CBT prep
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There are quite a few worked examples in the 3rd edition...I had the most relevant ones tabbed with problem type name like "return sludge flow rate." It was very helpful. I took the exam a while ago, though...Hey All, I plan on taking the cbt environmental exam and purchased the Introduction to Environmental Engineering 5th edition by Cornell. There are some good practice problems but it seems like they only give you the answer for a few problems. Even for the ones that do have the answer given, there is no solution shownAnybody have a solution reference manual that they can share? thank you
GirlsCanDesign
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@vee043324 @txjennah PE @RBHeadge PE thank you! I will definitely report back, keep you fingers crossed for me!
@GirlsCanDesignGood luck!@vee043324 @txjennah PE @RBHeadge PE thank you! I will definitely report back, keep you fingers crossed for me!
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You got this! I passed on my 3rd attempt in October, you can do it in your first, especially with it being CBT!
I think its quieter on the Enviro boards because no one is crazy enough to sign up for the Enviro exam, even when it was still paper-and-pencil. Or its just not a commonly taken exam. I think if you're adequately prepared, the exam will seem easy. I took it this past October, the last time it'd be offered as pencil-and-paper. I thought after the first hour or so that I would be taking the exam again in April 2019, but after the 2nd or 3rd pass through the exam problems I was (almost) slapping myself, thinking "Why didn't I see that before? This problem takes 30 seconds to solve," or "Wait, wasn't the method to solve this problem tabbed in one of my references?"
With the Enviro exam moving to CBT, I think there is going to be a shift in how an examinee prepares for this exam. In the past, for this PE exam, you would be responsible for gathering your references, knowing them, and "hoping" they would be the "correct" references to get the correct answers. Whereas the FE exam and the CBT PE exams, where you can't rely on extra references, other than the one you are given. When I was studying for the FE exam, I bought the reference manual while I was studying and (almost) memorized where everything was.
With that in mind, the best advice I could give is to work problems, work problems, work problems, be familiar with the supplied reference manual, and memorize key concepts and conversions (like 1 psi = 2.31 ft) that aren't in the supplied reference manual. If you bought the NCEES practice exam and the current sample exams/problem sets and have a good understanding of the problems that could be on the exam, you should be well prepared.
Wishing you good luck and a big green PASS in the very near future
When you go back to take it, you will conquer it!
GirlsCanDesign
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@txjennah PE I think it went well? I definitely liked the CBT format better than open book. It helped me study smarter and not spend so much time tabbing for things and instead learn and understand the content from just the manual alone. I had about a dozen "flagged" questions in both the morning and afternoon after I took my first pass through. Hoping that I got at least a few of the ones right. If I passed it wasn't with flying colors, but I definitely left feeling a lot better than I did in October. Just hoping it was enough this time!
Glad to hear that! Hope you hear good news soon
It's so nice you don't have to wait 5-6 weeks for results.GirlsCanDesign
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@txjennah PE I'm hopeful! I walked out feeling like I did my best. I wish I was better at theory questions, that's definitely where my weakness lies. Hopefully I got just enough of them!
It seems like results are normally posted for CBT on Wednesdays. I'm assuming that means I'll get my results next week instead of tomorrow unfortunately haha
It seems like results are normally posted for CBT on Wednesdays. I'm assuming that means I'll get my results next week instead of tomorrow unfortunately haha
I also bought the worked problems from Lindeburg, but some of them just don't belong in an enviro book (I'm not designing HVAC systems and pretty sure that won't be on the exam??, there's a whole section on this...) but some of the problems have been helpful and I think they just reworked this book, so the new one may be better. I also did some YouTube/Khan Academy review for chemistry, and other topics as I was struggling with problems or in my class. I did buy the latest Lindeburg and it's pretty helpful since it uses the reference handbook.
I can't say yet how well all that works though... I'll definitely report back after the exam!
@GirlsCanDesign I guess I'm late to say good luck, but I hope your exam went well!!
I'm gonna be honest, I bought the practice problems from Lindeburg too, but found them useless. I don't feel like they do a good job of approximating the kinds of questions you see on the exam.
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GirlsCanDesign
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^ I'd have to agree with @txjennah PE. The first time I ran through some of those problems I panicked because I didn't know any of the content. I have bough a lot of practice problem booklets and I believe the ones that reflect the exam the most comes from PPI and NCEES.
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Lindeburg questions, I feel, was good for really understanding concepts/going step by step sometimes? But totally agree that the questions are not at all similar to what I saw on the exam. I skipped some sections all together, but I do like that they have the sections match with the textbook (so I could be like, huh, I'm tabbing a bunch of stuff around here, let me see if there are any questions that specifically cover this and/or go deeper into the theory and covers a minor thing that might help me).
I'm really curious on how the CBT results will be. I think the shorter wait would be worse for me. Like, I'd knooooow I failed. XD
I'm really curious on how the CBT results will be. I think the shorter wait would be worse for me. Like, I'd knooooow I failed. XD
Yep agreed! The NCEES practice exam, and the Schneiter practice books! I had a love/hate relationship with those books but they definitely helped me.
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@txjennah PE What! I didn't know PPI had another book, the Schneiter problems look better and have practice tests 
. When I started preping I only saw the Lindeburg book. I was getting my feet wet with those practice problems, they are definitely panic inducing. Now I am taking a course and have the practice exam from NCEES. I'll have to see how I'm feeling practice wise after I finish the course. I have my test scheduled for early June.
. When I started preping I only saw the Lindeburg book. I was getting my feet wet with those practice problems, they are definitely panic inducing. Now I am taking a course and have the practice exam from NCEES. I'll have to see how I'm feeling practice wise after I finish the course. I have my test scheduled for early June.
Yeah Schneiter has a couple of books I found helpful. I would say his practice exam book didn't quite approximate the level of difficulty of the exam (only the NCEES practice exams did, which figures lol) BUT they were great for helping me prep. What course are you taking? I'd definitely recommend getting the books regardless to practice, the more problems you do, the better! I didn't use the Lindeburg problems at all to prep for my successful attempt.@txjennah PE What! I didn't know PPI had another book, the Schneiter problems look better and have practice tests
Ah ok yep yep I took SoPE and agree. Especially with the air class...the notes are all over the place.
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