# Multiple Attempts in Texas.. Next Steps?



## carriagehorse1 (Dec 17, 2020)

Hii! This is my first time posting on this forum. I just found out I failed for the 3rd time in Texas. I am trying to figure out what my next steps are. I still have the will to try again but I don't think I can wait another year. Is there another option? Is anyone else in the same boat. Any help is greatly appreciated! I took Test masters all 3 times and am thinking I should trying something different. The first 2 attempts were in Transportation and this 3rd time I tried my luck at Water Resources. Thanks for your help.


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## phillstill (Dec 17, 2020)

Take some college courses quick!

If you did not pass the PE exam within the three allotted opportunities, you will need to re-apply to take the exams. You must gain at least one year of additional engineering experience from the time you are notified of failure to pass the third exam, or complete six credit hours of college engineering course before you can re-apply. (Board Rule §133.87(c))


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## carriagehorse1 (Dec 17, 2020)

Can it be in a community college level? or does it need to be ABET? Also, I thought this was only true in Texas?


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## carriagehorse1 (Dec 17, 2020)

Me again! Can I take the exam in another state?


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## phillstill (Dec 17, 2020)

I assume the extra courses would have to be at an ABET accredited school. The Board rule I posted is from Texas. Not sure about other states. 

You can always try to apply in another state. worst they can say is no.


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## carriagehorse1 (Dec 17, 2020)

Any recommendations on test prep outside of Test Masters?


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## phillstill (Dec 17, 2020)

I don't have any recommendations because my discipline is not Civil. But look around on here. I am sure there are plenty of recommendations.


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## INDUSCON (Dec 17, 2020)

carriagehorse1 said:


> Me again! Can I take the exam in another state?


Yes you can. Contact and check with the other state boards rules and requirements and apply before the deadline.


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## carriagehorse1 (Dec 21, 2020)

Thank you! Any suggestions other than Test Masters?


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## civilrobot PE etc etc (Dec 21, 2020)

carriagehorse1 said:


> Thank you! Any suggestions other than Test Masters?


You can look into EET or School of PE. 

EET is pretty good. Good luck!


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## dsp002 (Dec 24, 2020)

carriagehorse1 said:


> Any recommendations on test prep outside of Test Masters?


I paid for the EET courses, and they worked fabulous for me. In addition to the binders they sent me, I created tabbed binders with all the practice problems I found (tabbed per exam specifications).

I am 16 yrs removed from graduation and the FE exam (I took paper and pencil FE in Oct, 2004). It took a lot from me to get back to studying (kid, wife, garage, attic, sports...you name it), but the EET guys helped with a great adobe connect website/portal. Videos can be played at 1.5 or 2 times the speed, and it follows your progress too, which helped me with time management.

We did not have the finances for both EET courses and my employer (local government) does not pay for PE prep. We paid in credit (I know tmi) and I was able to pass. My point is that if it worked for me...not your sharpest tool! it will prob work for anyone.

You got this!!!


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## TexEng777 (Dec 30, 2020)

I am in the same situation. I have waited a year. I recently re- applied and waiting for approval.


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## WingNut (Dec 30, 2020)

OK, you are in a box.  Texas is NOT UNIQUE in requiring you to take additional college credit if you fail the exam 3 or more times.  You obviously have a study skill deficiency.  There is no reason to go search for another state to take the exam-- the exam is the same for all of the states-- instead of screwing around trying to find another state in which to take the exam, realign your study skills and really understand the test material.

Take a prep course, put in about 13 hours per week, in addition to 3 Saturday's per month between now and October.  Really focus on the test syllabus-- understand what is being tested-- know that information well.

The test is designed to take 6 min or less on each question.  Some questions you should be able to answer by inspection-- others may take 8-9 min.  You should not have to make more than 5 calculations in order to obtain the correct answer.  If you are taking more time than that, you are off track.  Go back to home base and begin again.

The PE exam is a bachelor's level exam to ascertain minimal competency of the engineering candidate.  We are testing to find the C- student, not the A level student.  You graduated from an ABET accredited engineering program, I assume, so you should have adequate preparation in sitting for the exam.  You have taken some prep courses, I am not familiar with any of them, but do know that others have had good success with the programs you cite.

You can do this-- buckle down and do it.  NO-- you are not dumb, stupid or whatever words you want to use.  You can do this.  Realign your study habits, get back on the horse and go-- you will be successful.


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## carriagehorse1 (Jan 4, 2021)

Thanks for the good advice @WingNut. It helps to hear. Since I am starting to accept that I will have to wait a year, since I failed October 2020 on my 3rd attempt, would I be eligible for October 2021?


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## stlaggies (Jan 5, 2021)

I'll echo what WingNut said and add maybe finding a group of people to study with would help. I realize this might be a little more challenging now but hopefully not impossible. Maybe others at work? I took the exam ~7 years ago and did Testmasters. Back then it was still all in person and the course helped a ton but so did my study group. We held each other accountable and when we had issues with questions, we could ask each other. When I study alone, it's easy to get distracted. I also don't think finding another test area is a good idea. Why the switch from Transpo to WR? I'd find whatever best aligns with your daily work and stay there. It's not practical to expect your daily work to prepare you for the exam but I can assure you that my daily work in the realm of transportation will prepared me much better for the transportation exam than it would have for a WR exam. You also need to be honest with yourself and set yourself up to succeed. I took the exam in April because I didn't want to take the exam in the fall. I knew it would be impossible for me to concentrate during the fall with football. But the 3-4 months leading up, I did very little outside of working and studying. You can do it, don't give up.


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## Alassane Traore (Jun 6, 2021)

I have taken the PE test many times and I did not pass and I saw in one of the answers that in the test there are not looking for a A grade but a C grade, I am glad to hear that but my question is why the grading of the P-E is so secret that no one really know the grading rule? Why the failed candidates don’t have access to their work to see what answers they did not get right?
I have always felt confident of my work after taking the exam but I have been always surprised with the results.


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## KOKOMO777 (Jun 7, 2021)

I took failed after 3 attempts in Texas. I re-applied after year and got approved. I am planning to take it again this October and hopefully pass it this time.


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## steel (Jun 7, 2021)

Alassane Traore said:


> I have taken the PE test many times and I did not pass and I saw in one of the answers that in the test there are not looking for a A grade but a C grade, I am glad to hear that but my question is why the grading of the P-E is so secret that no one really know the grading rule? Why the failed candidates don’t have access to their work to see what answers they did not get right?
> I have always felt confident of my work after taking the exam but I have been always surprised with the results.


NCEES reuses questions, keeps some questions secret as experimental questions for future exams, and overall does not release any scratch work or answers in order to protect the integrity of the test.

If you got the answers and the problems and the work you did, there's nothing stopping you from emailing those to future test takers and essentially ruining the integrity of passing the exam.


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