2022 CBT Civil Geotech Exam

[Aviatrix85]

Has anyone started studying for the 2022 CBT Civil Geotech Exam?

I just downloaded all of the NCEES Spec references (16!)

Currently using PPI (because it is free through work) but it references the CERM a lot (which we wont be able to use on the exam).

I think I'm going to purchase another course after the Companies revise their courses for the new exam format. School of PE stated within the next month or two they will have the revised course available. EET asked me to check back after the October Exam. I think I'm going to choose between those two. Testmasters was not helpful on the Geotech Depth the last time I took the exam (October 2019).

What will be your approach to studying for the CBT Civil Geotech exam?

 

[bbarcelo16]

I took P&P Geotech 2 different times, and failed both. Was near the cutoff score both times (scored 50/80 and 52/80).

I don't have the time to take it this October, so I'm focused on taking CBT (not in Geotech more than likely) sometime next year when my own personal life slows down a little bit.

In my own opinion (I could be wrong), I just can't see the CBT asking the super specific theoretical questions that are usually asked on the P&P. Don't get me wrong, I still think CBT will be difficult and will have multiple theory questions. I think one of the harder parts of the CBT will be not having go-to problems that you already have worked out.

When I begin studying again, I plan on using a lot of the same material that I had already used, as well as the NCEES references that will be offered during the exam. However, I plan on focusing a lot of my time on doing more problems. That seems to be the best way that I learn.

 

[Aviatrix85]

I took P&P Geotech 2 different times, and failed both. Was near the cutoff score both times (scored 50/80 and 52/80).

I don't have the time to take it this October, so I'm focused on taking CBT (not in Geotech more than likely) sometime next year when my own personal life slows down a little bit.

In my own opinion (I could be wrong), I just can't see the CBT asking the super specific theoretical questions that are usually asked on the P&P. Don't get me wrong, I still think CBT will be difficult and will have multiple theory questions. I think one of the harder parts of the CBT will be not having go-to problems that you already have worked out.

When I begin studying again, I plan on using a lot of the same material that I had already used, as well as the NCEES references that will be offered during the exam. However, I plan on focusing a lot of my time on doing more problems. That seems to be the best way that I learn.

I'm sure you and I both will get our passing scores on the next go around.

If you decide not to choose Geotech as your depth, which other discipline(s) are you considering?

I have considered changing to Construction, but I'm concerned with how broad the questions could get. I'm giving myself until the end of next week to make a final decision and working depth problems from both disciplines in the meantime. I did above average on the majority of the afternoon problems (mostly conceptual) when I took it October 2019 (Geotech Depth). I screwed up the morning part of the exam and a few afternoon topics, which resulted in a FAIL. I think I know what I need to do to improve. Personal life + COVID prevented me from taking the exam in 2020.

I agree. I think doing more problems is the best way to learn. Right now I'm studying the reference materials listed at the end of the Geotech spec and utilizing the NCEES reference manual while working problems.

I also agree concerning the questions that will be asked on the CBT exam.

 

[bbarcelo16]

I'm more than likely going to be taking the Construction Depth. For sure, I would need to do better on AM part. I screwed up 4-5 EASY problems just by a simple miscalculation, and that would've pushed me over.

I think the Construction Depth, for me, would be slightly easier, in terms of just the possibilities of questions they could ask. I am an engineer for USACE, working in larger levee projects, where I typically design T-Walls and Drainage Structures, so I'm technically a Structural Engineer as my job title, but I'm more of a PM that does design work at the beginning of a project. I'm not near technical enough to take the Structural PM part, and the reasoning behind taking the Geotech PM part was because we do work pretty closely with our Geotechnical engineers, and actually do a fair bit of Geotechnical design as part of our job description (pile and foundation design). But when it gets into the theoretical aspect of Geotechnical engineering, I'm very unprepared for that. Construction, in my opinion, would just be a tad simpler.

 

[Osburg]

I presented the Geotech exam last Friday but started to study for the CBT the next day, just in case.

I didn't find the exam difficult as long as you have read the principle books from cover to cover. I don't care if I pass or not: I decided to take the PE in Geotech although most of my career experience is in Highways, so I can support my GT engineers better. I supervise multiple disciplines and that's one where I feel I should know more.

With this approach the process has been fulfilling no matter the result: I am becoming better in my position and this forced me to.

I believe this should be the right approach: you take it to learn, and fortunately pass. If not, you continue learning. Some people get frustrated if they fail.

 

[Sarah003]

What's the best prep course for Civil Geotech PE CBT? Any recommendation on how to start studying for CBT?

 

[AngelaK]

Not sure. I took geotech in October and didn’t pass. I took school of pe and I felt it was inadequate for afternoon. Planning to take the exam in summer. Anyone for studying together?

 

[Sarah003]

I am not sure when I will take the test but sometime next year. Good to know that SoPE is not very helpful for the afternoon session. I was thinking to sign up for EET but they don't have updated videos for Geotech Depth yet. Their binder will be ready in March and online classes start sometime in summer. Not sure if there are any other online courses available for Geotech Depth. I looked at the Geotech section of the NCEES reference and the Geotech portion had the most pages - not sure if it's a good thing or bad.

Like others in this thread, I plan to go through NCEES reference and spend more time on problems. Let me know how you plan to study.

Do you know where to download NCEES Spec references?

 

[AngelaK]

I have some of them downloaded already. Fhwa and navfac. They were free . I googled them. Others I haven’t gotten yet.
I will Let you know the links when I get a chance. I am planning to take it in May/june. That should give me enough time to prepare. I think. Would you like to team up and study?

 

[sr76]

Does anyone know if the CBT exam can be scheduled in January 2022 or will start from April 2022 and then year round?

 

[AngelaK]

Not sure. I registered for the exam and waiting for the board to mark approval.

 

[AngelaK]

Does anyone use PE prepared? How does it compare to school of PE or CERM practice problems?

 

[KM-Y]

Not sure. I took geotech in October and didn’t pass. I took school of pe and I felt it was inadequate for afternoon. Planning to take the exam in summer. Anyone for studying together?

Not sure. I took geotech in October and didn’t pass. I took school of pe and I felt it was inadequate for afternoon. Planning to take the exam in summer. Anyone for studying together?

I would like to join a study group. I will be trying for summer 2022. I'm not sure how to prepare differently for the afternoon session. I took School of PE and they had a lot of content available to download but it wasn't really reviewed. But now that you can't bring any to the exam guess those really don't matter now.

 

[AngelaK]

I would like to join a study group. I will be trying for summer 2022. I'm not sure how to prepare differently for the afternoon session. I took School of PE and they had a lot of content available to download but it wasn't really reviewed. But now that you can't bring any to the exam guess those really don't matter now.

So far I haven’t got anyone to study together for the afternoon session. Let’s team up if you are interested. I also took school of pe, however if felt that there were several questions in the afternoon I was never prepared for.

 

[Aviatrix85]

How much time are ya'll planning on studying for the Geotech Depth CBT Exam? What do ya'll think is a do-able timeframe to effectively study?

I'm currently using EET Geotech to study the depth portion of the material.

I'm feeling discouraged so just wanted to see the study schedules of others.

 

[AngelaK]

I am struggling with this. I have around 4 months left for the exam, so I think I might do 2 months of depth and 2 months of breadth.

 

[Aviatrix85]

I am struggling with this. I have around 4 months left for the exam, so I think I might do 2 months of depth and 2 months of breadth.

4 months seems do-able. I just made a study plan using the Study Plan Generator in PPI2Pass. Projected Exam Date is 4/30/2022. Sounds like a good plan!

 

[AngelaK]

4 months seems do-able. I just made a study plan using the Study Plan Generator in PPI2Pass. Projected Exam Date is 4/30/2022. Sounds like a good plan!

Do you have Asce 7-10 reference? Is it free to download?

 

[Aviatrix85]

.

 

[Aviatrix85]

Do you have Asce 7-10 reference? Is it free to download?

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/wate...xhibits/docs/dd_jardins/DDJ-148 ASCE 7-10.pdf
I only found the above option for free download when I was downloading all of the references.