April 2010 test advice needed

[MNEnvEPETstee]

This is my first post. I was always a reader here. I took the exam last friday. I thought I did okay. But now I am nervous after reading what others thought. I prepared really well and i dont know how to prepare if I have to do next time. There were many theory questions and too close answers. I skipped economics from my study. shouldn't have done that.

For most econ-related problems, you really don't need to worry much about the econ part (unless you are comparing two complicated options). For me, this was very true of the ones on the exam. For the most part, I just do problems ignoring the interest rate first, and then I look at the available answers. In all of these cases, the answer jumped right out at me. You just need a general "feel" for what the interest rate is going to do to it.

You are right about the theory questions. My work experience helped me through many of those. I can think of ten or a dozen in particular. For all of them, I don't know if any amount of studying would do you any good. If by some chance I failed, I can think of one or two more references I would try to find, but I don't know what else I would study.

I did less "reverse engineering" of answers than I did on the FE. I did a lot of that on the FE.

I left the test wondering if the questions really make one minimally qualified to be an engineer. In some ways, it is just a test of how good you are at taking tests. Eliminating answers, reverse engineering from the given answers, etc.

 

[MNEnvEPETstee]

And a bit of advice for those future takers. I tried not to eat all day (I did have a couple apple slices and crackers at lunch) because I was afraid of wasting precious time during the exam running out to take a dump. Big mistake. I thought for awhile I was going to pass out in the afternoon. If the afternoon part had been harder for me, I might have been in trouble. So, don't eat two Chipotle burritos the night before, but make sure you eat something.

 

[klk]

I left the test wondering if the questions really make one minimally qualified to be an engineer. In some ways, it is just a test of how good you are at taking tests. Eliminating answers, reverse engineering from the given answers, etc.

I felt the same way - you could have a qualified engineer fail the test because they are horrible at taking tests, or you could have an unqualified engineer pass the test because they are a good test taker. I think the more important aspect of licensure is the references and work experience.

On the environmental exam especially, I felt it really tested us on how well we could use an index . . .

 

[Dleg]

I guess you guys are right to some extent. But the overall exercize of studying up on everything and getting your reference library up to snuff, is really an excellent thing to do just prior to receiving a license to do it for a living.... especially mid-career. I'm definitely better for the experience.

 

[MNEnvEPETstee]

Aw hell. Now the doubt is setting in. I just remembered one question that was really easy to google, and I *think* I got it right. But what if I read the problem or the answers incorrectly? Or didn't pick the answer I think I picked?

And on another one that seemed too easy... Were they asking for the "minimum" answer, or the "approximately" answer? Damn damn damn.

Gonna be a long two months.

I realized that I have done no networking. So I just joined our state society of professional engineers. I'm looking forward to meeting some new engineers. I'm hoping it is more exciting than a coin club meeting. At the very least, most of the people should smell better.

 

[jth14450]

Hey,

I just started looking into the exam requirements and was wondering if anyone out there had exam materials they would like to sell or any advice for people who are still full fulling their experience requirement. I won't be sitting until October 2011, but since my current job is more project management than engineering I wanted to stay sharp.

Any advice or help from those of you who just took the exam would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Josh

Aw hell. Now the doubt is setting in. I just remembered one question that was really easy to google, and I *think* I got it right. But what if I read the problem or the answers incorrectly? Or didn't pick the answer I think I picked?
And on another one that seemed too easy... Were they asking for the "minimum" answer, or the "approximately" answer? Damn damn damn.

Gonna be a long two months.

I realized that I have done no networking. So I just joined our state society of professional engineers. I'm looking forward to meeting some new engineers. I'm hoping it is more exciting than a coin club meeting. At the very least, most of the people should smell better.

 

[MNEnvEPETstee]

If I passed the test, I'll gave you what advice I can. Check back here around July 4th.

 

[MNEnvEPETstee]

Double post.

 

[MNEnvEPETstee]

Passed!

I'd like to thank all of you for your help. I wish I knew by how much I passed. Glad I don't have to retake, because frankly I'm not sure what else I could have done to prepare.

 

[SecondWind]

Way to go MNEnvPE!

Can you tell us what references you found most useful and what (if any) you wish you had for the exam.

Also - did you take any review courses (i.e, NC State or U of Delaware).

Any other tips would be great for us testing in Oct.