Attorney with liberal arts background looking to take FE Exam

[John QPE]

There are really states that have no requirements for the FE?

I find this hard to believe.

 

[matt267 PE]

There are really states that have no requirements for the FE?

I find this hard to believe.

Some states let you take the PE without the FE if you have "X" years of qualifying engineering experience. In RI, you can take the PE without the FE if you have an accredited degree and 12 years experience.

 

[Flyer_PE]

Wisconsin has some interesting rules also. Last time I checked, WI would issue a PE license based on years of experience only. No FE or PE required. Not much in the way of reciprocity for somebody in WI who gets the license that way though.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Wisconsin has some interesting rules also. Last time I checked, WI would issue a PE license based on years of experience only. No FE or PE required. Not much in the way of reciprocity for somebody in WI who gets the license that way though.

But that's something like 20+ years of progressive engineering experience.

 

[Road Guy]

I worked with a guy who did that in GA, he just never fully graduated. in the 70's they just needed people to work and didnt care so much for pedigrees. so at guess at some point in time he just never finished his degree but had worked his way up in the company.... but he went back like 30 years out of college and passed both the EIT and the PE (first attempt each one).. he actually lived in Tennessee and commuted to Atlanta (that had to suck) but he coulndt get his license in Tennessee (or many other places)

He was a very book smart person and a good engineer as long as you had unlimited schedule and bugdet, but he was a subdtandard decision maker and very piss-poor project manager...

 

[JB66money]

SoftlPLawyer,

First of all I believe that each engineering discipline is equal in level of difficulty, so I would suggest that you choose an area that you are most interested in. In order for you to pass the FE exam you will have to do like everyone else who have passed it has done which is to study learn all of the material that will be on the exam. There is no magic formula other than studying and learning. The same way that if any of us engineers want to be able to pass the bar exam we would have to study and learn law in the respected state that we would like to take it in.

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

SoftlPLawyer,

This thread http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showtopic=22926 might be of some interest to you.

Most on the this board passed the "old" format of the FE exam, so you definitely need to talk to those who have taken the new format.

Best of luck!

 

[mysticpots]

Hello All,

I am currently an attorney looking to take the FE Exam so that I will be eligible to sit for the Patent Bar. My undergraduate background is in the liberal arts and I have absolutely no background in engineering or science. Traditionally, I've actually been pretty horrible at math.

I realize that engineers work very hard in learning their craft and by no means do I mean to underestimate the time and preparation needed to pass this exam. Passing this test for me is a route to being more marketable to practice Patent Law, really just copyrights and trademarks, which have absolutely nothing to do with engineering.

What discipline would be the best self-study for someone just learning about engineering and has a weak math background? What aids would you recommend to begin this long journey?

I was thinking of taking the Environmental Engineering Exam or the Civil as my current work is environmentally related and I heard that Civil was the easiest of the bunch (as if any of the disciplines are easy). Which would you recommend?

Thank you in advance.

Hi! I'm trying to accomplish the same thing. I was wondering if I could pick you brains on your journey and if it worked. I also don't have a background in any engineering related field. Please let me know if you were able to take the FE exam and if you took the parent exam. Thank you!!!

 

[pvtblunt]

Thank you all for your comments. I am eligible to take the FE Exam in a couple of states that have no requirements to sit. Michigan is one of those states.

To be clear, I am not interested in taking another test nor am I interested in working as an engineer. Again, I am interested in taking and passing the FE test solely to be eligible to sit for the Patent Bar. Without having an undergraduate degree in science, passing the FE exam is the only feasible route for me to sit for the Patent Bar.

So I ask, "What discipline would be the best self-study for someone just learning about engineering and has a weak math background? What aids would you recommend to begin this long journey?"

"I was thinking of taking the Environmental Engineering Exam or the Civil as my current work is environmentally related and I heard that Civil was the easiest of the bunch (as if any of the disciplines are easy). Which would you recommend?"

Thank you all again in advance for your advice.

Follow this link to find out the question breakdown of each of the exams: NCEES FE exam information

If you are weak in math, I would suggest you spend a considerable amount of time building your strengths there. If you can't do math, then you will not be able to perform the calculations necessary to deduce correct answers for the rest of the exam.

 

[Reverse Polish]

Hi! I'm trying to accomplish the same thing. I was wondering if I could pick you brains on your journey and if it worked. I also don't have a background in any engineering related field. Please let me know if you were able to take the FE exam and if you took the parent exam. Thank you!!!

Understand that "FE" is the Fundamentals of Engineering. The exam is designed to test everything you are expected to learn in an undergraduate engineering curriculum. In other words, people spend four years (or more) learning the concepts covered on this exam.

Just know that your insistence that you can "walk in off the street", pass an exam for which most of us busted our butts, and then ask us to tell you how to pass so that you can make double or triple our salaries?... Well, that may not be received very well by some.

Engineering isn't easy. If it was, you would have done it as an undergrad too.

 

[Stewie]

Call your state licensure board. You are probably able to sit in the FE exam and pass it. However, to obtain the EIT license is another story. I am not sure if the patent bar requires the FE pass result or the EIT license. Just saying...