April 09' Civil PE Exam - How did it go?

[socalcivil]

I didn't see this thread last time ... here's how I would have answered after taking it in October 2008:

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

Yes.

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

~80 hours over about three months, plus a (mostly useless) 20-hour class.

3. What did you think of the morning?

Surprisingly easy. EIT-level difficulty.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Enviro/WR. I thought it wasn't difficult, but fortunately, I work in enviro/WR and just recently completed a Master's in civil/enviro. If I had gone in with just work experience and my Bachelor's from ten years ago, it would have been difficult.

5. Do you think you passed

Yes.

Result: I did pass. However, I'm in California, and only passed two of the three required parts (8-hour & surveying), so I still have to pass the seismic test.

 

[SPSUEngineer]

This is my first time. I think, I made 24/40 in the morning and 26/40 in the afternoon. Will I pass the PE exam?Thanks in advance for comments!

Nobody will know the true answer to your question. The cut score is determined by NCEES for each exam. One time the cut score may be 50/80 next time it may be 55/80. From what I've read it is usaully safe to assume you will pass if you get 56/80 correct. If you get less than that you may still pass, it just depends on what the cut score will be determined to be by NCEES for your particular exam.

 

[steve_p]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

Yes

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

Atleast 300 hrs

3. What did you think of the morning?

Good 32/40

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Geotech. Very difficult. Prepared a lot. The PM section was completely different than what i expected. Hoping 22/40

5. Do you think you passed?

I hope so...

 

[Diogo]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

Yes

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

About 150 hrs (70 hr review course and 80 hrs own time)

3. What did you think of the morning?

I think it was farely straight forward. Tested you on concepts. I think I got 35/40.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Water/Environmental. The water questions were straight forward, however since I am not an environmental engineer the environmental portion was a bit tougher, but all in all if you had some basic concepts you would be able to answer at least 10/20. I'm hoping for 30/40 in afternoon.

5. Do you think you passed?

I think I passed.

 

[T2D4]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

Yes.

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

~250 hours

3. What did you think of the morning?

Almost embarrassingly easy.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Structural. Again, much easier than anticipated.

5. Do you think you passed?

Yes.

 

[EL CID]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

Yes

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

About 100 hrs - 6-8 hrs per week for 4 months

3. What did you think of the morning?

I think straightforward for the most part.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Transportation. I was disappointed in the break down of the problems. I don't think the NCEES outline was accurate. There was one particular reference on the recommended list that I though I should have used at least twice and I didn't crack it once.

5. Do you think you passed?

It will be close.

 

[January123]

Bringing back an old thread for April 09' Civil PE Exam.

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

YES

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

ABOUT 20HRS A WEEK SINCE JAN. 1ST

3. What did you think of the morning?

COUPLE "TRICKY" QUESTIONS, BUT NOTHING I WOULD CONSIDER "DIFFICULT"

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

TRANSPORTATION, I STUDIED AND WORKED THROUGH ALL 80+ PROBLEMS IN THE SIX-MINUTE SOLUTIONS AND ALOT OF THE BIG AREAS THEY FOCUSED ON WERE NOT ON THE EXAM ANYWHERE, YET OTHER AREAS WERE ALL OVER THE EXAM BUT NOWHERE TO BE FOUND IN THE 6-MINUTE SOLUTIONS MANUAL.

5. Do you think you passed?

**** IF I KNOW, DEPENDS ON HOW MANY QUESTIONS THEY DECIDE TO "THROW OUT" BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ON THE TOPIC OUTLINE.

 

[Mike in Gastonia]

5. Do you think you passed?**** IF I KNOW, DEPENDS ON HOW MANY QUESTIONS THEY DECIDE TO "THROW OUT" BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ON THE TOPIC OUTLINE.

This is the note that's on the bottom of the Transportation specification on the NCEES website:

2. The knowledge areas specified as examples of kinds of knowledge are not exclusive or exhaustive categories.

So why would they "throw out" questions not on the outline - apparently the outline is not all inclusive of every topic that can be covered?

 

[mattsffrd]

you cant just rely on the outline and six minute solution problems. anything in the reference material is fair game. studying your reference material is MUCH more important than doing six the minute solutions. there wasn't a single problem on that afternoon portion that couldn't be solved somewhere in the reference material. they're testing you on whether you're a knowledgeable and competent engineer, not whether or not you studied a certain book of problems.

 

[T2D4]

Six Minute Solutions were more complex than anything I saw on the exam. The sample questions NCEES puts out were spot on.

 

[GoLucky]

I felt the afternoon Transportation was fair. If you had the AASHTO you would pass. Most of the problems had 2 or at the most 3 step solutions. Some of the solutions were directly off of AASHTO tables. The HCM stuff were straight forward as well. Coming to the water and Geotech portions in the pm transportation, they were ok.

 

[Ajay]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

No (Second). First time I took Water/Env. Water was OK but Env sucked. Managed only 20% in Env.

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

About 2.5hrs during weekdays and 5 hrs during weekends, from Feb 10th (soon after I received the results letter)

3. What did you think of the morning?

Few tricky questions, but was not prepared for Structural and Construction questions.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Transportation. I studied and worked through all NCEES practice test problems & problems in CERM. I had also glanced through the AASHTO Green Book and HCM to familiarize tables and formulas. It did help me quite a bit answering the PM questions. Water and Geotech problems were easy and straight forward...

5. Do you think you passed?

I'm expecting 22/40 for the AM portion and 30/40 for PM portions. Hope I pass this time...What do you guys think???

 

[SPSUEngineer]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?No (Second). First time I took Water/Env. Water was OK but Env sucked. Managed only 20% in Env.

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

About 2.5hrs during weekdays and 5 hrs during weekends, from Feb 10th (soon after I received the results letter)

3. What did you think of the morning?

Few tricky questions, but was not prepared for Structural and Construction questions.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Transportation. I studied and worked through all NCEES practice test problems & problems in CERM. I had also glanced through the AASHTO Green Book and HCM to familiarize tables and formulas. It did help me quite a bit answering the PM questions. Water and Geotech problems were easy and straight forward...

5. Do you think you passed?

I'm expecting 22/40 for the AM portion and 30/40 for PM portions. Hope I pass this time...What do you guys think???

Nobody knows what the passing score will be. Does your 52/80 include your guesses and everything? The CERM states 56/80 should usually be a rough passing score just as a rule of thumb but the cut score is determined for each particular exam. Good luck to you and all of us waiting on scores. Just 6 more weeks to go (I hope)!

 

[Ajay]

Nobody knows what the passing score will be. Does your 52/80 include your guesses and everything? The CERM states 56/80 should usually be a rough passing score just as a rule of thumb but the cut score is determined for each particular exam. Good luck to you and all of us waiting on scores. Just 6 more weeks to go (I hope)!

Yup! my prediction of 52/80 includes guesses...but I am sure of 45/80.....

I am just hoping and keeping my fingers crossed...

Damn...6 weeks is a looooonngg wait....

 

[livingwaterman]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

Yes

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

165 hours (Note I just took FE in fall and studied 285 hours - passed first time). If I had not just taken the FE would have studied more.

3. What did you think of the morning?

Much easier than I expected. I think I got at least 29/40. 6 minute sol. much harder than exam problems. NCEES more indicative of problem types.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Water - A few hard problems but about what I expected NCEES depth indicative of problem types. 6 minute were not. I think I got at least 32/40

5. Do you think you passed?

If 61/80 is passing then I pass.....

 

[livingwaterman]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?Yes

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

165 hours (Note I just took FE in fall and studied 285 hours - passed first time). If I had not just taken the FE would have studied more.

3. What did you think of the morning?

Much easier than I expected. I think I got at least 29/40. 6 minute sol. much harder than exam problems. NCEES more indicative of problem types.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Water - A few hard problems but about what I expected NCEES depth indicative of problem types. 6 minute were not. I think I got at least 32/40

5. Do you think you passed?

If 61/80 is passing then I pass.....

Please note that regarding PPI's sample test and 6 minute solutions - I am not saying studying them is not useful, it is just that if you are taking them as trial tests and are stressed for time or did not do well it does not mean you will flunk the test. I gave feedback to PPI and suggested they change the name of 6 min. solutions to 12 minute solutions and that their sample test should be dumbed down to the same level as the actual test. Overall PPI CERM and sample problems for CERM along with 6 min solutions were key resources I used in studying. Save the NCESS and use them as your trail test... You can also get the 2000 version if doing water and get some other problems for practice. CERM + Practice problems, Metcalf and Eddy, and Gupta book on Hydro systems was all I studied. In addition I found having a Env. Engineering Dictionary, a text book on transporation engineering, and a text book on Geotechnical engineering very useful during the exam. I studied the Practice Problems so much the binding is failing... Just wanted to add this because I am not dissing PPI.

 

[SPSUEngineer]

Some of the test is pure luck in my opinion. The majority of the problems I encountered in the afternoon were much different than the NCEES sample test. If they would have been close or I had the same types of problems, I would be saying the test was easy because I could do those problems in my sleep I studied them so much. A lot of it just has to do with getting the same material on the test that you actually studied. If you took the construction pm you will know exactly what I'm saying. Its not that the problems were that much more complex, they were just different so it required a lot of thought and that takes more time than a problem you are familiar with.

 

[Diogo]

I took the water resources in the afternoon, but at the end had some time to look over the transportation and construction. I think the best way to prepare for the exam is to pick a concentration and study everything that the NCEES says will be on the exam. The sample exams will only cover 15-20% of the stuff that may show up on the test. So you shouldn't use it to study off of, you should use it to get a feel for the exam.

And as far as the 6-min solutions, I bought those books but didn't even bother going through them, only because the problems are too hard and it takes 60 minutes to answer each question. Instead, I used the time to review and study other topics and questions that would show up on the exam.

 

[simmons797]

1. Was this your first time taking the exam?

Yes

2. How much did you study or prepare for the exam?

Started about 2 weeks before the exam, 20-30 hours total including getting books together buying a calculator buying CERM etc.

3. What did you think of the morning?

Pretty straight forward, haven't done any structural stuff since college and I've never done any transportation stuff so I wish I would have studied it a little more.

4. What depth did you take and how would you judge the difficulty?

Environmental/Water Resources-much easier than I was anticipating, there wasn't a single problem that I couldn't work (I'm sure I still missed a few though)

5. Do you think you passed?

Not sure-I wasn't very confident after the morning session but the afternoon was a breeze, I'd say 50-50, but after taking it this time I know that I should be no problem to pass if I have to take it again (with a little more effort on my part).

 

[petobe]

I took the water resources in the afternoon, but at the end had some time to look over the transportation and construction. I think the best way to prepare for the exam is to pick a concentration and study everything that the NCEES says will be on the exam. The sample exams will only cover 15-20% of the stuff that may show up on the test. So you shouldn't use it to study off of, you should use it to get a feel for the exam.
And as far as the 6-min solutions, I bought those books but didn't even bother going through them, only because the problems are too hard and it takes 60 minutes to answer each question. Instead, I used the time to review and study other topics and questions that would show up on the exam.

that is just not true... at all.