April/October 2020 Power PE Exam Prep

[Orchid PE]

Yeah I have a lot of binders. I took Zach's class so all of that course work is in the purple, pink, blue and white binder that is not labeled. The grey one is quick reference formulas and the black one is worked out problems.

So far so good with the Protective Relaying book. I've only gotten through the first few chapters. Not sure if I'm going to have time to get through the whole book. The second link below is for the book I couldn't find last night. The last time I took the exam I read through the whole book and really liked it. It was an easy read. I think the book I have pictured may be more helpful for the conceptual questions but I'm not 100% positive yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0824709721/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8120341236/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just recently ordered the book in the second link. It should be coming in today. I mean, for $30, that's not a bad price for more knowledge.

 

[speakeelsy PE]

Yeah I have a lot of binders. I took Zach's class so all of that course work is in the purple, pink, blue and white binder that is not labeled. The grey one is quick reference formulas and the black one is worked out problems.

So far so good with the Protective Relaying book. I've only gotten through the first few chapters. Not sure if I'm going to have time to get through the whole book. The second link below is for the book I couldn't find last night. The last time I took the exam I read through the whole book and really liked it. It was an easy read. I think the book I have pictured may be more helpful for the conceptual questions but I'm not 100% positive yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0824709721/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8120341236/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have the 2nd book and i really like it! It much easier to read than Blackburn, I probably need to read through it in more detail. I've mostly read chapters as needed when I came across something felt I needed to know in more detail. I found a pdf of the Sleva book too, but haven't looked at it yet.

Thanks!

 

[daydreambeliever]

I just recently ordered the book in the second link. It should be coming in today. I mean, for $30, that's not a bad price for more knowledge.

Exactly! It really was an easy read. I think I made my way through it including tabbing in 2 weeks or less just by reading it before bed. Not exactly my preferred bedtime book genre but it was ok. 

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Yeah I have a lot of binders. I took Zach's class so all of that course work is in the purple, pink, blue and white binder that is not labeled. The grey one is quick reference formulas and the black one is worked out problems.

So far so good with the Protective Relaying book. I've only gotten through the first few chapters. Not sure if I'm going to have time to get through the whole book. The second link below is for the book I couldn't find last night. The last time I took the exam I read through the whole book and really liked it. It was an easy read. I think the book I have pictured may be more helpful for the conceptual questions but I'm not 100% positive yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0824709721/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8120341236/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

pro tip on binder: if you notice some of the rings starting to shift/separate, tape them. Just 2 wraps of electrical tape will work. 

I actually had the rings on my NESC fail (I printed it from pdf I got thru work). And you don't want them to fail during the exam. 

Maybe unlike me, you bought your binders new and didn't pull them from the bin that came back from a jobsite where binders go to die 

 

[daydreambeliever]

pro tip on binder: if you notice some of the rings starting to shift/separate, tape them. Just 2 wraps of electrical tape will work. 

THANKS!!!! That's an awesome tip! I've used the same binders for every exam so the rings are starting to lose some of their strength. Once I think I'm done adding/moving things around I will definitely do that!

 

[Orchid PE]

Has anyone practiced sitting through and taking a practice exam in 8 hours? Or mainly just splitting it in half and doing two 4 hour sessions?

 

[Sparky Bill PE]

Has anyone practiced sitting through and taking a practice exam in 8 hours? Or mainly just splitting it in half and doing two 4 hour sessions?

I've done the 8 hour timed exam twice so far. AM/PM with a 1 hour break trying to mimic the test day. 

I plan doing it again this weekend with either ENGR FULL exam or Cram for PE test 2. Not sure which one yet. I've heard great things about both so I don't think I could go wrong. 

 

[Orchid PE]

I've done the 8 hour timed exam twice so far. AM/PM with a 1 hour break trying to mimic the test day. 

I plan doing it again this weekend with either ENGR FULL exam or Cram for PE test 2. Not sure which one yet. I've heard great things about both so I don't think I could go wrong. 

What wort of times are you looking at with your passes? Like 1st pass 2hr, 2nd pass 1hr, 3rd pass 30min, etc.?

Or are you even doing passes?

 

[Sparky Bill PE]

What wort of times are you looking at with your passes? Like 1st pass 2hr, 2nd pass 1hr, 3rd pass 30min, etc.?

Or are you even doing passes?

First one I didn't do passes, second one I did. I think for main exam I will FOR SURE do passes so I am training that way from here on out. 

I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse but I'm pretty quick at knowing if I know how to do something or if I don't. So I have been moving through them fairly quickly. I just need to keep hammering through practice exams to get exposed to as much material as possible. 

 

[daydreambeliever]

I completed the EngPro Full Exam a couple weeks ago and replicated testing conditions in a conference room at work. I took more/longer bathroom and drink breaks than I will on test day but everything else was similar. I did passes as well. 1st pass - all the questions I could answer easily, 2nd pass - all code questions and 3rd pass - everything that I needed to dig a little deeper for. I'm not sure how long each pass took. The AM session I finished about 45 min early so I went back and checked some of my work. The PM session I had a harder time with. I could tell that I was getting tired and just wanted to be done. I've been down this road multiple times so I know that on test day my adrenaline will kick in so that won't be as big of a concern. On test day I'll also have a couple energy drinks to help out.

Game plan is to replicate test day and do the first CRAM exam on Sunday.

 

[GHermann]

Hi, I've been working through School of PE, CramforthePE, and Complex Imaginary; and it's become pretty clear to me that I am not ready for this exam. I'm at the crossroads of either cancelling my test and attempting it again in October, or just going full steam ahead and trying it while making plans to take it again in October anyway. What would you do in my situation?

 

[Orchid PE]

Man, idk. Sounds like you're in a little bit of a pickle. With the exam only 5 weeks away, and you not feeling ready, that's not too good.

How are you doing on the practice exams? What scores are you getting?

I don't know what the rules say about cancelling. Can you cancel and get money back? Does your engineering board need anything submitted for you to take it in October?

 

[Sparky Bill PE]

Hi, I've been working through School of PE, CramforthePE, and Complex Imaginary; and it's become pretty clear to me that I am not ready for this exam. I'm at the crossroads of either cancelling my test and attempting it again in October, or just going full steam ahead and trying it while making plans to take it again in October anyway. What would you do in my situation?

Never reschedule. It's just money you can always make more. I would have paid the $ for the October exam even if I didn't have a chance of passing just for the opportunity. That's an experience you LITERALLY can not buy besides being there.

 

[GHermann]

Man, idk. Sounds like you're in a little bit of a pickle. With the exam only 5 weeks away, and you not feeling ready, that's not too good.

How are you doing on the practice exams? What scores are you getting?

I don't know what the rules say about cancelling. Can you cancel and get money back? Does your engineering board need anything submitted for you to take it in October?

Yeah, it's definitely on my mind. I'm in Florida so I don't believe that I will need anything other than registering with NCEES again in order to take it again in October. As for getting money back; I'm really not worried about the money. I'm more worried about how awful I'll feel if I go to take it and have no idea what I am doing.

Practice exams, it's not looking good. I'm not sitting down to take them as if I'm taking the PE because I get hung up on problems and get curious about the answer. I'm aware that this only makes it more difficult on me as I should be practicing in an environment that I'm familiar with; but I'm not feeling very confident every time I turn the page to a new set of problems.

Never reschedule. It's just money you can always make more. I would have paid the $ for the October exam even if I didn't have a chance of passing just for the opportunity. That's an experience you LITERALLY can not buy besides being there.

This is a great point in that  the experience alone would be worth it; but I worry that the experience would also discourage me from it as well. Any thoughts on that?

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

@GHermann I believe its too late for you to reschedule. Your options are skip & get a no show or go & get exposure to the test.

I 100% understand how you feel right now. And I stand firmly in the "go take the test" camp. Why do you ask? Ive been in your shoes. More than once. I took the test 7 times. I did not study for 3 of those attempts. Like at all. Because of burn out and marathon training. But I went anyway and it sucked. But I came out with the diagnostic that showed me my weak points and gave me a path forward.

I highly recommend giving it your best this April. And then digging in real good this summer to smash it this fall before it goes CBT.

 

[GHermann]

@GHermann I believe its too late for you to reschedule. Your options are skip & get a no show or go & get exposure to the test.

I 100% understand how you feel right now. And I stand firmly in the "go take the test" camp. Why do you ask? Ive been in your shoes. More than once. I took the test 7 times. I did not study for 3 of those attempts. Like at all. Because of burn out and marathon training. But I went anyway and it sucked. But I came out with the diagnostic that showed me my weak points and gave me a path forward.

I highly recommend giving it your best this April. And then digging in real good this summer to smash it this fall before it goes CBT.

Well, I'm behind on something then. It's going CBT? That's a lot of pressure to succeed this time or the next if that's the case.

Good advice all around, though.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Well, I'm behind on something then. It's going CBT? That's a lot of pressure to succeed this time or the next if that's the case.

Good advice all around, though.

2020 is the last time for pen & paper.

If you dont succeed in 2020, its honestly NBD. But id personally not take it Q1/Q2 of 2021 until theres more info known about how the reference pdf is set up

 

[Orchid PE]

Well, I'm behind on something then. It's going CBT? That's a lot of pressure to succeed this time or the next if that's the case.

Good advice all around, though.

It's tentatively scheduled for 2021 to go to CBT. Haven't heard much from NCEES on anything yet.

I'd suggest sitting down and practice taking a full exam. You might do better than you think. 

How long have you been studying now?

Looking back through, this will be your 3rd time?

 

[GHermann]

It's tentatively scheduled for 2021 to go to CBT. Haven't heard much from NCEES on anything yet.

I'd suggest sitting down and practice taking a full exam. You might do better than you think. 

How long have you been studying now?

Looking back through, this will be your 3rd time?

That's right. First time was my best attempt, second time was not as good because of real life issues, and this time around has been almost entirely bogged down with Work. I had anticipated time off after January that I never got.

I've been studying *seriously* for about two months prior because of that. The first time I had almost four to five months to study, and the second time three months.

 

[daydreambeliever]

If there's no way to get your money back or if you don't care either way I would definitely go take it. You've got 5 more weeks to study. Have you taken any prep classes? You could sign up for Zach's class for a month.