April 2019

[tmntjmc]

Idk I disagree that without field experience you do poorly. I have been out of school for one year and took the PE in october and passed. Really I think the classes I took (in college) helped with the concepts and taking 8 different practice exams helped me. Don’t get me wrong, field experience probably makes some of the codes and stuff easier, but I think for the most part studying the NCEES practice exam and maybe taking a class on protection systems, would help. Idk it’s just my opinion and take it with a grain of salt because different study styles work for different people. Either way that test was a beast and totally felt horrible after it lol  All the best! 

I took it Oct 2017 and Oct 2018 and failed both times, now looking to take it in April again, and again, until I pass. 

What practice exams would you suggest? I know there are thousands of different perspectives on advice. I've taken the Electrical PE review course online and I thought it did help but I can't muster the justification to spend another $$ on a review course since my job wouldn't pay for anything even if I pass. 

This go around I'm just going to focus on doing sample problems over and over, not really learning the theory. 

 

[DLD PE]

I took it Oct 2017 and Oct 2018 and failed both times, now looking to take it in April again, and again, until I pass. 

What practice exams would you suggest? I know there are thousands of different perspectives on advice. I've taken the Electrical PE review course online and I thought it did help but I can't muster the justification to spend another $$ on a review course since my job wouldn't pay for anything even if I pass. 

This go around I'm just going to focus on doing sample problems over and over, not really learning the theory. 

You need to learn the theory and concepts.  If you get sample problems wrong, find out why.  Go to your review class notes or Youtube and try to learn as much as you can from the topic.  That's my suggestion anyway.  

I'm taking it for the second time in April.  I took Zach Stone's Electrical PE Review course.  If you paid for 2 months or more for the course, it states in his website that he offers a refund for people who fail and decide to re-take the exam (but it has to be the next exam).  I e-mailed Zach the day the results came back but I haven't heard from him.  Usually he's very quick in responding.

Edit:  I just got an e-mail from him (looks like an automated response).  He wants to know if you passed or not so be on the lookout for this if you are a student of his.

 

[chart94 PE]

I took it Oct 2017 and Oct 2018 and failed both times, now looking to take it in April again, and again, until I pass. 

What practice exams would you suggest? I know there are thousands of different perspectives on advice. I've taken the Electrical PE review course online and I thought it did help but I can't muster the justification to spend another $$ on a review course since my job wouldn't pay for anything even if I pass. 

This go around I'm just going to focus on doing sample problems over and over, not really learning the theory. 

I used the complex imaginary exams volumes 1-4 and then Spin-up exams and the NCEES practice exam. The spin-up are easy but help with the speed of processing simple formulas. Complex was a tad harder. For those I made formula sheets and tabulated notes to help me pick up speed for the questions and also writing it down helps with memorization. Honestly, the more practice exams the better as I believe if you do tons of problems you will start to understand better and learn to recognize what the questions are looking for and not be distracted by fake data etc. 

 

[chart94 PE]

I mean my personality, I learn best by doing and seeing examples. So it may not work for everyone.

 

[DLD PE]

I used the complex imaginary exams volumes 1-4 and then Spin-up exams and the NCEES practice exam. The spin-up are easy but help with the speed of processing simple formulas. Complex was a tad harder. For those I made formula sheets and tabulated notes to help me pick up speed for the questions and also writing it down helps with memorization. Honestly, the more practice exams the better as I believe if you do tons of problems you will start to understand better and learn to recognize what the questions are looking for and not be distracted by fake data etc. 

I think this is what I"m going to do this time....work more practice problems.  I have all the tools (CI, Graffeo, Eng Pro Guides) in addition to NCEES so it's just a matter of using my time wisely.  I'm also going to re-organize my notes/references.  

 

[tmntjmc]

You need to learn the theory and concepts.  If you get sample problems wrong, find out why.  Go to your review class notes or Youtube and try to learn as much as you can from the topic.  That's my suggestion anyway.  

I'm taking it for the second time in April.  I took Zach Stone's Electrical PE Review course.  If you paid for 2 months or more for the course, it states in his website that he offers a refund for people who fail and decide to re-take the exam (but it has to be the next exam).  I e-mailed Zach the day the results came back but I haven't heard from him.  Usually he's very quick in responding.

Edit:  I just got an e-mail from him (looks like an automated response).  He wants to know if you passed or not so be on the lookout for this if you are a student of his.

I literally just saw your response and shot him an email all but 5 min ago. We will see what he says I did use his site for 2 months so hopefully he lets me have access again for the April exam. 

 

[DLD PE]

I literally just saw your response and shot him an email all but 5 min ago. We will see what he says I did use his site for 2 months so hopefully he lets me have access again for the April exam. 

Keep checking your e-mails.  I'm sure you'll see something from him soon.

 

[chart94 PE]

I think this is what I"m going to do this time....work more practice problems.  I have all the tools (CI, Graffeo, Eng Pro Guides) in addition to NCEES so it's just a matter of using my time wisely.  I'm also going to re-organize my notes/references.  

I def recommend organizing your notes. I made my own glossary and corresponding tabs for it. I only used that and my NEC, NFPA70 for the practice. For every question I got wrong I noted the type I.e was it motors, protection etc. I also did obsess with WHY I got it wrong and would make note of the process. Then at the end I would go thru all the ones I got wrong again and try to solve them again and again. Obviously let some time pass or rotate the exam so the wrong problems you are redoing you haven’t seen in a while. 

 

[tmntjmc]

Keep checking your e-mails.  I'm sure you'll see something from him soon.

Will do. I wish the test was CBT because I already kinda wanna hit the books but I don't retain long term memory study material.. 

If it was CBT I would retake it in 1 month and brush up and add more study to what I already have and my references. 

I'm not sure what more I could add to my references without adding unnecessary bulk..  

Reference List

What do you guys suggest to add to my references? I have 

• The Electrical Engineer's Guide to Passing the Power PE Exam
  A. S. Graffeo, PE
  
• PE Electrical and Computer Engineering: Power Practice Exam
  Ncees
  
• NEC 2017 
  
• NESC 2017
  
• Ugly's Electrical References, 2017 Edition
  
• FE Reference Book 
  
• Multiple binders with tabs sections and sample questions 
  

 

[knight1fox3]

^ and if it was CBT, you wouldn't be able to use any of your personal references. As I understand, once it goes CBT, there will be a single exam reference guide per discipline, similar in kind to the FE. Be careful what you wish for. :thumbs:

 

[chart94 PE]

Will do. I wish the test was CBT because I already kinda wanna hit the books but I don't retain long term memory study material.. 

If it was CBT I would retake it in 1 month and brush up and add more study to what I already have and my references. 

I'm not sure what more I could add to my references without adding unnecessary bulk..  

That’s why I think making notes while you take the practice exams helps. Let’s you know where you are lacking in resources and references.

 

[tmntjmc]

^ and if it was CBT, you wouldn't be able to use any of your personal references. As I understand, once it goes CBT, there will be a single exam reference guide per discipline, similar in kind to the FE. Be careful what you wish for. :thumbs:

why wouldn't we be able to use reference books? I think if they made the test CBT we would just input our answers electronically but I don't see why that means we can't use reference books.. 

BTW Thank you guys for chatting with me during work lol. 

I work for the city but it's a slow day today, a somber day after the FAIL notice. 

 

[knight1fox3]

why wouldn't we be able to use reference books? I think if they made the test CBT we would just input our answers electronically but I don't see why that means we can't use reference books.. 

Because, once the PE exam goes CBT, it will become closed-book with only a single reference guide per what NCEES has indicated. Count me out for that! LOL

 

[BirdGrave]

Because, once the PE exam goes CBT, it will become closed-book with only a single reference guide per what NCEES has indicated. Count me out for that! LOL

Maybe that single reference guide will include, like, the entire text of the NEC?  I actually might prefer a situation where I could do a Ctrl F keyword search...

 

[Phenomenon083]

Maybe that single reference guide will include, like, the entire text of the NEC?  I actually might prefer a situation where I could do a Ctrl F keyword search...

This would be especially great for protection problems.

 

[roy167]

Does anyone know the PE exam is going Computer based? 

 

[BirdGrave]

Does anyone know the PE exam is going Computer based? 

Sometime in 2021.

 

[roy167]

Oh that's quite a ways. I need not worry. If I don't get my PE within a year or so then I'm not going to take test anyway.  

 

[bdhlphcdh]

I was enrolled in Zach's course but was not able to sit for the exam.  I sent a couple of e-mails out to him as well and have not heard back.

 

[EE2PE]

Will do. I wish the test was CBT because I already kinda wanna hit the books but I don't retain long term memory study material.. 

If it was CBT I would retake it in 1 month and brush up and add more study to what I already have and my references. 

I'm not sure what more I could add to my references without adding unnecessary bulk..  

Reference List

What do you guys suggest to add to my references? I have 

• The Electrical Engineer's Guide to Passing the Power PE Exam
  A. S. Graffeo, PE
  
• PE Electrical and Computer Engineering: Power Practice Exam
  Ncees
  
• NEC 2017 
  
• NESC 2017
  
• Ugly's Electrical References, 2017 Edition
  
• FE Reference Book 
  
• Multiple binders with tabs sections and sample questions 
  

I will definitely recommend adding Wildi. It is a really good resource for Rotating Machines and Electronic Devices.