# ***What is your test taking strategy***



## maximus808

What is your method of taking the exam?

1. Do the problems you know and skip the ones you don't.

2. Do you then come back to the ones you couldn't and guess/educated guess and move on to double check the ones you think you did correct?

I think I ended up assuming I was going to get all those questions I though I got correct when I actually made careless mistakes on those. I didn't pass with a 52/80 and it hurts. But I think for the next exam, I'm going to double check my right answers before I attempt the questions I don't know. Does that sound like a plan? What is your strategy?


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## roadwreck

I read through every problem in the order they were presented. I would spend a few moments looking through my references for information related to the problem. If after briefly looking through my references I didn't have a strategy on how to solve the problem I would write down what page numbers I had already looked up in reference to the problem and then move on to the next problem. I went through the whole exam this way and picked up the "low hanging fruit" so to speak (problems I felt I could solve most easily). Then I went back to the problems I didn't have a clear understanding of. I found in a lot of cases by solving other problems I had uncovered information to help solve problems I had difficulty on before. Since I had written down the pages of my references that I looked up the first time through I didn't have to waste time looking up the same info I had already done once before.


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## Bman

roadwreck said:


> I read through every problem in the order they were presented. I would spend a few moments looking through my references for information related to the problem. If after briefly looking through my references I didn't have a strategy on how to solve the problem I would write down what page numbers I had already looked up in reference to the problem and then move on to the next problem. I went through the whole exam this way and picked up the "low hanging fruit" so to speak (problems I felt I could solve most easily). Then I went back to the problems I didn't have a clear understanding of. I found in a lot of cases by solving other problems I had uncovered information to help solve problems I had difficulty on before. Since I had written down the pages of my references that I looked up the first time through I didn't have to waste time looking up the same info I had already done once before.


I second this approach. There were several problems where I just couldn't locate the equations or reference sections needed but would stumble upon them later while solving another problem. This method also allows you to focus more on the problems you know so that you don't make any stupid mistakes. I did not go back and check my answers, but spent that time trying to solve the problems I was pretty much clueless on...


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## Kilty

I passed the April 2010 Civil Water/Enviro on the 1st attempt using this approach during the exam...

1. Take about 5-10 minutes at the very beginning of the exam to *READ THROUGH EACH PROBLEM AND RATE EACH AS 1, 2, OR 3*:

*1* (easy--you know exactly how to solve the problem with little or no reference lookup)

*2* (moderate--you know how to solve problem but requires more reference lookup and longer problem-solving time)

*3* (hard--you are not sure how to solve which will require substanitial reference lookup and problem-solving time)

2. *Breeze through all of the 1's*. This gets you into a good "rhythm" and builds confidence as you solve a lot of problems quickly and easily.

3. *Do all of the 2's*. This will take the most time, so pace yourself and don't spend too much time on any one--keep moving.

4. Check your answers on your 1's and 2's. (I checked as I solved each problem since I already had the references open)

5. Attempt the 3's. Solve as many as you can. Guess "B" or "C" consistently on any remaining questions. (I had roughly between 6-8 unsolved "3" questions toward the end of each session I had to guess on.)


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## maryannette

The most important thing is NEVER give up.


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## roadwreck

mary :) said:


> The most important thing is NEVER give up.


Sometimes it's okay to give up on a problem and move on. Don't waste to much time on problems that you can't figure out how to solve if their are other problems that you may know how to work that you haven't gotten to yet. A co-worker of mine, who has taken the exam multiple times, seems to let his pride get in the way of being able to do this. I've told him my strategy, but he doesn't seem to listen. He says as he is working the problems he feels like he is so close to getting the answer that he just keeps working that problem, never giving up on it and moving on to the next question. Invariable he runs out of time and their are questions that he never gets to. It is possible that those questions were something he could have answered quickly.

Don't be afraid to move on to the next question. At the very minimum you want to have read every question on the exam before time is called so you know you did't leave any easy points out there.


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## EnvEngineer

I think too much is made of the time limit, there is plenty of time if you know the material but like the advice here a little stratigy helps. dont panic there are a number of problems with quick solutions that will give you time for others.

I try to work each problem in the order it is presented.

1. If I dont understand the problems or just think its too lenghty to work, I make a guess and mark my answere sheet, I then place a small - next to it

2. If I am having some type of brain issue and know I can work this or want to recheck my answere is mark answere sheet and place a + next to it

3. Work all other,

when done go back and work + if more time go back and try to work -.


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## bbrams

For the exam, I had more than enough time in the morning but I used it all. In the afternoon I finished well early and left because I felt confident. I think my preparation for the exam made me ready to take the exam. I just knew how to do most of the problems. So, I did them as I got to them. If you know the material there really won't be a reason to skip around. I did end up skipping about 5 in the morning and afternoon sections before returning to work on them. There are also problems you may not think you know how to do, but may only take a couple minutes to solve. For these all you need to do is look them up in the appropriate text and then you get them right out of the way rather than skipping them for later.

The more problems you work your first time through, the more confidence you will build.

After I was completely finished I went back through a lot of the problems that I had marked for review. In many cases I found errors or was able to make a more appropriate guess.


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## rockycro

I usually break the test up into sections. In the PE case, I broke it up into 4 parts simply by question number. I went through the whole exam, taking the time to answer any and all questions I knew right off the bat. When I get to the end, I start going backwards. For some reason question order sometimes makes me think about things in a better way (like re-writing the letters in a jumble and seeing it right away.) On the 2nd pass, you really gauge whether you can answer it or whether its gonna be a stretch. If you can get it, do it.

I keep going back and forth, not spending too much time on questions you dont know until I'm all finished.


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## Jacob_PE

ngnrd said:


> I start at the beginning and make multiple passes. First, I read the question - twice. If I know it's going to be quick, I answer it right then and move on. If I know how to do it, but I think it might take a while, I check my time and make a judgement call whether I do it now, or come back to it. If the question looks totally unfamiliar, or I know it's going to be a long one, I skip it. On the second pass through, I do the same thing. At this point, some of the questions I skipped earlier seem easier due to picking up hints from other questions. After the second pass through, most of the questions should be answered, leaving only the harder, more involved ones. So, I strap in and grind 'em out, keeping my eye on the clock. If I get totally stumped, I skip that question again. There's just not enough time to sit there staring at the question like a deer in the headlights. Then, provided I have enough time, I roll back through everything from the beginning, looking for stupid mistakes. After making any necessary corrections, I take another stab at anything still unsolved. Finally, BEFORE time runs out, I mark "C" on any unsolved questions. Then, I can always use any remaining time to stare at those "C" questions, hoping something will click.
> This is the same method I used all through college, and on the FE. And over the years, I've determined that if I can't get a solid attempt at the third pass, I wasn't prepared for the exam. Works for me. Other methods work for other people.
> 
> I finished the morning session with just under an hour left, and the afternoon Construction session with 15 minutes left. I passed on the first attempt.


What advice can you guys offer on the search for 'stupid mistakes'? Since I've started studying I've realized that unit conversions or failing to convert is a very common way to get tripped up. What are the most common kinds of stupid mistakes?


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## ptatohed

My long answer: 

http://engineerboards.com/index.php?s=&amp;amp...t&amp;p=6902718


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## csb

Jacob said:


> What advice can you guys offer on the search for 'stupid mistakes'? Since I've started studying I've realized that unit conversions or failing to convert is a very common way to get tripped up. What are the most common kinds of stupid mistakes?


I'd say unit conversion has got to be the top one, followed by not really understanding what the question is asking. You can see on the sample exams that some questions come packed with info and seem really complex, but it's really a simple question. Don't get tripped up thinking every question is a 6-minute question...many of them are one-minute questions.


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## Jacob_PE

csb said:


> Jacob said:
> 
> 
> 
> What advice can you guys offer on the search for 'stupid mistakes'? Since I've started studying I've realized that unit conversions or failing to convert is a very common way to get tripped up. What are the most common kinds of stupid mistakes?
> 
> 
> 
> I'd say unit conversion has got to be the top one, followed by not really understanding what the question is asking. You can see on the sample exams that some questions come packed with info and seem really complex, but it's really a simple question. Don't get tripped up thinking every question is a 6-minute question...many of them are one-minute questions.
Click to expand...

Yea a few of the NCEES sample questions tripped me up by me not answering the right question. You get to a major part of the solution and that is one of the multiple choice options wating for you. HaHa fooled you, Turns out they wanted the difference or book value or whateever, NCEES is trying to determine if we care enough to pay attention. The guys at work keep saying the most important piece of advice is RTFQ: Read The F'n Question.


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## AMiller

Jacob said:


> What advice can you guys offer on the search for 'stupid mistakes'? Since I've started studying I've realized that unit conversions or failing to convert is a very common way to get tripped up. What are the most common kinds of stupid mistakes?


Take my suggestions with a grain of salt as I have not taken the test yet, but will be this October. I ran into the same thing you did regarding the units. First thing I do is note (Hi-light) the units that the questions states the answer needs to be in and I compare that to the units of the values needed to solve the problem. At that point I convert any values to the units that I perceive as being the ones needed to match up with the answers provided. 9 times out of 10 that gets me where I need to be. If it does not, I rework the problem purely from a units standpoint and make sure I did not miss any conversion or steps. Good luck, I know I am going to need it.

-Andrew Miller


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## Jacob_PE

The idea that skipping a problem that you don't know how to do, and then somehow, on a problem down the line, you pick up a clue that helps you solve it, is a recurring theme in these strategy threads.  I wonder if it's just a matter of recalling the material by working an easier problem, or maybe, there's something going on beneath the surface and within the order of the questions themselves. Should one have the mindset that perhaps there's a clue to help with a 'forced to skip' question within the other questions?  Or would that just be wishful thinking?


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## Exception Collection

Jacob said:


> The idea that skipping a problem that you don't know how to do, and then somehow, on a problem down the line, you pick up a clue that helps you solve it, is a recurring theme in these strategy threads.  I wonder if it's just a matter of recalling the material by working an easier problem, or maybe, there's something going on beneath the surface and within the order of the questions themselves. Should one have the mindset that perhaps there's a clue to help with a 'forced to skip' question within the other questions?  Or would that just be wishful thinking?


Wishful thinking, unfortunately. Sometimes there is, sometimes there isn't. I think I remember that happening one time on my FE, but in my experience it's not a direct connection as a general rule.


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## EnvEngineer

In my case having brain issues occured early in the test, I think trying to manage the questions, calculator, references and watch the time was just too much for me. Once I got through the first hour and realized I was ahead on time I could relax a bit and skipped fewer problems and everything seemed more familiar. One tip is to use the index in CERM when you are doing your study problems, its a great index and during the test you can look up a term and get into the swing of the problems even with brain problems.

BTW, maybe others can comment, as I remember units were not an issue, I dont recall the need for any conversions.

Good Luck


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## csb

Jacob said:


> The idea that skipping a problem that you don't know how to do, and then somehow, on a problem down the line, you pick up a clue that helps you solve it, is a recurring theme in these strategy threads.  I wonder if it's just a matter of recalling the material by working an easier problem, or maybe, there's something going on beneath the surface and within the order of the questions themselves. Should one have the mindset that perhaps there's a clue to help with a 'forced to skip' question within the other questions?  Or would that just be wishful thinking?


I imagine it's much more your brain is continuing to work on those problems while you are actively working on another.

I'd say that a good study strategy makes sure you've covered a topic (like soils) well and thoroughly. This means when you get to that section on the test, it's all familiar territory. You may not instantly know how to do a problem, but in working the other soils problems, you get in the groove and recall other info.


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## JKG

Agree with the systems rating questions in order of difficulty, but I didn't go through them all that way, only used it to skip more difficult questions. Questions that seemed I could do fairly efficiently I just did right away.

I was careful to pace myself, number of minutes per question, and check periodically to stay on track. That worked well in the morning, but was kind of a mistake in the afternoon. I kept the pace up, but at around the 6 hour point lost a lot of my ability to concentrate.

So I wish I had spent the first couple of hours on the easier questions. I was frustrated to find some problems in the last hour or two which should have been easy, but were more difficult than they should have been because I was running out of steam.


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## yatkins

I passed on my first attempt in 2009. I didn't use any ranking system and only skipped problems if they were taking more than 6 minutes without nearing the end, which was only a few. I had plenty of time to go back to these problems. The benefit is when I went back I knew I was done with the rest of the exam and felt less pressure and could think more clearly. Any of these that I solved I considered as bonus points. Also, as somebody mentioned above, your brain conitnues to work on these in the background.

If you do choose to skip a problem, at least fill in a guess on the answer sheet. You don't want to put the answer for the next question in the wrong bubble! Also, if you run out of time, at least you have an answer. I don't think there is a penalty for wrong anwers.

The problem I see with ranking is that you end up skipping around the test so much that you lose rhythm and could lose your place or forget to go back to a problem. You also are wasting time determining a difficulty level that you could use actually solving the problem.


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## csb

I'd have to disagree. It helped my anxiety level to look through the whole test first and see what was ahead of me. Then I could map out my strategy, rather than just plodding though the exam. It felt good to go through, nail the easy ones and then know I had that much time for the harder ones.


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## snickerd3

The ranking idea will work for some but not others...I would fall into the not helpful category.


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## jharris

snickerd3 said:


> The ranking idea will work for some but not others...I would fall into the not helpful category.


I'm going to mentally track the questions as I did on the FE. Take the first 10 minutes to read through the test booklet and make a mental note of which ones to attack first. No need to physically rank them (for me, at least). What I'm learning about the PE is that EVERYONE has different study, preparation, and test taking strategies.


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## JEre

I passed after 2 attempts a year ago, a buddy of mine is taking this Oct. Test which reminded me about this site. I STALKED the hell out of engineerboards.com and it helped a lot so I figured I'd login one more time and give the best advice I could.

In the afternoon trans. Test, do the 'Other Topics' section First! There will be about 10 of them and both of my tests had them at the end grouped together. These problems are an easy 10 dealing with hydraulics, hydrology etc. Trust me, do them first. I made mistake on my first attempt and just got to these problems with 15 min. Left and it screwed me. You will find many problems taking longer than you thought. This worked for me and I think it would work for most people. After nailing 10 at the start you will also get a nice confidence booster. Also, all of this is assuming you put your time in doing a LOT of problems from the recommended sources beforehand. IMO you will have very little chance of passing unless you actually do tons of practice Problems. Good luck Future PE's!


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