Civil PE (wtr/ENV) or Environmental PE for Chemical Eng

[bala]

hi,

I have an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and a masters in environmental engineering. I have about 3.5 years of experience working in remediation and solid waste projects. I am now debating between a Civil PE with water/ENV or an Environmental PE exam.

Civil PE/ENv : Thought :Morning session is easier if I go to test masters and evening session by self study.

Cons : Not familiar with 4 of the 5 morning topics. will a review course be enough to tackle the morning.

pros : Approved in all states.

Env PE: Thought: More than 60% of the exam is in familiar land and the rest can be studied.

Cons: Very vast subject area, too difficult to find all the references.

Very few people take the exam because it is difficult?

No good review course.

Pros: Speciality

I would appreciate inputs from people to help me in deciding between Civil PE or Environmental PE. please do share your thoughts. I am very confused right now.

 

[Dleg]

I'd go for the Environmental PE if I were you, because it fits with your area of expertise and it will nto be as difficult as you think to study for it.

If you go for the civil (which would be more versatile in the working world), you will have to learn some stuff you ahve never received schooling in, like structural, geotech, traffic, etc. With the enviro, it will all be familiar ground. Plus, let's say you get licensed as a civil. Are you really going to off and certify someone's foundation design? I doubt it - stick with what you actually do.

Don't worry about the number of questions - I think the difference is just that there are more non-quantitative questions added to cover the breadth of the ENV world. The quantitative questions may (I don't know for sure since I did not take the civil PE) also be shorter than the civil questions, because you have less time to finish them.

Believe me, with your education and experience, you can pass the Env. test. (with study)

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Don't worry about the number of questions - I think the difference is just that there are more non-quantitative questions added to cover the breadth of the ENV world. The quantitative questions may (I don't know for sure since I did not take the civil PE) also be shorter than the civil questions, because you have less time to finish them.
Believe me, with your education and experience, you can pass the Env. test. (with study)

Exactly, its 100 questions instead of 80 because there are some real snap decision qualitative questions.

40 CFR 342 defines hazardous waste as...

Which of these is not regulated as as part of NAAQS...

Stuff like that. You either know it or you don't and it doesn't take more than a minute if you do.

The breadth of the exam is the worst part I thought. You need to know a little bit about a lot of diverse topics. But I don't think its any easier or tougher than the other exams.

 

[bala]

Thank you so much for your inputs.

1. The preparation for Environmental PE seemed daunting when I saw the list of references that was given in PPI website. I thought that I will

not be able to collect all these references let alone tab all of them. Please share your experience and strategy to tackle the references.

2. I do agree that familiarity is a big comfort issue with environmental pe. I found that TestMasters (popular review course in Texas) does not give

a complete training in the Environmental PE. Is there any course that is complete with good material in your opinion/experience?

I have been searching for some advice for my dilemma for quite some time, with very little success. I found this forum in one google search. I am very

thankful to you people for responding to my questions as there is not much guidance available elsewhere. THanks again for your time.

 

[Dleg]

Just read through the posts below here in this forum. There's a thread called "Advice on the Env PE Exam" that contains answers to many of your questions. I will bump it up to the top so you can read it (Hey VTEnviro, you might want to consider "stickying" that thread to stay at the top of the forum in here).

You will see from that thread that most of us did not take anywhere near the full list of references that Lindberg suggests. A few good textbooks, in addition to your ENVRM, is really all you will need to pass. Some of the regulations, of course, are also very helpful in real life, and you would be well served to get printed copies of the ones you use at work, and the oddball stuff that isn't covered in any of the textbooks, like the OSHA regs and DOT shipping requirements.

As far as the test prep courses, I did not take one, and there were no DVD courses available yet when I took the exam (Oct. 2006). But if you check in this forum, you will see several discussions among people who have purchased the more recent DVD exam review courses, which sound like a pretty good thing, if you can afford them. Personally, getting the initials PE after your name is worth more than the cost of the textbooks and DVDs combined, and I recommend spending what it takes to get yourself ready. The textbooks, especially, retain their value for work, so they are a good investment.

 

[GTjoy]

Well I haven't taken the Env exam yet but speaking as a civil engineer who is choosing to take the Env PE exam, I would say the Civil PE seems far more daunting in terms of breadth. Since you have a chemical engineering AND environmental engineering background, you are very well suited and prepared to take the Env PE already!

Lastly, unless you anticipate practicing in anything non-environmental (i.e., as a structural or transportation design engineer), then it won't really matter.

 

[robby]

I also have a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, and a master's degree in environmental engineering.

I'd worked on water, wastewater, solid waste, and environmental assessment projects prior to taking the exam.

I took the Environmental PE exam.

I agree with most of your pros and cons--but I felt that I had a better chance of passing the Environmental exam--and I did!

(I have actually had thoughts of going back and taking the Civil (Water/Env) exam, too--but we'll see...)

 

[bala]

Thanks again for your replies. Robby, can you please share your preparation method and review courses that you took. How did you

collect the reference books needed for the exam.

When i look at some subjects related to radiation and sampling in various sections it makes me very uncomfortable. Any ideas on how

you all handled it?

I am leaning towards civil pe for right now but it is so hard to decide.

 

[Dleg]

Radiation is really a minor part of the exam, and the problems are not difficult at all once you have done some minimal studying. But there are so few, you could probably sitll pass without getting any radiation problems right. (I highly recommend studying, though).

Sampling methods are just things you will look up. Make sure you have good references - see some of the other posts in this forum.. Salvato's "Environmental Engineering" is a wealth of information on sampling, even though it is a little expensive (it's worth it).

As far as how to get the references, I suggest buying them. You will use them enough during studying to become familiar with them, so they really are useful references to keep after the exam. Consider this an investment. It's a lot cheaper than a Master's degree, too. You might even be able to find some of the books used.

 

[GTjoy]

Radiation is really a minor part of the exam, and the problems are not difficult at all once you have done some minimal studying. But there are so few, you could probably sitll pass without getting any radiation problems right. (I highly recommend studying, though).
Sampling methods are just things you will look up. Make sure you have good references - see some of the other posts in this forum.. Salvato's "Environmental Engineering" is a wealth of information on sampling, even though it is a little expensive (it's worth it).

As far as how to get the references, I suggest buying them. You will use them enough during studying to become familiar with them, so they really are useful references to keep after the exam. Consider this an investment. It's a lot cheaper than a Master's degree, too. You might even be able to find some of the books used.

I know it seems intimidating at first, but I think radiation was one of the easiest topics. I definitely have no background or experience in it, either.