April 2011 FE
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Jonhnny123
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Looks like we started our topics at the same time, but I took longer to hit submit.
I didn't take the OCT 2010 test, but I didn't find the PM session all that easy. From my other post:
I took the general afternoon exam and am not feeling too confident about it.
I did a good amount of studying for the exam (graduated 7 years ago), but I didn't study Engineering Economics and only studied a little for probability. Those are two subjects I never took in college. I figured it would be better to be very comfortable in the other topics and just guess on those two topics rather than spend valuable studying time trying to learn economics and probability.
I'm sure you can guess where this is going - a disproportionately large part of my afternoon exam was made up of those two topics!
I thought, overall, the morning session was fair. It was about an even mix between the subjects. I felt pretty good about it during the lunch break, but by the end of the afternoon session, my mood had changed haha.
For the others that took the PM Other Disciplines - did it focus more on a certain subject?
I took the "other" test as well. I don't know whether to call it "easy" or "hard" because it was my first time taking it but compared to the practice exams that I took (Lindburg's) I thought it was on par with what I expected. I have not taken courses in probability/statistics, fluids, heat transfer, anything electric, or materials, and it's been 6-7 years since taking chemistry and biology but the other engineering subjects were fresh in my head from the past year of classes.
The one thing that seemed odd to me was that the two subjects I blew off completely while studying, computers and ethics, actually had some difficult problems. I've learned my lesson though about taking guesses at how I did before getting my grade back, so I won't say how I "think" I did for another 2-3 months.
I also took the "Other". This was my first time taking it, but I am an EE and 32 years out of school! I was easily the oldest 
ldtimer: one there. My study strategy was to focus on the things I once knew and could best "relearn" (math, probability, circuits, physics, chemistry), to at least look at the other subjects in case there was a definition-type question I could answer, and finally to make sure I knew the economics and ethics. I actually thought that economics was the easiest subject to master after all these years away from school.
I felt that the morning and afternoon were not that different in difficulty - I either knew what I was doing or didn't, and the "didn't" unfortunately included whole subject areas in my case. If I didn't know the answer, my "guessing" strategy was to struggle for an educated guess based on a shallow understanding, hoping for the best. It will all come down to how many right yield a passing score, which is apparently a mystery (50%-55%??). I sure hope I don't have to take this again, but the study process was probably good for my aging brain anyway. :reading:
ldtimer: one there. My study strategy was to focus on the things I once knew and could best "relearn" (math, probability, circuits, physics, chemistry), to at least look at the other subjects in case there was a definition-type question I could answer, and finally to make sure I knew the economics and ethics. I actually thought that economics was the easiest subject to master after all these years away from school.I felt that the morning and afternoon were not that different in difficulty - I either knew what I was doing or didn't, and the "didn't" unfortunately included whole subject areas in my case. If I didn't know the answer, my "guessing" strategy was to struggle for an educated guess based on a shallow understanding, hoping for the best. It will all come down to how many right yield a passing score, which is apparently a mystery (50%-55%??). I sure hope I don't have to take this again, but the study process was probably good for my aging brain anyway. :reading:
First time taking the test. Took the Civil in the afternoon. The morning session was not that bad but I also ran out of time and had to geuss on the last section which was Thermo so it probably would have come to that anyway. The dynamics and statics questions were straight forward. The economics section was a breeze. The ethics section was easy but damn do they have to make all the stories that long, spent at least 5 minutes reading those things. The Civil PM Session had some easy sections and some hard sections. Felt good after leaving the exam but the results will tell the truth.
Do you really only need to answer 50-55% correct to pass?
Do you really only need to answer 50-55% correct to pass?
Been out of school a year, and took the Mechanical PM. I thought the test wasn't that difficult and overall pretty straight forward. My biggest fear was running out of time, especially after I took an online practice exam(linked from NCEES website). It helped that I freaked out, and spent 2 and a half days taking timed online practices tests. I am sure that I wouldn't have done as well without using those to pace myself.
From what I gather this is generally true, although 50% might not cut it every year. Can't believe it takes 8-9 weeks to receive scores back from a multiple choice formatted test.
structengineer
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I took the CIVIL afternoon and thought the questions were odd. Certainly not unsolveable but very different than then Lindeburg study material I used for 5mths. I have a very weak backgound in hydraulics/hydrology and environmental but I am solid in structural analysis / design, const man. (some soils) ....Although even the analysis / deign questions (only one or two) were odd.
Morning section was OK....remembering back made a couple stupid mistakes and got the 'right' wrong answer....I have taken this exam before, unfortuneatly for me, standardized tests are a general weaknes of mine. BUT on a good note, the crazy 5-6 month study schedule I was on wasnt all for not. I feel stronger in my string subjects but had to punt on the weaker. It is tough taking this out of school (for me, about 8 yrs....)....If i have to take it again, the heck with it, its only a test.
Morning section was OK....remembering back made a couple stupid mistakes and got the 'right' wrong answer....I have taken this exam before, unfortuneatly for me, standardized tests are a general weaknes of mine. BUT on a good note, the crazy 5-6 month study schedule I was on wasnt all for not. I feel stronger in my string subjects but had to punt on the weaker. It is tough taking this out of school (for me, about 8 yrs....)....If i have to take it again, the heck with it, its only a test.
