traffic and Transportation engineer classes, if that's worth anything, for starters
> ...


 before when they had just one passing score, instead of 5 different passing scores depending on the depth, many people would tell me that water was the easiest to pass, with structures the hardest


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## Calixico (Aug 7, 2009)

Isar said:


> before when they had just one passing score, instead of 5 different passing scores depending on the depth, many people would tell me that water was the easiest to pass, with structures the hardest



Thanks guys. Appreciate all the inputs. Maybe it's just the the nervousness setting in as a first time test taker. This test is too broad, even with the NCEES outline, Very few problems in this W.R section of the CERM, I can solve in the given 6 minutes. I haven't started on Transportation yet, so we'll see if what was thinking now about the Transpo module, will be the same then.


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## ganesh (Aug 11, 2009)

This is really a myth. To go for the transportation session in the afternoon you need to have a good knowledge of transportation. they ask questions from all over the place. if you don't know what are they asking and where to get that from they you are bound to guess and get it wrong.

Also along with the transporation there are questions on economics, water resources, geotech almost 25%. So you need to be good at that too.

You need to do well in both the sessions morning as well as afternoon to pass the exam.



Spyderman said:


> I have been studying for the Water Resources depth for the last two weeks. I am using CERM extensively, but feeling that the problems are either too long or too difficult to solve fro 6-minutes test questions. My area of specialty in school was Drainage (Hydraulics and Hydrology). I currently work in a drainage group doing mostly Transportation drainage design, but neve ran into such lengthly and difficult problems. I understand most of the problem strategy, but fear that I may run out of time solving these problems come exam day. This is my first and hopefully last time taking the exam.
> I heard that the Transportation depth is a bit easier, based on the fact that most of the problems are from either the HCM, MUTCD, Roadside design, ITE trip gen, etc (manuals and charts look-up and basic computation). I know that people here will probably say don't fall for the " it's easier than the other depth", but come on; how hard can the Transportation depth be. Furthermore I have all the references at my disposal in my office. Any thoughts, comments is welcome..
> 
> BTW I did got an "A" in Traffic and Transportation engineer classes, if that's worth anything, for starters
> ...


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## snickerd3 (Aug 11, 2009)

the lindburg books are written to over prepare. The problems are not written for 6 minutes solutions. They are meant to help you learn. You will find that parts of problem are more likely a candidate for a test question than the whole problem. Regardless of the time taken, if you can make you way through those practice problems, you will have a better understanding of the topic and therefore hopefully an easier time during the test.


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## jeb6294 (Aug 13, 2009)

Get the NCEES Sample Exam before you decide. When I was studying WR I was also starting to panic when I getting into the Lind. and 6-Minute Solutions. I found the questions in the NCEES were much more similar to what was on the exam and they were a lot more realistic time-wise. The other ones are still a good idea to aid in studying, but don't get too worried if it takes you 15 minutes and a couple sheets of paper to solve a problem...as long as you can solve it.


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