Completely unbiased review of PPI later today

[Dexman PE PMP]

Quick EB history lesson: eb.com is a result of the ppi forums being really bad. They used to have an open public forum section where PE examinees could go to discuss exam prep, but the mods there were real dickheads and would shut down the "other" threads (like the Lunch thread). So RG and a few other OG members created eb.com.  A few years later, the PPI forums were shut down. Now they're a sponsor here.

I met several of the EB.com guys there after I took the exam back in '08 while I was waiting on results and they told me about here.

 

[EB NCEES REP]

Really all of these exam prep courses are making money off of your lack of confidence to simply study yourself, using the NCEES Sample Exams of course.

 

[PowerStroke79_PE]

Really all of these exam prep courses are making money off of your lack of confidence to simply study yourself, using the NCEES Sample Exams of course.

Wheres the Like button!!! 

 

[ptatohed]

Quick EB history lesson: eb.com is a result of the ppi forums being really bad. They used to have an open public forum section where PE examinees could go to discuss exam prep, but the mods there were real dickheads and would shut down the "other" threads (like the Lunch thread). So RG and a few other OG members created eb.com.  A few years later, the PPI forums were shut down. Now they're a sponsor here.

I met several of the EB.com guys there after I took the exam back in '08 while I was waiting on results and they told me about here.

I remember the PPI forums.  While they did have a "controlled speech" feel to them, it was kinda cool to be able to communicate with Mr. Lindeburg himself! 

Really all of these exam prep courses are making money off of your lack of confidence to simply study yourself, using the NCEES Sample Exams of course.

I don't think this is fair.  While I, personally, was a "self-studier" and I would recommend each examinee consider giving self-studying a go, I think everyone is different, has a unique situation, learns/reviews in different ways, etc. - so it is not fair to say self studying is for everyone and examinees only take review courses because they lack confidence.  And to suggest that one should not only self-study but to suggest they should study only using NCEES Sample Exams is, well, not very realistic. 

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

The PPI forums were OK so long as you ONLY talked about the exam and Lindburg's products. I mentioned the Lunch thread because that was one of the "deciding factors" to start EB.com.  JR and others would constantly start new threads asking what everyone did for their lunch break between the AM and PM sessions, only to have it locked/deleted.

 

[youngmotivatedengineer]

Really all of these exam prep courses are making money off of your lack of confidence to simply study yourself, using the NCEES Sample Exams of course.

I highly disagree with this. It is hard to effectively fully prepare by self studying and doing NCEES practice exam. Exam shows a handful of questions,  actual exam may have completly different questions. While topics may be similar,  question could be asked a different way  requiring a different process to solve the problem.  

Classes can also give you insights to common types of problems and let you know what you should and shouldn't worry about. For example, someone weak in structures may freak out and over study structural design or steel design, when in reality there are not many in-depth questions into that area unless you are taking structural depth or the CA structural exam. The teachers in the classes will let you know to worry about A,B,C but D,E,F is topics related to depth portion. 

EET class also taught me alot about little tricks and standard practice/ procedures that someone not fully trained in a topic may not know. For someone not involved with major construction, you may not understand the difference between BCY,LCY,CCY soil capacities.  The review guides cover this but the books are so big it's hard to know what items are important and which is just extra fluff that is only a depth related topic. 

 

[ruggercsc]

Really all of these exam prep courses are making money off of your lack of confidence to simply study yourself, using the NCEES Sample Exams of course.

While I respect your opinion, in my situation the review course was well worth my investment.

1. As an older test taker (I was 50 when I took the exam), I had simply not been exposed to some material in over 25 years.  It came back after taking the review course and working numerous problems.
   
2. The review course focuses on material most likely to be on the exam.  IMHO, the CERM problems are a lot more difficult than the exam questions on the particular exam I took and the depth section I took.
   
3. The review course provides a very organized set of notes that you become familiar with while going through the course work.
   
4. The review course provides sample problems that are similar to questions you will see on the exam.
   
5.  The review course narrows down the code sections of the recommended references and focuses your studying to what you will most likely see on the exam. 
   

For me the exam covered the following:

1. Material I had never been exposed to.
   
2. Material I had not seen since I graduated.
   
3. Material I had used previously in my career, but had not used in awhile.
   
4. Material I use daily and was very familiar with.
   
   The review course definitely helped with the 1. and 2. above.  If anything, the review course helped narrow down the material most likely to be on the exam. 
   While it may be a waste fo money to some, it definitely helps others. 
   

 

[youngmotivatedengineer]

To add to the bottom of ruggercsc's comment, for most engineers we will most likely never use half the stuff that we learned while studying for the exam once we get our license. 

 

[matt267 PE]

To add to the bottom of ruggercsc's comment, for most engineers we will most likely never use half the stuff that we learned while studying for the exam once we get our license. 

I already forgot most of it. 

 

[tj_PE]

I already forgot most of it. 

What have you forgotten? I don't remember.

 

[Jbone27 PE]

Really all of these exam prep courses are making money off of your lack of confidence to simply study yourself, using the NCEES Sample Exams of course.

Don't be jelly. NCEES is getting more than their share of the $$ with those test fees. 

The NCEES practice exams are a far cry from representative of the entire exam.