Architectural Engineering Ref Handbook limitations

[screeli]

So Im an architect and engineer by education and work experience. I am a licensed architect, and decided it was time to edge my FE towards a PE. "Common sense" had me choose the architectural engineering exam, but I'm starting to question this based on the limitations of the Reference Handbook (RH). Initially I figured less is more, but it seems the example problems I've seen to date in turn are focused more on the design standards. The last thing I need is to be spending too much time searching for things. Would anyone recommend the more general civil exam over the architectural regardless of background?

 

[Hamilton_PE]

As far as I am aware, there is not a "general civil" exam. You would have to select a specific civil discipline (I assume you would choose the Civil: Structural exam). I personally don't know what the architectural engineering exam is like, but the civil: structural exam is very code based. Unless you are very familiar with the steel, concrete, masonry, wood, ASCE, and other related codes, it will likely be a very serious undertaking.

 

[screeli]

Good point, I was really just seeing if anyone had better experience studying for the architectural than I currently am. The content of the practice exams Im not enjoying as Im finding Qs too interpretable at times and often inference to formulas that are not (yet) in the manual. If I took the civil I'd likely take the transportation because I took a similar exam for my masters, but I just dont have the work experience with transportation as I do with architectural topics. Has anyone taken the architectural? and did you find the much smaller manual a benefit or limiting factor?

 

[NYC_Engineer95]

Good point, I was really just seeing if anyone had better experience studying for the architectural than I currently am. The content of the practice exams Im not enjoying as Im finding Qs too interpretable at times and often inference to formulas that are not (yet) in the manual. If I took the civil I'd likely take the transportation because I took a similar exam for my masters, but I just dont have the work experience with transportation as I do with architectural topics. Has anyone taken the architectural? and did you find the much smaller manual a benefit or limiting factor?

Did you decide to proceed with the AE exam? I am studying for it now, it is not easy.

 

[youngmotivatedengineer]

Did you decide to proceed with the AE exam? I am studying for it now, it is not easy.

Regardless of which discipline you take, you will most likely come across topics that are hard and that you may never deal with again after the exam. When studying, make sure you look at the test specifications to see what topics are covered. Some of the exam review guides may include topics related to AE but aren’t covered on the exam. You also need to look at the test specifications to see the number of questions for each topic and see if it’s worth spending a lot of time studying a specific area you are having a lot of trouble with. For example, if the area you are struggling with has the least amount of questions on the exam, you can give those topics lower priority and spend more time on the topics that cover a majority of the exam. Otherwise you could got bogged down on the one area and not adequately prepare for the other areas.